#as i work on my end of the year review i chose not to include the numbers bc they look a little discouraging im sure

[isabellehemlock]

Note to myself, and other creatives:

reach does not equate engagement reach does not equate engagement reach does not equate engagement reach does not equate engagement reach does not equate engagement reach does not equate engagement reach does not equate engagement reach does not equate engagement -

#creatives #content creators #fandom stuff #reach does not equate engagement #soemthing i thought earlyyyyy on years ago that maybe i just need to post mynart across mutliple places but uh - #as i work on my end of the year review i chose not to include the numbers bc they look a little discouraging im sure #but then i thought if other creatives see this they at least might know it's not them either #it just sort of is this way #SO make what brings you joy #that's what's most important #*apologies for the spelling errors! 🙃 #in case you're doing the numbers yeahhhh that's about 3 to 4% engagement for total views

[myscenic]

Pairing: bf!yoon jeonghan x 14thmember!male!reader

Genre: fluff

Warnings: none

Word Count: 1k+

Synopsis: jeonghan and y/n have been in a loving relationship for years. during some competitive games in a variety show, jeonghan pushes through a knee injury to support y/n, showing their caring teamwork.

𖤓 Note: i was sick yesterday so i didn't write anything, i just rushed to finish this and it's 4am, it's kinda rough but idk😭

the fourteen members were prepping for the nana tour. as the director, na pd ensured everyone was ready.

jeonghan searched the room for his boyfriend y/n. they had counted on each other since little and after debuting, chose to openly share their relationship with carats.

he walked over to where y/n reviewed the schedule. "all set, babe?" jeonghan asked affectionately, touching y/n's arm.

y/n smiled. "just checking out the games."

leaning in, jeonghan said, "if we go shopping, let me know what you like. i'll buy it for my cute boyfriend."

y/n blushed at the sweet gesture, even after publicly dating for a while. their moment was interrupted by staff calling them to start filming.

during filming, jeonghan found ways to show y/n his affection like including him first or letting y/n lean on his shoulder. their open displays of love earned smiles from fans, who were happy the relationship didn’t need hiding.

the members began filming the first game, which was a scavenger hunt around the studio. na pd split them into teams, with jeonghan and y/n naturally partnering up.

"let's work hard to win, babe," jeonghan said, “you're not gonna troll the other members?” y/n questioned while smirking, jeonghan just smiled and shaked his head, then giving y/n's hand a squeeze before they took off.

the pair noticed the fans in the audience sighing happily at their cute interaction. they hustled through the plaza, finding items like a potato stuffed animal and director's megaphone.

when y/n spotted the last item on the high place, jeonghan said, "i'll lift you up so you can reach." but y/n hesitated, saying, "your knee just healed though, i don't want to hurt it again."

jeonghan smiled reassuringly. "don't worry, i feel strong. just be quick okay?" he knew y/n fretted over his injury from before.

still unsure, y/n met jeonghan's eyes. jeonghan said sincerely, "i'll be fine, i promise. now come on before the others finish!" y/n nodded and carefully stepped into jeonghan's cupped hands.

jeonghan grit his teeth a bit but lifted steadily. he trusted his body and didn't want to disappoint his boyfriend. within seconds y/n grabbed the item in victory.

"thanks hannie, you're the best as always," y/n said, extra gentle as he hugged jeonghan in celebration of their win. the fans cooed at their consideration for each other despite the competitive game.

jeonghan smiled, glad he could help even with his recent recovery. he knew y/n just looked out for his well-being, and that made his love feel sweeter.

during the next game, y/n tried his best but was struggling a bit without jeonghan by his side. jeonghan noticed and gently told na pd that he felt well enough to help.

na pd agreed, seeing y/n's concern for jeonghan had eased now that his injury was resting. jeonghan joined y/n's team, giving an encouraging smile. "let's do this together."

with jeonghan's support, y/n's spirits lifted and he played better. though jeonghan's knee twinged occasionally, he powered through for his love. their teamwork was seamless as always.

in the end, another group won. But y/n was just happy jeonghan didn't overexert himself. during their break, he gently rubbed jeonghan's knee. "thank you for helping. i feel at ease when we face things side by side."

jeonghan smiled softly, always touched by y/n's caring nature. "anything for you. now rest with me so this knee heals properly, okay?" y/n nodded, leaning into jeonghan's embrace. their bond gave each other strength.

that's when na pd announced the next game - a cooking challenge where pairs had to follow recipes. jeonghan caught y/n's excited eye. "partner?" without a word, y/n helped jeonghan up knowing they worked best in the kitchen together.

after a quick water break, it was time for another game involving a shopping trip. "remember our deal," jeonghan whispered to y/n with a wink.

at the store, y/n's eyes lingered on a stuffed bear holding a heart. neonghan noticed and said, "that one's yours!" he paid for it while the other members chuckled at their affection.

na pd announced that the filming for the day had finished. the members began going shopping, taking pictures, as the staff started packing up equipment.

jeonghan's knee was feeling sore, so y/n helped support him. "let's get some ice on it right away." jeonghan smiled lovingly at his caring boyfriend. "thank you, but don't fuss over me too much. i’ll be alright."

once everything was cleared away, the members said their goodbyes to the staff and began going back to the hotel. jeonghan and y/n went back together, holding hands. the long day of filming had exhausted them both, but being with each other made the tiredness fade away.

while walking to the hotel, y/n gently held jeonghan's hands, rubbing circles on his hand. jeonghan leaned his head on y/n's shoulder, smiling contentedly. "you were amazing out there today. i'm so proud of you." y/n blushed at the praise. "only because you were by my side supporting me every step of the way."

when they arrived at the hotel, the others headed to their rooms to rest but jeonghan took y/n's hand. "stay with me tonight?" y/n nodded, following jeonghan to his room. after showering, changing into comfortable clothes, and applying more ice to jeonghan's knee, they cuddled up in bed.

wrapped in each other's arms, all the stress and aches from the long day melted away. their love and affection for one another was the ultimate healing remedy. as they drifted off to sleep, jeonghan whispered, "i love you," to which y/n responded with a kiss on the forehead and his own. "i love you too."

safe and content in each other's embrace, wrapped in the warmth of their enduring love, jeonghan and y/n slept peacefully, dreaming of many more adventures yet to come as their relationship continued to thrive.

#kpop fanfic #kpop x male reader #kpop male reader #seventeen x male reader #yoon jeonghan x male reader #jeonghan x male reader

[petermorwood]

This popped up on my YouTube the other day and not to brag, but...

Oh, why the hell not? It's a small brag, but satisfying. :->

I posted about refilling the Pilot Vpen (IRL-UK) / Varsity (US) - and adding how-to links - about 4 years and then again a year ago.

Here are the how-to links; I'm glad to see they're still active.

This one, like the video, calls for pliers and suggests removing the nib:

This one doesn't use pliers or separate the nib from the feed.

*****

Bragging aside, I'm pleased to see Brian Goulet of Goulet Pens giving this hack a higher profile (and Kudos for it, too - as a retailer it's more in his interest to sell them than refill them!)

His reason is very sound: those cheap little pens (usually about 3-to-4 local currency units whether €, $ or £) are ideal for FP-curious newbies or as no-loss-worries when travelling or no-damage-worries loaners.

They also have much better nibs than the price would suggest. Indeed that seems common to all the inexpensive Pilot pens I've tried, which includes every nib size of MR / Metropolitan.

In addition, IMO the notion of "disposable" fountain pens goes completely against the principal FP virtue, where once you've bought the pen, all you USE is the ink.

So in the US at least * buy that ink from Goulet. They've got one or two to choose from and a selection of samples in vials or sets...

( * In Ireland, with Pen Corner in Dublin now gone, I get mine from CultPens or Penstore.)

*****

I should mention, for completeness, that some "starter" fountain pens have prices not much more than these disposables and, refilled by "proper" ink cartridges / bottle-refill converters, don't involve anything like this trouble.

Just saying...

*****

It just so happens that one of my two Vpens was about due for a refill, so here are some pics of the process.

I scrubbed the markings off the barrels a long time ago so I could see what was inside, since refills mean the ink in the pen often has nothing to do with its colour-indicator cap.

First, disassembled and washed in changes of warm water until the water stays clear.

Here's the nib and feed: they've always come out of both Vpens as a single unit, with no need for pliers. Since the nibs show no desire to come off I've no desire to force the issue and maybe break something; those little ink-guide fins are delicate.

The filler is a small syringe begged from our local vet. I also use it to refill cartridges with custom ink colours (yup, I sometimes roll my own...)

Its "needle" is plastic tubing (an empty Pilot gel-pen cartridge, appropriately enough) which fits the syringe perfectly, and a pointy end made by stretching the tube over a candle-flame then snipping to length. If it gets too stained - this is nearly there - just chuck it in the recycle bin and make a new one.

The ink could have been any of the 30-odd I have at the minute, or something mixed specially, but I chose this one - a nice dark green - for the same reason @dduane had me buy it.

It's a very cute bottle... :->

*****

And here's the "disposable" pen refilled, reassembled and re-writing.

It really does have a better nib than you'd expect from a supposedly single-use pen...

*****

It sometimes takes a while for the ink to work its way by capillary action down from barrel to nib, especially if everything has been left to dry after washing. Put the cap on the pen and be patient.

Or speed things up by taking the cap off and running a thin stream of hot water over the barrel for 30 seconds or so. This increases internal pressure, forcing the ink along the section fins.

NB, this step is only for a refilled Vpen / Varsity. Don't try it with anything else, and in case it's not obvious, do this at a washbasin or sink, because You Never Know.

Now use a bit of kitchen paper or loo roll to blot the water which has got on the nib. This has a mild "suction" effect, and when you see ink on the paper (you might need to wet the nib again) your refilled pen is ready for use.

This wet-and-blot nib step can be used to encourage any stubborn fountain pen to get back in action, but the hot water trick, once again, is Vpen only.

Anyway, done.

#Youtube #fountain pens #disposable fountain pen #refilling disposable fountain pens #Pilot Vpen #Pilot Varsity

[ingravinoveritas]

(**Warning: Spoilers for the OFMD 2 season finale follow. Read at your own risk.)

I've just watched the finale of season 2 of Our Flag Means Death, and it has stirred a lot of thoughts and feelings in me (as it has many of us, unquestionably). I had initially planned to include some of these thoughts in my review of GO 2 (which I still have not written), but the death of Izzy Hands (Con O'Neill) has brought back some of the feelings I had a few months ago, so I'd like to talk about the theme of ableism in GO 2 and OFMD.

Since the first season, Izzy Hands has seemingly been a polarizing figure, but there has been a clear emotional resonance on the part of fans toward him, and especially now in season 2. To have his arc and "redemption" come in such an ignominious fashion certainly feels like a slap in the face to those fans. I would characterize myself as "Izzy neutral" (that is, I did not hate him, but I didn't necessarily feel a deep connection to him, either), but what troubles me is how Izzy was ultimately treated as a disabled character.

Earlier in episode 8, the Revenge crew is jailed, and Prince Ricky pulls Izzy out of the cell to have a drink, and during this exchange Izzy says this line, which we had previously heard in one of the trailers:

It was Izzy who the writers/creative team specifically chose to have say this line, and because of that, I find it very difficult to swallow the idea that he was the one character who was later killed. That in the end, the character who speaks about belonging is the one who doesn't get to belong. As if he was there to further Ed's storyline, to be an object lesson for him, and was then disposable after that.

Further compounding the issue was the crew using Izzy's prosthetic leg as a grave marker (presumably under the assumption that he no longer needed it). But for many disabled people, prostheses and wheelchairs and other accommodations are what help us thrive in the world and are part of who we are, so to me, taking that away from him inadvertently diminished how complex and multifaceted Izzy had become as a character and seemingly reduced him to little more than a mascot.

As a person on the autism spectrum who works in the field of disability, Izzy's line about belonging resonated with me extremely deeply. For many of us who are neurodivergent or disabled, this is the stuff of our everyday lives--being told through childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood that we are nothing, and that our lives do not have value. I spent so many years searching for that sense of belonging, to know that I had a place in the world, and it was not something anyone could give to me, but something I had to fight for. To make that space, because no one else would.

As I've said before, while I have watched both shows, I am far more into and emotionally connected to GO than OFMD. This leads me to GO season 2, and the parallels to this that I saw there. In GO 2, we have the character of Saraqael (Liz Carr), who is an angel that uses a wheelchair (as does the actor who plays them). It's shown in one of the episodes that Saraqael's power is to miracle wheelchair ramps everywhere they go, and in nearly all of the reviews and articles I've read about the second season, this trait is met with widespread praise.

But to me it mirrored precisely what we see in real life--that is, that the burden of accessibility is often placed on disabled people ourselves. I would have loved to have seen one of the able-bodied angels have not only the power, but the desire to create those ramps. It was disheartening to me to think that even in a seemingly ideal place like Heaven (although we know it certainly isn't), it is the disabled character who has to create a place for themselves.

The character choices around Saraqael and Izzy are something I would describe as benevolent ableism, in that while no harm was likely intended, it still reinforces long-ingrained prejudices and ideas about disability. There is so much intersectionality between queerness and disability as well, and so it is disappointing to see an opportunity to have that idea of "belonging" encompass every character only encompass certain characters instead.

I truly think this will only change if and when we have disabled people behind the camera as well as in front of it. And I hope that day comes sooner rather than later so that all of the fans who see themselves in Izzy or Saraqael are not left feeling the way they do now...

#our flag means death #ofmd 2 #ofmd 2 spoilers #izzy hands #con o'neill #good omens #good omens 2 #saraqael #liz carr #ableism #disability #media and disability #i'm feeling a lot of feelings #so i hope this all makes sense #not trying to hate on either show but really wishing things had been done better #thoughts #discourse #gif by me

[kristsune]

So I had this idea a while ago, to do little reviews for all of Tim Meredith’s songs because I feel like there isn’t enough love out there for them. So last week I decided to just Do It. I finished (including the two new songs he just dropped yesterday) I have it here under a readmore, or if you would prefer, you can just read the gdoc here, I only did the songs that were listed on his bandcamp (which you should absolutely go to) even though there are a few extra early ones on his youtube.  These were written in no particular order, basically whichever song I happened to click on next. Anyway, feel free to read and spread the word.

How to even describe Tim Meredith’s music. The way he can adapt to different styles and genres is honestly impressive. It’s probably got something to do with the improv background but it’s amazing how he can just … choose a style and write an incredible song for it. Everytime he drops a new song I am always impressed with what he has managed yet again. 

Disclaimer: I don’t have any musical education except being friends with multiple musicians for many years in which only small amounts of information have managed to seep into my adhd addled brain. So I apologize for the lack of musically correct terminology, this is a work of appreciation, not technical prowess. Also lyrics are generally the last thing I hear, so I may mention them here and there, but they aren’t my main focus for this.

Always Here 

I can’t quite express what it is about this song that I adore, but it absolutely has something to do with the deep rumble of the bass and the way it drives the song forward relentlessly. The effect on the vocals only adds to this. The fact that it goes minor definitely caters to my tastes specifically. The high tones that come in during the bridge have such a Bowie quality that is delightful and a perfect contrast to the rest of the song. (artwork: the mossy greenery adds such a vibe to the song)

Don’t Look to Me

This has been one of my favorites since it aired. The high vocals of the chorus, with the overlapping harmonies are beautifully done and how they are placed over each other makes me think of something being sung in a large hall or church, big and echoey. Additionally the offset of the lyrics “it’s what you chose” (and to a lesser degree “any other way”) makes it feel like you’re being surrounded, like its multiple people telling you this is what you chose, what you wanted. I adore how the vocals trail out with the music at the end. (artwork: the hot pink neon feels so right for the feeling, the tiles adding to the echo)

Sweaty (Near You)

I know this one was controversial at the release, but I honestly could not then, and still cannot understand why. People are honestly sleeping on this song and it makes no sense to me. It’s got a very sensual vibe without gendered lyrics. Sure “baby” is used, but if you don’t think baby could be used for any gender then that’s on you, not the song. The deep base with the sparse instrumentation with a fun noodly solo is just an excellent combination that works so incredibly well. (artwork: the b&w photo with dark maroon text is a perfect combination)

Lucky Boy

When this song premiered my first thought was the entrance song for a villain in a movie. I could see it so clearly in my head. It’s got drive, and movement, and attitude the way it kicks up into high gear into the chorus from the verse with that fuzz guitar. The incredible layers with all the different synth/organ sounds, paints such an image. Nevermind the vocals that fit so perfectly within all that. (artwork: The maneki-neko is such a perfect choice for this)

Numbers and Lights

This is another one I have difficulty describing quite what it is that I love about it. It’s rather lowkey all the way through and I rather enjoy the… almost the stops and starts, the way it gives pause before kicking back in, like the song needs to take a breath before moving on. Again, pretty sure this one turns minor in a way that caters directly to me. Small detail that really delights me is what sounds like the equivalent to crickets under the “Reid asks Reid tells”. (artwork: gotta love biflag color rep. always a plus)

Limb Controller

This song features Amy and was an early favorite of mine. It feels like a song that could and should be played at a disco, just making me want to dance. The synths are perfect and I love how they gain intensity in the bridge before coming back down for the verse. The contrast between Amy’s higher vocals to Tim’s rougher growly ones is a perfect combination. I’ve always loved the “I’ve already let him in, a puppet on his string” moment. (artwork: when videos were still being made, love the scifi vibes)

Never Loved

Another song that is a bit more lowkey, but still comes through with excellent vibes. This one is really all about the syncopation especially with the drums. Which includes the panning back and forth during certain portions, but especially during the time change. I also really love the effects on the vocals. The occasional splashes of a high stringed instrument, and the crash of a forward cymbal really just add to the atmosphere of the song. (arwork: something about being called never loved with what looks like kintsugi just kinda Hits)

Love Your Mind

The repeating pattern throughout this song is just So Good, I love everything about it, and then how other patterns build on top of it? Impeccable. There are so many layers but it's never too much or loses track of itself, never feels over complicated or discordant. I always end up tapping along to the pattern, sometimes difficult to choose which one to follow. This song is shorter, but never fails to make me smile. (artwork: love the chandelier with the many intricate patterns, feels like it matches the song perfectly in that way)

On Your Terms

Oh that bass line. *chef kiss* Absolutely the backbone of the song, helps create the perfect atmosphere for that distorted guitar. Tim always puts a lot into the vocals, but here it feels like there is a extra level of emotion that feels raw. The way the note is held for “on your terms” just kind of kicks me in the chest every time. (artwork: love that the fire is the only color)

Some Thoughts After Consideration

This song truly resonates with me on a molecular level. I have been working in retail for going on 18 years and I just feel this song in the depths of my soul. Something about the wobbly synths and strong beat with the soft vocals are just perfect. The transition to what almost feels like a … big musical number in a theatrical show for the chorus. Like I can just see big spot lights turning on the stage. Perfection. (artwork: can’t go wrong with a squawking seagull, theme on point)

Falling Away

This is another one of my favorites. It’s so soft and gentle, lilting piano blending so perfectly with the vocals, which build up in intensity for the chorus so beautifully. Again, I think this one turns minor key, though I’m not as sure about it as I am with the others. I don’t have a lot of words for this one, but it’s lovely in its simplicity. (artwork: always loved this one for no reason I can really define)

Regret Me Not

I love how this song starts off sounding like something like a medieval march. The most prominent thing about this song is of course those incredible harmonies all throughout. The whole initial build up, and how it switches halfway through is just incredible. There is so much depth in this short song. I don’t always pay attention to lyrics, but when I did look at them I was surprised and delighted by how uplifting they are. (artwork: another older one with a video. I am a sucker for nature anything, and this just being a series of nature shots particularly appealed to me)

Pacesetter

The deep rumbly bass paired with the panning distorted vocals is just an incredible driving force. This song has the kind of beat that will just go on forever. If it were a predator it would be a komodo dragon just relentlessly following behind, never losing sight, always there stalking forward. (artwork: the starting line for a racetrack is an excellent choice)

The Aftermath

This was another early favorite of mine. The mandolin is the star of this song, but it is surrounded by a wonderful arrangement that allows it to be so. The gentle piano with the soft vocals, the shakers and woodblocks all come together beautifully. I always adored the extended pause about ⅔ of the way through. (artwork: this is my favorite video, and I’m sure it took a lot of work to match all the timing so well. The way it ends with the snuffing of the candle 10/10 no notes)

Arcadia

The light bouncy acoustic guitar is so catchy paired with the light and airy vocals, just makes for a lovely song all around. Truly impressive that so much can be expressed with so few instruments. I always find myself nodding my head along to this one. (artwork: makes me think of marshmallow and then want something sweet, but then I remember it’s a rock face and then that makes me want to climb it. Too bad it wasn’t a marshmallow clifface)

Deep Air

This is one of those songs that I love because it’s so out of the usual wheelhouse. It’s chill and wonderfully lowkey, and truly does make you feel like you are just floating around in space. The NASA audio certainly only adds to that vibe. Even with all that I do really love how it still slowly builds towards a big end. (artwork: excellent space vibes, love it)

A Horrid Angry Goose

I remember the goose game stream quite fondly, and this song in response to that was an absolute delight. It’s a fun and funny song, but it also has genuinely fantastic harmonies, and a strong baseline. The build up in each verse into the chorus is just so good. I love how it tells the story of the game, but in such a delightful way. This song is a guaranteed mood boost and I’m so glad for it. (artwork: Goosey perfection)

What It Says About Me

Adore the intro to this, the panning on the string instrument is perfect, and then when the beat drops and everything just drives on. Again, the way the vocals harmonize is impeccable. Truly impressive. Also adore the almost call and response at about halfway through. (artwork: something about the rusted half visible ship feels sad, though I suppose it’s apt for the song)

Unremarkable Sin

The alternating rhythms for this are just so incredibly good, the way it starts and the way it changes when the drums kick in, giving it a bit of swing that is just really great. I really love the gentle vocals for this as well, they fit between the instrumentation so perfectly. (artwork: i love the vague religious vibes, which somehow also translate into the music but in a not actually religious way)

What’s Due

Another one that just kicks ass right out the gate. The rising synths just gives this song such energy. The layered and overlapping synths and rhythms makes it feel like it’d fit right in at a bar or a scene in a movie (bar scene in a movie?) Again the pause about ⅔ the way through adds such drama and it’s absolutely perfect. The processing on the vocals is fantastic and the delivery only adds to the overall attitude of the song. (artwork: bull terriers are one of my favorite puppies and this one is SO cute, bonus points for bi pride colors)

Breaking

The bass line with the panning distorted guitar is such a good combination. That plus the processing on the vocals, creates such a spacious atmosphere that feels melancholy (Though I suppose the lyrics probably add to that feelings). (artwork: love a good seascape, big fan of corals and anemones, and adds to the vibe of having already “fallen”)

An Imagined Sense

Another song that just makes me want to dance, The way this one goes from just a decent beat to kicking into high gear is so good. Again with the excellent doubled vocals/extreme delay just creating such a great balance with the synths. (artwork: the video for this is extremely hypnotizing and feels like you’re being sucked into the song, which feel right)

Walk Away

The really distorted bass paired with the really light piano synth and gentle cymbals is just a really excellent combination. I really love the repetition for the chorus, plus of course the lovely harmonies make for a really lovely chill song. (artwork: Always been a fan of viewing through an opening, but the broken down interior out into the green outdoors is very pleasing.)

Exquisitely Bad

The groove that is set as soon as the song starts is just impeccable. And that groove just doesn’t stop. I love the contrast of that deeper bass with the higher synths that alternate between ears. Something about how the vocals jump up during with the chord progression is delightful. Really just a killer song. (artwork: love the dilapidated house with green font, fit right in with the Halloween premiere)

Horny for Greece

I know this started as a song from stream, but it is genuinely a fantastic song. That funky piano that gives Stevie Wonder Vibes, the niche but perfect rhymes with excellent vocals, the syncopated drums. All just add up to great vibes. (artwork: having the title cut diagonal over the broken section of sculpture is perfection)

The Eventual

Always a sucker for a song with handclaps. Mixed with the woodwind and the harmonica creates such an interesting atmosphere. There is something about the double beat on the drums that I really enjoy. I also love the strong distortion on the vocals, really pulls the room together. (artwork: took me ages to realize the picture was flipped upside down, that being said, it’s still very visually interesting)

Wretched

The slow build with the offset synths that make almost a round, the drums start and stopping before they fade and the beat truly starts is just so good. It creates such tension. I love how the synths create almost waves throughout the song, pulling it along. I also adore the effects on the vocals, just fits so perfectly with the soundscape of the rest of the song. (artwork: it took me a little bit to realize what I had been looking at, but the textures are so good. Fits with the vibes)

More Time

The hard fuzz guitar is such a strong start for this song, paired with the very rock drums is just perfect. Just has excellent classic rock vibes. I really love the depth of emotion felt in the vocals, and the low doubled vocal is a perfect extra layer you sometimes don’t even realize is there adding to it. (artwork: not sure how or why, but the fire seems to just fit perfectly for this)

Can’t Happen Here

I absolutely love the piano intro for this, it really sets the whole mood. I absolutely love the vocals for this song. The almost call and response, the harmonies, just *chef kiss* fantastic. I also really love the fuzz guitar when it kicks in. Ramps the song to a whole other level. (artwork: love the roiling clouds for this one. Yet again, fits the mood perfectly.)

Kennecott

I desperately love the percussion in this song, both the unusual patterns and the sounds used. It creates such a cool landscape for the song. And the interest doesn’t end there. The part where the sound pans quickly from left to right with the rhythm is just so incredibly good. This song is just an experience from start to finish. (artwork: I never quite figured out what this one was, an aerial shot? of the beach? My brain always just made it out to be an abstract painting but I am currently realizing that is incorrect. Still fits the vibe though, feels scattershot like the song.)

On Notice

(sidenote: I have barely listened to this one, because I tend to listen to my youtube playlist, and I found while making this that this song is only on bandcamp, so I haven’t listened to this one nearly as much as most of the others despite it being released about a year ago)

The sheer amount of Radiohead Vibes for this is absolutely incredible, and as someone who absolutely adores Radiohead, I love it. I love how the vocals come in and out, I love the almost droning instruments in the background. Additionally, on the delay on the vocals is fantastic, and I love the pause like ⅔ the way through. Excellent. (artwork: Love the b&w, looks like black marble. Great look.)

Better from Further Away

I love the simple clean (upright?) bass in the opening, with the soft drums. Again, I am a sucker for harmonies and I love them on the chorus. The juxtaposition of the very chill relaxed song, to the somewhat ridiculous (read: amazing) lyrics is very good. (artwork: Love this video, especially the close up zoom on the sheep when they are mentioned.)

Friend of Mine

I love how gentle and soft this whole song is. The piano and soft drums working so well together with the gentle lyrics. I really love it when the piano kind of goes into double time. (artwork: Love a good red sunset. Excellent.)

In The Dark

I love how this starts out with what feels like very 80’s movie synths, and then just shifts into a very chill song. Not sure why but it does give very 80’s Jim Henson vibes. Like I feel this should be in the Dark Crystal or Labyrinth or something. Maybe it’s the lovely harmonies that I can see being sung by small fuzzy puppets. Also I absolutely adore the horns throughout. Perfect 10/10. (artwork: I think 3 puppets should in fact pop out of the three holes to sing those harmonies.)

Now We’ll Never Know

This song is so very pretty. The simple bass and ringing guitar along with the gentle vocals. Yet again, the harmonies on the “oohs” are beautiful and I love them, especially paired with that gently picked guitar. (artwork: love a good dilapidated staircase. The green lettering is a perfect match.)

#tim meredith #music #my writing #please feel free to reblog

[sneakers-and-shakes]

My 2024 Journal Setup

This month I thought I’d share my 2024 Journal Setup! I’ve been journaling around six years now and I still find new things I can add or things to tweak as time goes on, so after doing some research and a review of how 2023 went I’ve come up with a mix of old and new things for my 2024 journal Setup.

Cover page

This is just a 2024 cover page to welcome the new year and define what this journal is for. It’s really just a moment to make a pretty and decorative page for the start of the journal.

2. Word of the Year

This is something I’m trying out for the first time after seeing other people do this. Basically, you chose a word that will serve as the vibe for the year, sort of like a nebulous general goal. I also decided to add a definition/quote for what that word means for me specifically.

3. Year Questions

I saw someone answer these four questions in their setup and decided to include the on the lower half of the word of the year page. The questions are:

-a habit I’d like to break

-a new skill I want to learn

-a hobby to start or carry over

-something to do better at

4. 24 in 24’ / Yearly Goals

24 in 24’ is also a first for me! Essentially, it’s just a list of 24 things you want to do in 2024 that aren’t necessarily goals and things you need to plan out and do progress checks on, but just things you want to do or maybe were already planning on doing.

Underneath it I also have my Yearly Goals broken out into Lifestyle and Creative with subheadings under all of them.

5. Monthly/Weekly/Daily Goals

I just wanted to list out the things I try to accomplish every month, every week and every day ranging from habits to accomplishments.

6. Money Tracker

I like to keep track of how much money I’ve spent in a month. I also donate to charity every month so I also set aside some space on the side to track the amount I donated and where I donated to.

7. Weight/Cycle Tracker

I also try to just track how much I weigh once a month and of course, follow my cycle throughout the year as well. I denote each phase with a different color so that I can get an overview of how my cycle looks.

8. Monthly Notes Pages

I’ve talked about the concept of monthly notes before on my blog but it’s basically 3 things I want to accomplish in the month. It could be a goal I’m working towards, one of my 24 things for 2024, or just something fun I’ve been meaning to do. It’s also where I put my monthly checklist of things to do (denoted earlier page 4).

Note: After the Monthly Notes Page begins each Month’s own section which I’ll include in a separate blog post.

9. At the end of my journal I also do a Year in Review page where I list out:

-the books I’ve read

-music I’ve listened to

-shows/movies I’ve watched

-the writing I’ve done

-the creative projects I’ve worked on

-the new things I’ve done every mont

10. I also have a section for a more abstract Review that is 4 parts:

-what I learned

-what I accomplished

-what I enjoyed

-challenges I’ve faced

11. 2024 Highlights page

This is broken out into each month and I just like to list out the highlights and positive memories that happened over the course of the year!

-.-

And this is my year set up! I’m excited to try out some of the new things I’ve found and see how all of this shakes out! I will also make a post on my Month setup if anyone is interested!

I hope this helped or inspired you to make your own journal setup!

Thanks for reading!

#journaling #journal #bullet journal #planner #journal setup #2024 journals #planner setup #lifestyle #blog #lifestyle blog

[dendrochilums]

✨ Fic Writing Review 2023 ✨

Thanks for the tag @blessphemy ! (answering here on my more fandom focused sideblog)

first off I want to say this was my first year EVER posting fic after many years of reading it (ok technically my first was at the very end of 2022, but whatever). It's been such fun!!! the murderbot fandom is so lovely and encouraging, and it achieved the ENORMOUS feat of finally motivating me to write my own stuff!

Words and fics

26,318 words across 7 fics, all oneshots and all murderbot fic

I'm just gonna link my profile here for the complete list! everything but the first was published in 2023

Top Fics by Kudos

It Calls Itself Murderbot wins for this at 277! I am quite proud of this one, which was also hilariously the one I was most "nnnnnnnnnnnn" will anyone like this when posted it. 4,868 words of interpersonal conflict and conversations on mb's feelings about the name it chose for itself

Fandom fic events 2023

None for me sadly, I'm not very good at motivating myself on a schedule for events. But fandom fic events enjoyed in 2023: many!

Upcoming 2024

Still picking away at a piece on mb-ratthi friendship and musings about the ways rogue secunits adjust to freedom

for real working on either a second chapter or a sequel to my contruct technician gurathin fic

Maybe a daemon au fic??? it happened so suddenly, but rereading the HDM series and some daemon au convos on discord have lit my brain aflame

Tag game rules copied below! I'm gonna tag @ilovedthestars @ineedlelittlespace and @elexuscal and anyone else who wants to do it!

Rules: Feel free to show whatever stats you have. Only want to show Ao3 stats? Rock on. Want to include some quantitative info instead of stats? Please do this. Want to change how yours is presented? Absolutely do that. Would rather eat glass than do this? Please don’t eat glass, just keep on scrolling.

#ao3 #murderbot

[mitigatedchaos]

[ @lokifreign ]

is it helpful to imagine that the Dem party s earnest about its philosophy & goals? how does that assumption fit with their policies and choices since Carter?

I never ended up reviewing much stuff 1980s-1990s, and mostly touched on 1970s as part of branching of my investigation into the effectiveness of charter schools - namely that 1970 is around the time we started to work on the matter seriously, so we've been trying at it for about 50 years.

But...

What I know, and what all of the Rationalists know, is that evolution is a property of all information systems that conform to certain rules.

There is no fundamental requirement that every possible way you slice humanity, it all has to be equal. There's only a statistical chance that they'll be close enough that it doesn't really matter on average. Which would be nice, in some sense, but it's a hope. It's not a law.

This is why most Rationalists are also Transhumanists; they want to raise humanity's material standard of living, but also they're liberals, so they don't want to hurt people to do so. If some people have bad spines, then we'll just make cool robot spines for them at a factory. There's no point waxing hysterical about how having a bad spine is oppression by society (it isn't), or flipping out and killing everyone that has a bad spine for being "inferior" (rather defeats the point).

Understanding evolution as a property of information systems, which does not require that everyone has a good spine, is available to anyone with about +1.5 SD without stating it, if education includes most of the basic background assumptions, if you catch my drift.

And the individualist meritocratic system hedges for this. It just measures the performance of each individual person's spine. It doesn't make assumptions about the underlying distribution of spines. And if you find great vitamins that fix people's spines, then it just accepts this benefit and moves on. Throw in some welfare to search for or distribute spine vitamins and you're mostly set.

Okay, now to get to the point.

Because this information is available to them, the progressive left/post-lib ≥ +1.5 SDs either knowingly, willingly, and deliberately chose to defect and selfishly promote graft; decided to be cowards when their capabilities should have them as officers; or their opinions are so socially determined that they can't be said to have their own opinions, and should be subordinated.

The ≤ +0s buying into the ideology after years of saying to be nice to everyone is disturbing, but they don't have the same responsibility.

Using individualist meritocracy for this purpose, while soft-suppressing the Nazis through social pressure, plus money for development, is a powerful technique to manage the problem at the current level of technology. We manage to promote individual behavioral justice until the problem can be solved, set the system up to function correctly if the problem solves itself, while quietly attempting to solve the problem, without making information accessible that more cognitively vulnerable populations might attempt to weaponize to undermine the project - the dangerous stuff is only to be discussed in obscure scientific journals you need +1 SD to even read.

This combination is genius. For a liberal, it's tough to do much better than this at current levels of technology, including social technology.

And the progressive left/post-lib +1.5s broke that within 10 years, in order to gain... no improvements on any worthwhile metric.

This gets into why I'm so furious with them. Now they might even break the medical establishment, science, and even all of the power plants outside of East Asia, pushing back the possibility of building a factory for cool robot spines by decades or maybe even centuries.

#politics

[lunas-otome-blog]

Luna's Review: Jack Jeanne

Official Summary:

Kisa is about to give up her dream of becoming an actor when she is given the opportunity to enroll at the prestigious all boys Univeil Drama School that she has always admired and dreamed of attending. She is granted admission with two rigid conditions: be chosen as the lead in the final performance and hide her identity as a girl!

Competition at the school is fierce and the rivalry is real! Will Kisa be able to forge powerful bonds with her all-male classmates while competing against them?

Will she be cast as the lead in the final performance at the end of the year all while keeping her secret?

.

Luna's Thoughts (Spoiler Free)

I don't particularly like rhythm games or stat building games — I'm more of a straightforward visual novel kinda girl. But I chose to play Jack Jeanne because I read a glowing recommendation on another game blog.

I admit, I struggled with this game at the beginning. The impetus for the protagonist joining an all-boys school was, in my opinion, too fast, poorly explained and lazily written, and I feared the whole game would feel that way.

But I was pleasantly surprised as the plot unfolded. Subtly charming, Jack Jeanne is a rare otoge that doesn't feel the need for epic events or contrived details. The straightforward plot follows the protagonist through a full school year during which she become confident in her skills as an actor, charms her fellow classmates and works toward her ultimate goal of catching up to her brother.

Once I got used to a few things, I found myself enjoying this game immensely. The character development is slow, natural and gorgeous. Every main character gets at least one satisfying arc, including the protagonist. The cast is complex and enjoyable — even the side characters are pretty well fleshed out. And I cannot believe how many side characters get full sprites, cgs and sometimes even character arcs themselves. Fitting to a game about theater, Jack Jeanne features a true ensemble cast.

This is a pretty unusual otoge, as the majority of the plot is common route, with some special scenes mixed in depending on who your affection is highest with. You don't get into a "route" until pretty close to the end of the game. When you do, though, the final performance is highly customized based on your love interest character.

The first time I heard the songs in this game, I didn't think much of them. During my second playthrough, I caught myself humming a few. After the third time, I downloaded the whole playlist onto my phone lol. Some of them are absolute BANGERS. I didn't particularly enjoy the rhythm games, but I acknowledge that's just a personal preference. The game does not penalize you for playing on super easy mode — thank god — so that's what I did most of the time. Even hard mode is pretty easy for the most part.

The game arcs are broken up into sections depending on what play/musical is being performed. Jack Jeanne does a great job of showing you rehearsal scenes without completely giving away everything about the story, so you still get to enjoy the play yourself during the performance. And every sprite gets a new, gorgeous costume for EVERY play. It made me genuinely excited to get to that portion of the game each time.

I do want to talk about the art in this game. The cgs are lovely, but tend to feel ethereal as they are painterly and many lack backgrounds, creating the illusion that the characters are floating in space. I liked them but they are a different art style than the sprites, which felt inconsistent. Add to that a rather adorable cel-shade chibi style, which is used for the stat-building scenes, and you have three completely different art styles used for this game. I'd have preferred some consistency.

I also wish Kisa had a sprite on screen, because we don't get to see what she looks like except in cgs. It's a bummer because she's so cute~

Other than that, all my other complaints have to do with the format of the game. Due to the nature of it being a stat builder, the pacing of the relationship pursuit feels off. You get these really lovely occasional heartwarming scenes with the character you're pursuing when they're triggered, but then they're not acknowledged in the next scene. It interrupts the flow of the plot. But if you're used to stat builders, this will probably not be a problem for you.

Gripes aside, Jack Jeanne is a thoughtful, delicate and delightful look into a group of students doing their best to advance their skills and follow their dreams. I highly recommend checking it out.

Here are a few spoiler-free tips of things I wish I knew before I started the game that will help you through it if you decide to play:

As this game is SUPER LONG and mostly common route, you'll be doing a lot of skipping after your first playthrough. Unfortunately, as there are lots of scenes that are gently customized based on your love interest, you can't just leave it skipping for long intervals. I recommend finding something else to do while you're skipping and just keep an eye on the game so you can breeze through the common portion.

You don't have to start at the beginning every time. For the first two performances, try to maintain equal affection and stat levels for each romanceable character before summer break, and then save. You can use this as a flexible save file and pursue your character of choice from here.

When you're ready to aim for a route, only take lessons in that character's stat until you get to level 30. It will take almost the entire rest of the game. Only see that character during days off until you max out affection. If your character isn't available during days off, go to Mona Star School and raise their stat. You need to get to level 30 to unlock a special post-game scene for each character.

"Weekend with Ion" is just a way to get extra rhythm game practice and you don't have to do it.

If you're playing the game right (IE not failing the stats or rhythm games), there aren't any "bad" choices; just choices that give you affection points for certain characters. When you get onto a specific route, choices are just flavor. Feel free to pick different things each time and see what happens.

Please find below my thoughts on the protagonist and each romanceable character in the order I pursued them. Don't read sections marked with spoilers if you want to avoid them!

.

(Spoilers) Kisa Tachibana (protagonist)

Kisa Tachibana is one of the best otoge protagonists I've ever played. I have a lot to say on her, so I'll get the bad out of the way first.

I was a little disappointed with Kisa's writing at the beginning. We know she looks up to her brother Tsuki and wants to be an actor like him, but she's given up on even going to high school because she needs to support her family. But the opportunity for her to attend Univeil comes up so quickly that her struggle and longing are not really fleshed out.

We also don't get an explanation on why her brother was allowed to go to a (seemingly expensive) drama school, nor why he isn't using his success to send money back to the family. In fact, the game just casually mentions Tsuki has vanished without a trace, and nobody seems that concerned about it. Kisa is sad but doesn't seem to question where he is or what he's doing, and nobody asks her about it, even after figuring out she's related to him. And no, this is never addressed, even at the end of the game.

Anyway, onto the good.

Kisa is an amazing otoge protagonist. She goes through not just one, but many character arcs, learning from and responding to her classmates (and even other classes) and becoming not just a better actor but also a better friend and teammate. Unlike a lot of otome game protags, Kisa doesn't get a lot of down time to reconcile her thoughts. Instead, you're left to largely understand her thinking and feelings through dialogue, making her feel less like the game's protagonist and more like a regular character. I didn't like this at first but I came to appreciate it as the game went on.

Every character teaches Kisa something about herself and something about acting. She learns how to feel comfortable in the spotlight, but she also learns it's just as important to prop up other actors. And she gets to go through different arcs depending on her romance choice.

She also has to learn how to perform as a Jack (male character) and struggles with this in a way that felt natural. She even ends up overcorrecting and finds it hard to go back to playing a woman.

My absolute favorite arc of hers is when she decides she has to embrace her femininity in order to make a show a success. This, to me, is the culmination of the whole game, as Kisa decides to risk being discovered in order to help her classmates shine. Of course, if you play all the routes, you realize she actually isn't doing a great job of hiding her gender at all lol. But fortunately she's endeared herself to her classmates so much that they don't mind.

Overall, 10/10 otoge protagonist.

.

(Spoilers) Kai Mutsumi

I chose to play Kai's route first, because tbh I thought his sprite was ugly and I wanted to get it out of the way lol. I did warm up to it eventually. And I regret playing his route first because Kai is an utter cutie patootie and I fell hard for him.

He tells you really early on that he only sees himself as a way to highlight the Al Jeanne (female lead). So his character arc is about him acknowledging that he also wants the spotlight, and Kisa helps him by highlighting him.

Though Kai is usually quiet, contemplative and reserved, once he and Kisa have acknowledged their feelings for one another, he starts getting jealous, both of Fumi (as a rival) and of Tsuki-nii (as Kisa's inspiration.) It's heartbreaking but really satisfying to learn that Kai feels emotions just as intensely as everyone else but didn't know where to direct them. I love him so much!

Kai also gives you one of the only laugh-out-loud moments of the game during the common route. I won't spoil it but it involves a certain weasel in the forest.

Kai's is one of the more intense routes, so I would perhaps save it for a bit later if you're wanting to get the lighter stuff out of the way first.

.

(Spoilers) Suzu Orimaki

Suzu is the genki character of the game, and the senpais make fun of his dancing at the beginning, so I thought the running gag would be that he sucks. But I was pleasantly surprised. Suzu is shown to be committed, a good actor and surprisingly quick with memorizing his lines, though he does make some stupid mistakes throughout. I adored him as the Sleepless King.

Suzu's route is the one I would call the most generic as far as otoges go. A lot of his route is him struggling with his feelings for Kisa. He starts to like her before he's sure she's a girl, and once he knows for sure, he has a really hard time hiding his feelings. To his credit, he also discovers Kisa is a girl on his own, showing he's smarter than we're led to believe.

If you wanted something more nuanced, maybe Suzu's not the character for you, but I really enjoyed it. The more a character struggles with their feelings, the better, imho lol. The cutest scene is after Kisa gives him sweets for valentines day, and he just can't handle how happy is is. You can't help but love Suzu!

You do actually get a lot of character growth as far as acting goes in Suzu's route — just not with Suzu himself. It's Kamiya — one of the side characters, who fanboys over the amazing Tanakamigi, one of Kisa's rivals in a different class — who gets to experience his own arc this time. While it doesn't feel totally resolved in the end, it was nice to see the game highlight some other characters as a result of the decisions Kisa has made.

I also really loved Mare-chan's little arc, as he learns to appreciate standing on stage with his brother. Actually, all the first years are highlighted in this route, which was fun.

Unlike Kai's route, Suzu doesn't confess to Kisa until the very end of his route — but it's very sweet when he does. Overall, Suzu's route felt like a very normal otoge route, but not in a bad way. He's very kind and protective of Kisa. It's hard not to like him.

.

(Spoilers) Soshiro Yonaga

Sou shows obvious signs of being into Kisa, even during the common route, so I figured I'd get a nice little bit of angst in his route. I normally play the childhood friend route closer to the end, but while I really enjoyed Sou's role and growth in the common route, he was such a little jealous bitch in Suzu's route (lol) that I decided to play him next. He pissed me off so much haha. I thought it would be over when he punches Suzu after Suzu discovers Kisa is a girl — something like a send-off to his rival, knowing he can't compete. But he proceeds to be whiny and annoying throughout all the rest of Suzu's route, and this made me want to get his route out of the way.

Sou on his own route is a lot better. He actually impressed me with how straightforward he is. He's the first character (that I played) who confirms he is properly dating Kisa on his route, and his confession was really brave, direct and passionate. It's sad to think that he loves Kisa in every route but won't tell her. He even followed Tsuki to Univeil just to see her again T_T

I was very excited to see we'd be getting some Momonashi context in this route, because he's easily the most mysterious character in the game. You never really understand his motivations, and he always hides his thoughts with a smile. It excited me that he was chosen to be Amber's Al Jeanne this time around, and he is every bit as dark and horrifying as I wanted.

This is also the first route (I played) in which Kisa does not get the lead role by default. I nearly had a heart attack and thought I failed the route because it was so different from Kai's and Suzu's routes. Rest assured, this is what's supposed to happen and it all works out ok. Mitsuki's subtle understanding of the things going on around him is also critical in this route.

But back to Sou. He actually goes through a few different arcs in his own route. While I thought it ultimately ended up ok, I would have liked to see the version of Sou infected with Momonshi's darkness for a little longer. He's only there for a little bit before Suzu's anger snaps him out of it. The back-and-forth of Sou's route felt a little disjointed, and in some places too similar to his plot during the common route.

But ultimately I was very proud of him when he pumps up the crowd during the final performance. Sou comes a long way and his route ends with the promise that there's more to come. Good for you, Sou-chan!

.

(Spoilers) Mitsuki Shirota

Mitsuki is the standoffish character, so he's the only romanceable character who is outwardly rude to you at the beginning of the game. I sometimes have trouble with this sort of character, so I was a little worried about him. But I didn't need to be — ultimately, he became one of my favorites.

Mitsuki is the most observant character in the game. He notices subtle changes and tells Neji to back off when he's putting too much pressure on people. And he's the first to tell Kisa he'll accept her no matter what. Mitsuki is so important to making this game work.

He knows he's good at singing, but when he's put in a starring role, he crumbles under the pressure. Obviously Kisa helps him stand up again, but it was really gratifying to know his aggression comes from a place of fear.

While learning to enjoy the spotlight is part of his common route arc, doing a Mitsuki playthrough really adds to this, as you learn how much Kisa's secrecy is weighing on him. He knows something's up right away, and as he comes to trust and admire Kisa, he begins feeling sad that she doesn't trust him enough to unload on him. There's a particularly poignant scene where he undresses in front of her — something we know he's afraid to do for anyone else. Mitsuki's cutscenes really emphasize his words to Kisa on stage as Rukiora and Chikachina, roles that parallel their own experiences.

I will say that, like Mitsuki himself, his route is very subtle as he quietly influences those around him. You don't get a lot of Amber students in this one, as his focus is more on the second years of Rhodonite and Onyx. He quietly fires them up, and it's so sweet to see how the second years, previously in the shadow of Tsuki Tachibana, become determined to do their best because of Mitsuki.

My only gripe for this route was that we didn't get any more Mitsuki background. His mother appears in a really intense cutscene toward the beginning of the game, so you know he's got family stuff going on, but we never really get any more elaboration on that.

Anyway, I love this boyee so much and I just want to give him a hug.

.

(Spoilers) Sarafumi Takashina

Honestly, I shipped Fumi with Kai more than with Kisa. They had such a nice and supportive relationship.

Fumi is calm, confident and pretty. He tells Kisa he likes her early in the game. He's a mysterious character under a lot of pressure, but you wouldn't know it unless you participate in his cutscenes. If you pay attention, you'll notice he gives nearly everyone nicknames.

Fumi's main game arc involves him growing complacent with the theater because nobody can match him. It's up to Kisa (with help from Sou) to fire him up again.

I tend to have trouble with flirty characters, but Fumi is so confident and kind that I liked him quite a bit. Because he's so aware of his own skills, I was wondering what his next arc would be in his route. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's Kisa who gets to experience the most growth in Fumi's route as she struggles with the pressure of working alongside Quartz's star.

While perhaps not as dramatic as some of the other routes, Fumi and Kisa work together to understand each other, both on stage and off, and do their best to become suitable partners for one another. Fumi is also grooming Kisa to be the next star of Quartz, so there's a bittersweet dynamic of passing the baton here, too.

There weren't any dramatic twists and turns, but Fumi's route felt natural and gentle. It was a good conclusion for these two. He's also the only character other than Sou who confirms he's dating Kisa by the end of the route, which I appreciated.

.

(Spoilers) Neji Kokuto

Neji is the least serious character in the game acting-wise. He's silly and jokes around, and never gives himself a huge role in any of his own plays. But he's ultimately the one pulling the strings, and he seems to have an extremely good grasp on every character's strengths and weaknesses. He's also the only character who doesn't get his own arc in the common route.

However, I was disappointed with some of his cutscenes during the common route. While I appreciate that he deals with the deep trauma of losing his father with humor and spontaneity, I thought it was an oversimplification for him to say he's afraid of women. The resulting scenes don't feel serious enough and it didn't feel natural that Kisa would fall for him.

If he were simply afraid of falling in love, which is what ultimately led his father (allegedly) to losing his creative flow, I could understand that a bit more. But to have him attend an all-boy's school just because he feels like all women are a risk seemed like a strange move for a game that has been really inclusive about gender so far. It felt very off-putting for Neji, who often puts himself into a female role, to fear women.

But once he realizes Kisa is a girl — once he realizes he knew it all along and was trying to block it from his mind — the tone becomes very dark and sad. My heart was pounding as I felt the weeks go by with no script for the final performance. It was thrilling simply because I didn't know what to expect. It's so different from the other routes.

But I wish Neji was able to express his emotions a bit more. In the end, even as he was contemplating throwing himself into the sea, he wasn't able to be completely serious. I would have appreciated a scene where his walls fully break down, in which he's able to fully embrace Kisa as a woman and appreciate the weight of his own feelings.

I also never felt like Crowley, the character Neji plays in the final performance, was suited to be a main character. He never opens up or shows any weakness. He's just a silly guy and didn't feel like the lead at any point.

I did like how Neji ultimately decides to move forward, even being unable to write. But of course, at the end, Neji is suddenly able to write again. I knew it was coming, but it was a rather convenient ending.

Ultimately, I felt Neji's route was the least successful. I wish he got more growth in his own route. I did love him proposing to Kisa at the end though. It felt very in keeping with his character.

.

(Spoilers) Kisa Route

This is the route you get if you choose not to spend Christmas Eve with anyone, and it's the closest this game gets to a true ending.

Boy, does it deliver. It ties in all the themes from the game into a really strong ending, where every character feels valuable and Kisa gets to lead Quartz to a strong finish. We also finally get an explanation for the title of the game, as Kisa takes on a special role — neither male nor female, just the protagonist who everyone falls in love with.

A fantastic final route for a fantastic game!

#jack jeanne #otome game #otoge #visual nove #vn #kisa tachibana #review #otome review #game review #luna's review

[redgoldsparks]

February Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon. Reviews below the cut:

Please Destroy The Internet by Michael Sweater (Silver Sprocket)

A short and funny collection of one page comics, many referencing the terribleness of the internet, miscommunications, the fickle nature of the creative process, and/or werewolves.

Writing The Other: A Practical Approach by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward (Aqueduct Press)

I've been hearing about this guide to writing characters outside your own lived experience for years, and as someone who wants to include rich diverse casts in my stories, I thought I should check it out! This book was published in 2005, and I think the conversations about own voices and diversity in the publishing world have developed quite a lot since then. I did find the first half of the book a bit dated. However, I loved the last essay in the book, "Appropriate Cultural Appropriation," specifically it's categorization of different writer's approaches to borrowing from other's cultures as Invaders, Tourists, or Guests. I'll be thinking about that metaphor for a long time, and trying my best to be a Guest as often as I can, and at worse a Tourist who pays for the directions and expertise I need to do a good job and not misrepresent cultures I didn't grow up with.

In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire and read by Cynthia Hopkins (Tordotcome)

My fourth read in the Wayward Children series. It's very interesting to me how Seanan McGuire keeps writing books in this series which the reader already knows the ending of, and how she maintains narrative tension when aiming towards a known ending. This one didn't hit quite as hard as Down Among the Sticks and Bones but I did enjoy seeing Lundy's life unfolding. The Goblin Market is a very magical and tempting setting, even if McGuire chose to skip over the biggest magical adventures Lundy had there and focus on the more mundane connective tissue of the going and coming from Earth. Honestly, part of why I keep reading these books is that they give me a lot of thoughts about writing, structuring a story, and what pieces of a tale you chose to tell- or not. 

Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case (Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House)

This is an ambitious sci-fi comic set in the near future, 50 years after a change in the sun's radiation killed all mammals on earth who lingered in the sun's rays. Small groups of humans managed to survive by hiding in basements, subways, tunnels, and caves and only venturing out at night. Now, 10 year old Elvie and her adopted guardian Flora travel the Pacific Coast trying to invent a cure. Flora has developed a medicine from the scales of monarch butterfly wings that keeps people temporarily safe, but it's not a final solution. They encounter various windfalls and dangers on the road- earthquakes, shipwrecks, a lost child, butterflies, enemies and allies. The art is dynamic and beautifully watercolored, but I got bogged down by the occasional dense text-heavy page, and overall the book took me a lot longer to read than comics usually do. But I still enjoyed it, especially recognizing the ravaged remains of classic west coast landmarks and Elvie's inventiveness and bravery. 

A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt (WW Norton Company)

I must be honest and say that this book was too literary for me, and that's on me, not the book. There were individual moments and lines that made me sit up and reach for a pen to underline, but the overall framing/voice of the book didn't work for me. However, if you are currently or have ever considered dropping out of a PhD program, returning to your small home town, and trying to process your entire community's grief and joy in one 150 page book, this one might just the read for you! 

The City We Became by NK Jemisin (Orbit)

This is my sixth NK Jemisin read, and while I enjoyed it a lot, it has a pretty different feel than her others, and didn't knock me over in quite the same way. Set in present day New York City, this book chronicles the first few days of the city awakening as a conscious entity and fighting the latest battle against an ancient and alien enemy that wants to prevent the birth of Earth city-beings. The story is fast paced and very easy to consume, and I had a good time reading it, even though I liked some of the six different POV characters more than others, and still don't feel like I fully understand the multi-verse conflict at the heart of the narrative. This book felt more cinematic and less literary than what I tend to expect from Jemisin, so if you've wanted to try one of hers but been intimidated by the dense world building of her fantasy, this might be a good one to start with. I will be very surprised if we don't see a film adaption of this series soon, as it feels almost written for the screen. 

And bonus, review of a Harper Collins book I read back in January and didn’t want to review until the strike was over:

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer (Katherine Tagen books/HarperCollins)

Now that the HarperCollins strike is over, I can post my review of this book! The beginning of this book is a solid, but conventional, slow burn romance between two teens on a long term space mission responding to a distress call from a space station on one of the moons of Titan. The main character is Ambrose Cusk, the smart, handsome, privileged son of the Cusk corporation, which invented much of the technology on the spacecraft, including the AI operating system. The distress call is from his sister, Minerva, who like Ambrose graduated from the top of her class in the astronaut academy. But Ambrose wakes up aboard the Coordinated Endeavor with no memory of takeoff. Also, he learns he is not alone on the ship. A second young man, from a rival country, inhabits the second half of the ship, sealed away behind one central connecting door. Initially suspicious of each other, the two must begin working together as they discover more and more strange incongruencies on their craft. If this isn’t enough to whet your interest, the book throws out a huge twist at around the 40% mark, one that absolutely surprised and hooked me in for the rest of this wild journey. Queer, original, and a page turner. 

#books #reading #book reviews #comic book reviews

[knightyoomyoui]

The 1% Of Chances | TWICE Jeongyeon x M Reader Fanfic : CHAPTER 1

Welcome to my first Jeongyeon x Male Reader book! I hope you guys will like this story that I attempted to make after days of deciding whether I should do it or not. For the reads and votes that this book would get, I gave to all of you already my deepest gratitude for supporting my work. Now, here's the pilot chapter of my 12-chaptered book. Enjoy reading everyone!

"Alright, you can now leave Mr. YN. Rest assured that I will send you an update after I fully review these including our interview today.", the owner of the establishment said to you while compiling all of your papers he seperated each just to take a look at each of its contents. "Understood, sir. Thank you so much.", you bowed in respect to respond on his statement. He gave you a timid smile before you left your gaze at him and stepped outside his office and the building. You came here to pass some copies of your personal documents that were included on their requirements in search for their new worker to take on their vacant position. And as the guy who is currently desperate to look for an available, still continuing and keeping your hopes high despite being rejected by multiple companies now including taking a time to find another one whether around inside or outside of your area in Seoul, South Korea.

Stumbling to this one, you unhesitantly attempted to try this one; not minding what type of job it is. The only thing that matters to you anyways is so that you could use this job to help yourself survive into this word and maintain your personal life average, whilst figuring out also how to improve and reach the best limit you could ever get that can enable you to help others too who are inspiring to do the same thing as you. Here you are who just finished the interview that was set up by the boss to atleast get a glimpse of your personality and hear to you loud and clear on how can you possibly assured that you'll help and contribute to the changes of the business to make you perfectly fitted for the role, you are now standing outside the building; sighing deeply in relief both in relief and nervousness. Relieved because your meeting is done, nervous is because you don't know if the higher one will accept or reject your application. While you were waiting, you decided to just push aside your overthinking to the back of you head and chose to calm yourself a bit knowing that so far you don't have any huge errands to rush for a couple of days. Before you were even about to hop onto your motorcycle, your phone beeped; stealing your attention. You picked it up, seeing the contact profile of your friend named Somin flashed on the screen. You answered the call by swiping to the green call button. "Hey, what's for the call?", you spoke as your placed the phone near to your ear. "Yo, YN. Where you at right now?" "Outside the building I applied for a job, why?" "Oh, the interview was today? How is it?" "It's fine. The stuttering were atleast controlled and somehow the boss looked convinced on some of my answers to his questions. But that doesn't mean I have to complacent you know? Still, these thoughts of failing to get employed is making my nerves tensed." "Well that sounded good still and also you were right. Just look at the positive side, man. Enough or not enough, you showed to him that you can be very useful anyways." "Same point we're sharing then. That's what i'm doing right now, taking some cool off." "By the way, uhh what time are we going tomorrow?" You remembered your plan because of what he said, causing you to frown immediately. "9 in the morning is fine, man." "Alright. Time flies, doesn't it? I don't intend to ruin your mood but... I know you have the similar expression of mine that it still disbeliefs me. Hasn't it been 2 years already?" He was right, and the truth got your heart even sank deeper at the heavy weight of the sorrow you feel. It's been 2 years since you lost the only remaining special one in your life. The only woman who fought till the end just to stay by your side... even if it costs her life due to her unselfishness. And you both love and hate her so much for that. But even if you argue with her over and over again about that, you know she'll win always. She loves you so much and that love is your weakness. Which was her strength but... fate went upside down as it was instead the one who pushed her to the risk of disappearing forever. It was never easy for you every single day when you'd think about it. "Y-yeah. It feels like yesterday when we attended her funeral.", you answered with your voice getting rough a bit due to your force of not wanting to sob already and instead save your tears for another day. But having the observative friend you have, he didn't failed to let it pass as he got aware that the reality still stabs you straight in the feels. "Sorry if I just said it man. I know it stinged you a lot but hey, feel free to let it all out tomorrow. You know I'll be there always to console you, man." "Thanks, Somin." "No biggie." "I gotta go now dude, I still have to buy some flowers and candles to bring for her resting place before I go home." "Sure, have a safe way home okay?" "Got it.", you replied before the call ended. You placed back your phone in your pocket before riding your motorcycle and revved its engine to have you transported onto your next planned destination. Minutes later, you bought some pieces of lilies and carnation flowers to a floral shop along with some pleasant smelled candles to bring with you to the cemetery where you'll be placing it in front of her tombstone to gift on it atleast on the anniversary of her passing. You then crossed the street and entered a fast food chain next to buy some take-over food as your dinner for tonight. Just a combo of coke, two layered burger, two pieced chicken with a rice and lastly a fries were effective immediately to make your starve and crave for it to be eaten. So you went back to your vehicle and drove instantly in the middle of the road ahead to your sweet home. One of the streets made you stop driving as you got to follow the red light to allow the bypassers to cross the road through the pedestrian lane. In the midst of waiting patiently, your music 's volume shrinked on your earbuds when a notification appeared on your phone. Opening it, you learned that it came from the K-Pop girl group you stan the most, which is TWICE. They just released their concept photos for their upcoming 2nd English Single titled "Moonlight Sunrise" which was labeled also as their pre-released English Track.

It made you ooh-ed in fascination and awe as you got to see the individual photos of the unnie line who are slated as the Batch 1 of their scheduled releasing of concept photos for today. You figured that tomorrow would be the middle line's turn next and the day after would be lastly the maknae line's. After you gave a heart react and shared the post of Nayeon's concept photo, it took you a bit long to head quickly to Momo because there was something that had you abruptly halt on your hand movement. You ended up in a stare with the concept photo of your bias and your huge celebrity crush, Yoo Jeongyeon who looks absolutely damn gorgeous and deadly attractive with her short bob-cut black hair which is definitely your favorite and top-tier haircut look of all time from her. It reminisce you of Feel Special where she had that look first before, and successfully caught your attention that led you today on being a die-hard ONCE and her as your bias without further picking. You smiled widely and shrieked in victory that she returned this look again which made you extremely assured that you'll be loyal even more to her because of this era. "Oh myt God, I really have to prepare my heart and soul for their comeback. She's going to snatch it again and make it hers as usual.", you muttered to yourself. After you finished heart reacting Momo's next, the green light was lit to give you and the other drivers an access to continue driving. The next day, you woke up from the irritating sound of your alarm to inform you that you have to start such a big day today. You groaned at the stretching of your body before you stood up from the bed and fix your bedsheet. The morning routine began as you stepped into the kitchen, making your breakfast for this morning. Afterwards, the preparation for yourself is near to be accomplished as you wore both pair of your shoes one last time before checking yourself in the mirror about how you look. Satisfied enough that you atleast look like a civilized and modernized human being, you left your house then locked it and rode your motorcycle to drive away to the location you're suppose to visit. You stepped inside the JYP Entertainment building after parking your ride at their provided lot, greeting the receptionist courteously. "Uhh hello and good morning miss. I'm here for Mr. Jinyoung Park or I guess I could say JYP himself." "Hello and good morning to you too, sir. Are you perhaps the one that Mr. JYP informed me that he had to meet with an intern today?" "I guess you can say it like that." "Just a sec, sir. I'll just have to call Mr. JYP to alert him of your appearance." She then went on to talk on the telephone where she dialed the number of his boss to call him. It didn't lasted longer as she dropped it right away once the short talk ended. "Sir, you may now proceed to meet him." "Ok thanks. Uhm, wait... where is exactly his office miss?" "Go to the elevator to reach the 3rd floor than walk over the hallway. His office is just after the Prince Recording Room, the one with the gray colored door." "Thank you very much, miss." "You're welcome. Welcome once again to JYP Entertainment!" You followed what the lady receptionist said and now, you were standing in front of what it seemed to be the place you are about to enter and meet him personally. Providing some couple of inhale and exhale to compose yourself, you directed to create 3 knocks on the door before speaking up to signal your presence. "Uhm Mr. JYP, it's me. The intern." "Come in!", you heard the muffled sound of his command from the inside of the room. You obliged, opening the door which revealed the owner of this agency, the legendary and the one and only "Asiansoul" of K-Pop himself, Jinyoung Park aka JYP who is signing some papers in his desk. Along with him was a woman wearing all black attire, sporting a short hair with a nicely trimmed bangs, sitting in one of the guest chairs as she makes herself comfortable. All of their pair of eyes connected at you which made you shy and nervous at the same time when you stepped inside the room. "Mr. LN, great to finally see you.", JYP stood up from his seat and offered you his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, sir.", you accepted the handshake and returned back the greeting. "Before we start, I would like to introduce you to another one who's with us right now in my office. Sadness?", JYP glanced at the woman in front of him. "So you're YN? Annyeong, i'm Kim Nayeon or call me Sadness-noona instead as my nickname. I figured that you'll have to use the honorific noona because based from your application, well it does seem that you're younger than me. Nice to meet you, by the way." "Oh... okay, nice to meet you too noona." "Okay now that we're done on the introductions, YN you may now take a seat.", you followed JYP's command, sitting at the spare chair in front of Sadness. "This won't be along but the reason I want to gather us together here for some short meeting is to first.... congratulate you for taking the spot as part of Division 3's managemant team. And I assume that you don't know who's group you'll be assigned for, aren't you?" "Yes, JYP-nim." "You will be under TWICE's staff team. As their head manager who's tasked to keep an eye and manage the whole group while being the leader of the team, that means you'll be sent to duty as a manager for ONE of the members in the group.", Sadness took the cue to speak next. You were shocked to know that you'll get to have working very closely with none other than the group you're hugely stanning since day one. This just feel so surreal of you. You tried to maintain your fanboying as you have to priroitize being professional and dedicated for your job at the moment. "And may I ask who is it, noona?", you asked in curiosity. "Don't worry, YN. You'll meet her later.", JYP assured you. "Now that we're done to the second reason, let's get it on to the last one which is for me.... as the owner of the company who only wants nothing more but for the safety and the best not only of my artists' experience in and out of my company but also for my employees around here working diligently, I want you to promise me one thing that you will be true to your words of what you told me back in the interview to impress me more. Be a dedicated and a trustworthy worker to his job, please." "And also, give us your word that you swear to assist, guide and guard the girls at all costs, especially to that one particular member JYP-nim and I has placed you with. They are the gem of JYPE who's career has never failed to make the company and also the fans who love them so much be proud of them for what they accomplished in the industry", Sadness continued JYP's words. "You have my word, JYP-nim and Sadness-noona. I swear that I will do my best to work hard for them mostly for that specific one like my life depends on it. I have to be honest, I am one of their fans and a part of the ONCE fandom so yeah, I'm just the same as what my fellow ONCEs and you guys also want the most for the girls... and being very lucky to grab the opportunity to work here in JYPE under their team, I'm here to give action to all of it." JYP and Sadness looked at each other, giving each other a nod and a smile as they were very impressed at your motivated spirit. "Well, that's more like it. I consider it already that you'll be very serious and committed then.", JYP chuckled which made you sheepishly smile. "Let's not waste the precious time, you two can go now so that Mr. LN here can finally start his first work today. Congratulations and welcome to JYP Entertainment again, YN.", he offered again his free hand which you quickly caught it for another handshake. "Thank you so much again for this opportunity, I'll do everything not to let you down, sir and you too noona.", you said to them. Sadness understood and agreed also at your words as she also made handshake with you. You and Sadness sent goodbye to JYP and left his office. You followed and walked with her until both made their way out to the building and went to the parking lot where the van you and her would be riding to is now waiting for them to carry on. After opening the slide door, you and Sadness sat alongside together inside the van as the driver operated the wheels and passed the surroundings of Seoul. The ride ended when the driver slowed down the speed and stopped in front of a large expensive looking dormitory building located in Cheongnam-dong. The guards allowed the van to enter the area before finally parking in one of the vacant slots. You and Sadness exit as both made its way up to the 12th floor where the exact location of the room is.

"How are your doing so far? You ready for your first day?", Sadness asked you as she looked at you. "Still nervous and processing that this is actually happening but yeah, I'm ready.", you gave a smile. Sadness went on to elicit a press on the doorbell then opened the intercom to let the device scan her face and even you who are both standing in front of the door. In just a moment, the door swung open by one of the occupants of the dorm. Jsut as when you had a sight of the stupendous figure of a woman in front of you, your senses went temporarily stopped and had your eyes wide open in surprise. Her eyes connected at first on Sadness before it switched next on yours who observed the entire features observingly at the unfamiliar individual standing next on her nice noona. "Hi, Sadness noona..., oh who's this? Is he..." "Yup.", Sadness answered already as she cut the idol's obvious question. She gestured at you next as if she's presenting you who is still in immense disbelief with the reveal you witnessed. "YN, here it is. The answer to your question earlier. You're assigned as the new manager for her, meet Yoo Jeongyeon of TWICE."

#twicejeongyeon #twicefanfic #twice #twicejeongyeonfanfic #twicejeongyeonxmalereader #twicejeongyeonxmreader #jeongyeon #the1%ofchances #kpopau #twiceau #kpopfanfic

[blackswaneuroparedux]

To feel envy is human, to savour schadenfreude is devilish.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

I was in the stadium with members of my family and friends watching the epic Japan vs Spain World Cup game. What an atmosphere at the end of the game when both Japanese and Spanish fans realised they were now through the group and that Germany were now knocked out of the World Cup despite their 4-2 win over Costa Rica.

Spain completely dominated the first half, but Japan overcame this to win 2-1 stunningly. Spain chose Alvaro Morata as their customary number nine, which instantly paid dividends as the Atlético Madrid player headed in the opening goal after receiving a precise cross. As Spain dominated possession and limited Japan to a few half-chances in the first half, Morata continued to provide a threat from inside the box.

After the break, Japan's high-intensity pressing punished Spain for sloppy passing by stealing the ball, which replacement Ritsu Doan skillfully finished. Almost shortly after, Japan put the ball in the back of the net once more, and a VAR review affirmed that Ao Tanaka's goal stood. Minutes before the end, Dani Olmo came within inches of winning, but Japan held on thanks to an outstanding second-half performance to win Group E. The ‘Samurai Blue’ more than deserved their draw and to go through. They were tenacious and full of self belief and energy. It was a great game.

At the end of the game Japanese fans were crying with joy and the Spaniards along with neutrals in the stands joined them. It was a cathartic moment for all football fans when it dawned on us that German were humiliated and on their way home.

In the hotel bars afterwards the drink flowed. I was with Japanese friends and Spanish friends and others as we celebrated. Never did a Suntory Yamazaki 12 Year Old single malt whisky taste so sweet. We watched around us Qataris on television having fun at the Germans’ expense.

On the eve of the World Cup the game’s governing body threatened to book players – such as the seven European captains, including Germany’s Manuel Neuer – who were planning on wearing the OneLove armbands, which promote diversity and inclusivity. Same-sex relationships and the promotion of same-sex relationships is criminalised in Qatar, a Muslim-majority country with Islam as the state religion.

In protest, the Germans had covered their mouths - a reference to being silenced by FIFA - for their pre-match photograph before the Japan game. “Human rights are non-negotiable,” the German federation said in a statement at the time. “That should be taken for granted, but it still isn’t the case. That’s why this message is so important for us. Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice. We stand by our position.” Their conduct greatly angered the Qataris - and indeed many Arabs and other Muslims here at the World Cup. They saw double standards and starch western hypocrisy at work, and even racism.

The Germans have a point - up to a point. But so do the Qataris - it is after all their sovereign country, not ours. Qataris and others would say if you don’t speak up for the Uygher Muslim being rounded up in concentration camps in China during the last Winter Olympics, or speak up for the endless litany of human righrs violation in Putin’s Russia during the last footbal World Cup, then what leg are you standing on to speak up for others elsewhere? Why are you so selective in your activism? Activism is easy when it doesn’t cost you anything.

Much of the Western media coverage of the World Cup is so misinformed and just plain hyperbolic BS.

In any case, German had decided to focus their energies on their holier than thou woke virtue signalling at the start of this tournament rather than focus on the football.

They paid the piper.

The Japanese have a saying: “The misfortunes of others taste like honey.” The French speak of joie maligne, a diabolical delight in other people’s suffering. The Danish talk of skadefryd, and the Dutch of leedvermaak. In Hebrew enjoying other people’s catastrophes is simcha la‑ed, in Mandarin xìng‑zāi‑lè‑huò, in Serbo-Croat it is zlùradōst and in Russian zloradstvo. More than 2,000 years ago, Romans spoke of malevolentia. Earlier still, the Greeks described epichairekakia (literally epi, over, chairo, rejoice, kakia, disgrace). “To see others suffer does one good,” wrote the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. “To make others suffer even more so. This is a hard saying, but a mighty, human, all-too-human principle.”

The Germans of course call it schadenfreude. I love the German word: schadenfreude. From Schaden, meaning damage or harm, and freude, meaning joy or pleasure: damage-joy.

The philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer called it “an infallible sign of a thoroughly bad heart and profound moral worthlessness,” the very worst trait in human nature. (He also said that anyone caught enjoying the suffering of others should be shunned from human society.)

I have come to believe that Schopenhauer was wrong. We might worry that a taste for other people’s misery will corrupt our souls, yet this emotion is far from simply “bad.” It touches on things that have mattered most to human societies for millennia: our instincts for fairness and hatred of hypocrisy; our love of seeing our rival suffer in the hope that we might win ourselves; our itch to measure ourselves against others and make sense of our choices when we fall short; how we bond with each other; what makes us laugh. If we peer more closely at this hidden and much-maligned emotion, liberate ourselves from its shame and secrecy, we will discover a great deal about who we really are.

It’s telling no one I’ve observed talks about LGBT rights or even migrant labour exploitation in the bars or just amongst the football gathering of fans. They just came for the football. It’s a reminder that the self-important culture wars of the West are of little importance to the wider world. They really don’t care.

Football may not bring the world together around LGBT issues but it sure can unite the world around having a laugh at Germany’s ignominious exit from the Qatar World Cup. I would call that progress.

Photo: Qatari telelvision hosts say goodbye to Germany with typical Arabic hospitality.

#schopenhauer #arthur schopenhauer #quote #schadenfreude #germany #qatar #world cup 2022 #revenge #football #sports #culture #japan

[disneyat34]

Frozen II at 35

A review by Adam D. Jaspering

Frozen was meant to be a stand-alone work. Released in an era that prioritized sequels and remakes, Disney Animation valued innovation and new ideas. But Frozen was a special case. Frozen was not just a popular film, it was a phenomenon.

The original Frozen was successful, acclaimed, and popular by every metric. Ironically, it was almost too celebrated to make a sequel. Anything that follows up such a landmark production was sure to be a lesser effort by comparison.

Upon completion of the 2015 theatrical short Frozen Fever, Disney decided it was worth the risk. The characters of Frozen were still beloved. Their world was still engaging. The concepts were still fun. The audience was still eager. Disney wanted to return to the world of Frozen, and a sequel was greenlit.

In a show of eagerness, Disney gave themselves a standard four-year production window. Fans and investors alike were expecting Frozen II in theaters by November 2019. Surely, such optimism would in no way backfire.

Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, writers and directors of the original Frozen, returned to helm Frozen II. The duo branched out, onboarding other official writers. This included storyboard artist and animator Marc Smith. Also joining were Frozen’s soundtrack mavens Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. The award-winning songwriters were no longer consulted just for musical needs. The husband and wife team were contributing story beats as well.

Perhaps five writers were needed to ensure quality. Perhaps it contributed to the increasingly layered and complex plot. Perhaps because the two initial writer/directors were detained with other duties. In 2018, partway through production, Lee was promoted to Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation. 

In the past, I’ve lauded the efforts and contributions of former CCO John Lasseter. I chose my words carefully, knowing full well how his tenure with the company ended. Lasseter, despite his achievements, left Disney on very unfortunate terms.

As CCO, Lasseter’s creative and artistic visions lifted Disney Animation out of a dark age. However, it was his personal behavior that resulted in his departure. Lasseter made frequent salacious remarks and unwanted physical advances towards Disney’s female staff. An ongoing problem, this behavior began when he was at Pixar, and continued well throughout his employment with Disney. He used his power, his authority, and his connections to silence any objection. But after many years and many victims, the secrets erupted. As the allegations went public, Disney removed Lasseter from his role. 

Jennifer Lee was promoted to fill the void. This opportunity gave her the dual responsibility of overseeing all of Disney Animation while also continuing to finalize the production of Frozen II. A distracted and overworked director, even one of two co-directors, explains much of the final film. 

It was decided early on, Frozen II would be centered on a hook. Elsa would hear a strange, ephemeral voice beckoning her. Four notes, sung across the wind, only she can hear. She’d go on an adventure, trying to find who is calling her and what they want.

Such a foundation should be great a jumping off point for a screenplay. Except nobody on staff knew at the time who this voice would belong to, or what their relation to Elsa would be. Nor did they decide on these factors in a timely manner. Production continued with the idea left ambiguous and undecided, under the assurance the details would be provided down the line. Without a central plot or direction, development of the story proceeded at an awkward, aimless pace.

Everybody had vague ideas about how the movie should look and how it should feel. Nobody knew what the movie should consist of. All they had were odd story bits and scenery. Songs sung about nothing in particular for no known reason. New characters who had no purpose and no reason for existence. And no central story to tie everything together.

In February 2019, the first teaser trailer was released online. It featured Elsa standing on a beach at night, staring down the crashing tides. She attempts to run across the water, daring to breech the ocean waves that crash on top of her. She’s alone, she’s determined, and she’s fighting nature’s might with all her strength.

The trailer garnered interest and buzz. Fans all speculated the same things. Why was Elsa alone? Where was she? Where was she trying to get to? Why was she so desperate to combat nature, not taking a boat, or waiting until the waters calmed?

The filmmakers had no answers because they themselves had the same exact questions. After three years of development, this scene, apart from a few isolated test scenes, was the only completed part of the film. The animators had nothing to animate because the story and storyboards were still changing. The filmmakers didn’t know what Elsa was doing, how she got there, or what it all meant. All they knew was that it looked cool. But they used it for the teaser trailer, so they were obligated to fit it in the film somewhere.

Test screenings of the movie were disasters. Child audiences were either bored or confused. The plot was too convoluted, exposition dumps were unhelpful, and scenes went on too long. The film’s tone was too dark and too dry, lacking the childish humor of its predecessor. Much of the film felt hopelessly bleak.

These test screenings forced rewrites all the way to May, 2019. The plot was simplified, humor was added, and the story moved at a more exciting pace. Frozen II was being rewritten six months before the release date.

There is a docuseries on the making of Frozen II available on Disney+. It was likely intended to be a marketing tool, giving audiences even more Frozen content. It unintentionally depicts the desperate path to completion. Disney higher-ups have edited the series to seem like Frozen II was a labor of love, but the stress bleeds through.

It’s clear everyone involved was deeply invested in the project. The problems weren’t an issue of incompetence, arrogance, or limitations. The film just couldn’t coalesce. At a certain point, the motivation was nothing more than “get it done.”

Frozen II is the end result of a marathon session of rewrites, reworks and re-edits. It’s a miracle a film of any regard came from such a Sisyphean effort. If a release date wasn’t already promised, Frozen II would have very likely languished in development hell for years. 

Frozen II takes place three years after the events of the previous film. Life has gone on without significant drama or upheaval. Our heroes are happy. Their kingdom is prosperous. Everything seems fine. All until Elsa begins receiving omens. To find answers, she and her colleagues venture to a mythic land up north. There, they must confront their kingdom’s past, discover their family heritage, learn their destinies, and right a wrong generations in the making.

The first thing one notices about the film, setting it apart from its predecessor, is the color scheme. Frozen was set during an unseasonable winter curse. Its hibernal setting prompted landscapes of icy splendor, including snow-draped landscapes and motifs of white and blue.

The sequel is set in autumn. A variety of arboreal colors interact, focused on reds, violets and deep green. The only scenes featuring snow and ice feature Elsa specifically. The name ‘Frozen’ is doing its setting a disservice.

Once again, color theory is employed to great effect. The first film used its color scheme to reflect Elsa specifically. There was a delicate beauty representing Elsa’s fragile mental state, but also a chilling sense of danger, representing her despair and hostility. The autumnal colors of the sequel represents both Elsa and Anna together. Autumn is a time of transition. Before we know the stakes of the plot, we know the the film will be focusing on impermanence and change.

The first change is one of setting. The first movie took place in Arendelle and its surrounding forests and mountains. The sequel removes our heroes from these familiar areas. They move further north to a land called Northuldra.

Arendelle is a rather undefined place. Its unclear whether its a nation, a nation state, or the capital city within a nation. It’s not important. What is important is, Arendelle is set in a fictionalized version of Norway.

A Norwegian setting was chosen purely for aesthetic reasons in the first film. The sequel uses its real-world counterpart for a fuller narrative effect. Northuldra is an area in the taiga biome, sparsely populated, with only hearty flora and fauna surviving. Its sole human residents are foragers, lacking any permanent structures or colonies. The Northuldran people have a relatively small tribe (about 50 people), but a rich culture.

Northuldra is a stand-in for the Sápmi region and the resident Sámi people. Scandinavians and the Sámi live mostly detached lives to each other. Scandinavians prefer the southern portion of the peninsula for its arable farmland. The Sámi prefer the north, where great populations of reindeer live. This passive cohabitation has preserved the Sámi culture and lifestyle.

The plot of Frozen II uses this cultural relationship as fodder for its own plot. The Arendelle citizens represent Norway, while the Northuldrans represent the Sámi.

Acknowledging Disney’s poor history of depicting indigenous cultures onscreen, the Sámi insisted on a cultural ambassador opportunity. The filmmakers accepted, sending several representatives to Sápmi. They absorbed the culture, made diligent notes, and shared preliminary character models and story bits. This ensured what appeared onscreen was both respectable and accurate.

Also part of the contract, Disney would produce an officially dubbed version of Frozen II in the Sámi language. A genuine gesture of goodwill, and also a clever contract rider. An ignored international demographic now had a movie that would be uniquely theirs.

The Northuldran are depicted as an unknown culture to our heroes. They’re simple, but not primitive. They’re interesting, but not a sideshow. They’re seen as rustic and rural rather than uncivilized or savage.

There are many ways to read the differences between the two groups. Their clothing is one of the most interesting. Anna and Elsa wear dyed fabrics, embroidered with intricate designs. These outfits are clearly handmade and personalized for them. Even Kristoff, laden in fur and leather, is far departed from mere hunting and trapping. Rugged and durable, they’re manufactured all the same.

This contrasts against the Northuldran, all of whom wear a uniform, practical outfit. The prime focus of clothing is not of fashion, but functionality and unity. One type of outfit for one tribe with no extraneous details. If it rips, it can be mended. If it’s ruined, it can be replaced. If more are needed, more can be made.

But this uniformity is not depressing or stifling. In the simplicity, there is beauty. The dulled browns and grays emphasizes a tapestry-like focus to needlework. It’s admirable as a craft, not as couture. What’s more, the monotone appearance emboldens the scenery and the world around them. The people look clean, simple, and humble to emphasize instead the resplendent glory of their forest home. Again, the autumn setting working to the film’s advantage.

One of the most beautiful moments of the film isn’t visual, but musical. Upon Anna and Elsa learning their mother was Northuldran, the entire populace welcome their estranged sisters wholly into their ranks. They do so with a choral performance, strongly implied to be an honorable cultural tradition (Olaf steps on this tradition, but only for a second before the film cuts away).

Although Anna and Elsa are unfamiliar with it, we the audience recognize the song. This is the same choral chant that accompanied the title card of the first Frozen and the studio logos of the second.

But this isn’t a lazy bit of recycling. The filmmakers weren’t considering a canonical use when the number was first performed. They just needed something that sounded Norwegian and somewhat mystical to introduce the Frozen title card. They used a traditional folk song, and that was that.

In the sequel, the piece is given a new context, one inside the film world’s universe. This abstract orchestration has been given a definition and a purpose. It’s an amazing bit of retroactive connectivity that makes the world of Frozen and Frozen II seem like a cohesive, defined unit.

While the score and music are both grandiose accompaniments, nothing quite reaches the heights of its predecessor. The major problem is, Frozen II’s soundtrack is treated as a retread, not a continuation. Many of this film’s big numbers seem to mimic the first film, trying to replicate its success. “Some Things Never Change” is the follow-up to “For the First Time in Forever.” “When I am Older” is the partner of “In Summer.” “Reindeer are Better Than People” gets a reprisal before its spun into a much more bombastic original work.

Elsa gets two numbers, both hoping to copy the success of “Let It Go.” “Into the Unknown” and “Show Yourself” both demonstrate the range and power of Idina Menzel’s voice. Both demonstrate Elsa’s magical abilities front and center. Both hit emotional high notes, highlighting Elsa’s psyche and confidence. Both feature grand demonstrations of animation, letting fantasy visuals of snow and ice accompany the music.

“Show Yourself” goes one step beyond emulation. Just like “Let It Go,” Elsa once again constructs a palace out of ice. Once again she lets her hair down and manifests a glamorous gown. Once again the lyrics serve dual purpose, reflecting both Elsa’s current place in the narrative and her subconscious feelings. They may have been eager to replicate the success of “Let It Go”, but this is desperate.

Frozen II establishes its themes early, the same way a musical puts its auditory motifs into an overture. It introduces everything blatantly, even awkwardly, all sequentially in the beginning. It’s not until later, after the story develops and these themes return, do we see their significance. Until then, it just seems as though everyone is speaking in cryptic platitudes.

Anna and Elsa’s mother sings a lullaby whose origins and significance are a secret. Their father tells a bedtime story from his past which he describes in great detail except for the portion regarding himself. Repeated talk about the comfort of familiarity portends a tragic irony. Anna adopts the tenet of doing the next right thing despite the suggestion not being given to her specifically. Olaf insists water has memory completely unprovoked. The apparitions from “Into the Unknown” are literal displays of what’s about to come. There’s foreshadowing, there’s preludes, and there’s whatever’s going on here.

After this prelude to a means, the movie begins in earnest. Arendelle is besieged by strange natural phenomena. Darkness, droughts, strong winds and earthquakes befall the city, forcing an evacuation. Elsa recognizes this as an ultimatum. She’s not only being beckoned to travel north, she’s being forced.

This is our first insistence that Frozen II is departing from its predecessor. The tonal theme shifts wildly. Our fantasy adventure is turning into a tense, atmospheric drama.

Up north, our heroes are tasked with passing through a mist that has isolated Northuldra for years. Not an ordinary fog, this is a magical forcefield. Only Elsa has the ability to pass through, bringing her companions with her.

The impenetrable boundaries. The feeling of imprisonment. The unfamiliar environment. The lack of sky. The strange colors. The impossible wind patterns. The rising panic. The threat of separation. The sense that everyone’s being watched… Don’t let the bright colors and animated characters distract you from the situation at hand. For five whole minutes, Frozen II is coded like a horror movie. This is a film with a singing snowman, but it feels like something made by Alex Garland.

The first film was a personal journey, focusing heavily on Elsa’s character arc. It was an allegorical tale, broaching topics such as mental illness, identity issues, and suppressed trauma. Frozen II keeps its characters mostly static, though the threat of Elsa backsliding into her old ways is on everyone’s mind. 

Instead, the focus is on the family history of Arendelle’s royal family. Before, Elsa and Anna’s parents were just parts of a tragic backstory. They were basically stock characters, and didn’t even have names.

Through carefully placed discoveries, revelations and flashbacks, we learn about the life and death of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna. They met the day Northuldra disappeared. They died searching for the same answers Anna and Elsa are now searching for themselves. They don’t know what caused Northuldra to disappear; they don’t understand the magic involved. They suspected the same magic was responsible for Elsa’s powers, and they wanted answers.

But once again, all this was decided after the fact. No one during the production of the original Frozen considered Agnarr and Iduna’s death to have a significant purpose. These new plot details were considered years later, while the old ones were manipulated in order to establish a timeline. As the movie plays out, it’s easy to forget they didn’t die trying to save Northuldra. They were trying to cure Elsa’s magic, still considered a tragic curse at the time of their deaths.

No one in 2013 thought about Elsa’s magical origins or what it meant. Elsa was magic, and that was enough. Frozen II tried to create a story out of nothingness, with nothing to go on. If they had, these facts could have been integrated better, following a better sense of logic. 

Why is the Fire spirit an ordinary salamander sometimes when none of the other spirits have animal forms? Why does the Air spirit have no corporeal form at all beyond wind? Why are there several Earth spirits instead of just one? Elsa is the uniting spirit between Earth, Water, Fire and Air, so why does she have ice powers? Ice is a form of water. She should either have the ability to manipulate all four elements, or have a neutral unassociated fifth power.

It’s a Frankenstein sort of filmmaking, joining together different concepts with mismatched results. The film is full of logical inconsistencies and outrageous behavior. Actions don’t necessarily correspond to decisions made. Characters overreact or underreact to plot details.

Why? The troubled screenwriting process. The only concrete elements of the story were markers. The movie needed to hit those markers in a certain order at a certain rate. When the filmmakers couldn’t guide the film naturally to those markers, they forced it. Sometimes effects and causes were decided at two different iterations of the writing process, leaving them mismatched in the final film.

For example, Kristoff heads to a forest glen to ready a romantic proposal for Anna. He’s maybe five minutes away, but Anna considers this departure a form of abandonment and leaves camp without him. Elsa sees lumbering stone giants and turns her gaze towards them as they pass. Anna considers this evidence that Elsa is about ready to impudently storm off. Elsa has a theory that the wind spirits are guiding her to an island. Rather than explain it’s only accessible to her because of her ice magic, she blindsides Anna and Olaf, magically chucking them into the woods, nearly killing them in the process.

The lack of motivations are distracting, but worse is its heavy nature. The first movie was a fairy tale, this one is a tragedy. Many scenes are too stressful or too dramatic for their own good. Elsa and Anna learn about the untimely fate of their parents. They learn their grandfather was an abhorrent monster. They both face numerous threats of abandonment, injury, and death.

To compensate, humor is shoved into awkward places. Focus groups determined the movie was alienating children. Frozen II needed some softer moments. As such, we have many jokes and vignettes clearly added after the fact, not fully integrated with the plot.

Olaf delivers a one-man show, humorously recounting the plot of the first Frozen. Kristoff gets an absurd love ballad that’s straight from the days of hair metal. A Northuldran herder reveals he also uses ventriloquism to make his reindeer talk, just like Sven. Hans is mentioned surprisingly often, each time dismissed with flippant annoyance. Elsa bashfully regrets her affinity for showy drama, twice cringing when reminded of her “Let It Go" performance.

The original Frozen earned acclaim for making Elsa a complicated character. She was a metaphor, prompting a number of valid discussions. Frozen II tries to be bold with its morality as well, but doesn’t fully succeed in either its message or how its delivered.

Elsa and Anna discover that their grandfather, the former king of Arendelle, betrayed the Northuldran people. He built a giant dam for them under the guise of diplomacy. In reality, it weakened their natural resources. This exploitation forced their dependency on Arendelle. When confronted with these accusations, the king assassinated the Northuldran leader, sparking a war between the two civilizations.

Elsa and Anna, separated during this discovery, each come to terms with a different half of the moral. Elsa’s half focuses on the effects of bigotry. Magic has been empowering for Elsa. It’s coded as a cultural trait, something connecting Elsa to her Northuldran heritage. Her grandfather despised Northuldra for the same reason. Magic is foreign, therefore strange, therefore must be eradicated.

For his intolerance, the king lost everything: his kingdom, his family’s respect, and ultimately his life. Meanwhile, Elsa is actively and emphatically non-racist. She not only excels as a head of state, but she’s powerful, glamorous, popular. Racism is bad, not being racist is good. It’s a very obvious moral, spelled out in no uncertain terms.

Anna’s half of the moral is more subtle, and delivered more effectively. Her portion focuses on racial privilege. Her grandfather’s misdeeds were heinous, but she had no knowledge of them until this point. She has, however, reaped its benefits every day of her life. Her royal title, her wealth, Arendelle’s prosperity, her loving parents, and her magical sister; everything she has comes from Arendelle gaining from Northuldra’s losses.

Anna’s exposure to tragedy, physical exhaustion, psychological trauma, and emotional pain all culminate here. The line of suffering ends with her, and she is taking drastic measures. Anna needs to make things right, even if it seems irrational or insane. She destroys the dam, even if it means flooding Arendelle.

The prophecy called for King Agnarr and Queen Iduna having a child, but they had two. Each needed to prove themselves worthy, independent of the other. Elsa is the one blessed with magical powers, Anna is the one grounded in humanity. Elsa is the one who reunites the magic with Northuldra, while Anna is the one who saves their land. And she does so by destroying the accursed dam.

In the end, she’s justified. Deciding to flood Arendelle was a final test of character. For her actions, the magic forces who have been guiding Elsa intervene, sparing the kingdom, diverting the flood. Not even raising the harbor’s water level. Its unsatisfying knowing that this dramatic sacrifice doesn’t actually involve any sacrifice. The stakes were raised and then lowered without any significance. It’s superficial drama.

The greatest strength of Frozen II is its quality of animation. While the animation of Frozen was great in its own right, the sequel is in another class. Every single frame is filled with rich detail. The animators focused attention on every small detail. Even things the average viewer would never notice or consider. Wood grain in lumber. Stitching on clothing. Condensation on glass. Skin and hair texture.

Elsa is still a cartoon character, but she’s a stunningly detailed cartoon character. You can see freckles, musculature, nailbeds, and individual eyebrow hairs. She spends much of the movie in a bodysuit that defies logic; there’s no collar, it just dissipates into nothingness around her collarbone. The fabric turns into adhesive sequins that turn into skin. And yet, all one can do is admire how each of those sequins are rendered with such careful attention.

The film looks fantastic. To young audiences, those stellar sights can distract from the story which they’re almost guaranteed not to follow.

This is a film where two young lovers perform an act of love while their respective nations devolve into war. For their purity, they are spared from a mystical curse that secludes the warring participants and the land from the outside world. The progeny of the two innocents will be a legendary fifth element, with the ability to control and manipulate ice and snow. This gift will allow her to one day unite the elements, allowing her to learn the truth, and bring harmony to the warring people. In doing so, she must destroy a dam that’s affected the environment. It was deceptively built as an act of goodwill, but was deliberately detrimental, disenfranchising the populace, making them ripe for colonial exploitation. However, destroying the dam will doom her home empire sitting at the base of the river. All this prompts the moral quandaries of whether children are responsible for the transgressions of their forefathers, and whether an empire built on the oppression of others deserves its modern glory.

This is the only film in the Disney Canon that needs its own page on Sparknotes. And remember, this is after a series of rewrites from test screenings calling the film too complex. This is the simplified version.

The end result of Frozen II is a massive film whose failure is its ambition. It’s a complicated plot with too much fantasy lore among a huge familial backstory. Instead of characters defined by their adventure, the characters are already defined. So they’re further defined to excess, explaining every how, who, and why, forgetting the appeal of fantasy is that things don’t always need an answer. As satisfying as it is to learn the origins and purpose of Elsa’s ice powers, it also robs the character of her mystery.

And that in essence was the major failings of Disney’s sequels in 2018 and 2019. They were making follow-ups to stories that didn’t need or anticipate follow ups. There was no story left to tell, so writers forced a story, and it feels forced. We get to revisit old characters we know and love, but what’s new is superficial and clashing. The experience is unrewarding.

While Frozen II did outgross Frozen on an equivalent budget (supplanting it as Disney Animation’s highest grossing film of all time), it killed the studio’s ambition for further sequels. Production was an ordeal, and the film was an overcomplicated mess held together with duct tape and wishes. Had this been a follow-up to any film besides Frozen, things could have been a disaster of Black Cauldron proportions.

To this end, Disney changed its approach to animated sequels. It didn’t matter what the beloved characters were doing, just as long as audiences got to revisit them. If the stakes were that low, there was no point creating a full-length screenplay. Short form content for Disney+ would suffice just the same. After all, Frozen II was made in the first place because the short Frozen Fever was a success.

Frozen II has its strengths, but it’s a confusing and overwhelming experience. Especially considering most of its audience was expecting something simple, or at least comfortable. The movie is overstuffed with ideas, most of which are underdeveloped or disjointed. By making a sequel to their most popular and profitable film, Disney was hoping lightning would strike twice. But in a franchise themed around snow, they should have been more concerned about avalanches. Beauty and the Beast Fantasia The Lion King Frozen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cinderella Alice in Wonderland Sleeping Beauty Mulan Zootopia Tangled The Little Mermaid Aladdin Lilo & Stitch The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Pinocchio The Jungle Book Robin Hood The Sword in the Stone Bambi The Emperor’s New Groove The Hunchback of Notre Dame Moana The Princess and the Frog The Great Mouse Detective Big Hero 6 101 Dalmatians Bolt The Three Caballeros Lady and the Tramp Frozen II The Rescuers Down Under Atlantis: The Lost Empire Wreck-It Ralph The Fox and the Hound Fantasia 2000 Peter Pan Dumbo Hercules Meet the Robinsons Brother Bear The Black Cauldron Melody Time Oliver & Company Treasure Planet Tarzan The Rescuers Pocahontas Saludos Amigos The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad Winnie the Pooh The Aristocats Ralph Breaks the Internet Dinosaur Fun and Fancy Free Make Mine Music Home on the Range Chicken Little  

#Frozen ii #Frozen 2 #Disney #walt disney #Walt Disney Animation Studios #disney studios #Disney Canon #film analysis #movie review #Film Criticism

[yenvengerberg]

2022 End of Year Gifmaker/Creator Tag Game

Cut this into what works for you. Want to do only one instead of five? Do it. Tag 2 people? Do it. But there are a couple of rules:

RULE 1: Review your creations over 2022. Tag some gifmakers/creators, friends and strangers to get them to do the same.

RULE 2: Link to the content, commentary optional.

5 (or more!) creations from others that made you smash the reblog button hard, closely followed by your ‘insp’ tag or ‘fave tag’. Link to sets that started conversations, outstanding composition, coloring, etc.

4 creations of which you’re proud. These are goals you scored. Nothing to do with notes.

3 creations others loved. Include the one that got most notes, great comments, or the classic ‘how dare you!’

2 creations that stretched you as a creator: style, coloring, blending, text, etc. include the one that should have got more notes.

1 creation of yours that you find most aesthetically pleasing to the eye and self AND 1 creation that broke and (maybe remade you) as a creator – we all have that one.

0 the creation that never was because nothing was working that day.

i was tagged by @userbabygirl​, thank you so much for the tag! was really nice to have a chance to reflect on my favourite creations of this year.

tagging anyone i tagged throughout this and anyone who would like to do it, this is your excuse to reflect on your tumblr year!

(placing under the cut because of my ramblings)

5 (or more) creations that made you smash the reblog button:

i’m glad this says or more because there are way too many beautiful creations that i’ve seen this year which have lived in my mind rent free. it’s so incredibly hard to pick, so i’m going to chose some of my favourite creators of the year and my favourite sets they’ve produced.

avia, geraskier queen @lamberts​​, sheer creativity never fails to blow me away, and seeing her creativity with new witcher content at the beginning of the year got me through those early dark and dreary months. there are so many creations i could list here, but i’m going to pick this jaskier’s feelings for geralt via his songs set because it highlights so much of avia’s talent. the clever and cohesive typography, the stunning combo of yellow and pink, the seamless blending, all rounded off with a bit of geraskier angst. each and every gif of these is made to perfection and it’s such a great overall journey of jaskier and his feelings towards geraskier across the seasons, whilst also being art.

daphnée, my french princess @ivashkovadrian​​, has made me smile with a lot of her sets this year. but this yenralt + ship’s in the night set really had me screaming. i adore this song to death and seeing it used for them, and so gorgeously, blew me away. the gold and mint that i always associate with daph is drop dead beautiful, so vibrant and so rich. and what really makes me lose my mind is the attention to detail with pairing the lyrics with symbols! the way the hourglass is used to hold the typography is simply genius. i also gotta do a little shoutout to your costume sets though! violet’s teal dress was such a surprise and the most delightful gift, and kate’s orange dress was a set i’d been waiting on for a while and it certainly did not disappoint.

jagoda, goddess of merlin and the witcher @ughmerlin​​, has again made so many stunning creations this year that picking just one was a ridiculous task. there are so many amazing sets showcasing her creativity and talent that it’s almost impossible to pick one favourite. but this merlin + zodiacs set is one that has stuck with me because i could stare at it for hours. there is something so calming about this deep blue and celestial signs. but on top of that, the blending is just gorgeous, the scene selections and even triple blends occurring are some of the best i’ve seen. i want these made into actual cards so badly.

maria, my go to merlin genius @arthurpendragonns​​, has again surpassed creativity and talent this year whilst crushing me with the merthur feelings. i can’t list every set (though i would if i could), but this 10th merlin anniversary set felt like such a flex of all your talent. you truly own this red to orange to soft yellow combo, and the detail here was nothing but immaculate. the perfect overlays are on show, from the use of the wings, crowned skull, lightning, just everything. then to even include transitions between both text nicknames and scenes? so cleverly done. plus that twist of the last gif made me lose my mind.

laura, one of the most creative giffers on this site @katherineebishop​​, always impresses me with her unique takes on gifsets. i’ve really enjoyed your celebrations this year and how you approach every set with such creativity, including beautiful overlay additions and stunning typography. but i’m going to shout out this yenskier set from earlier in the year because this one left me speechless. them in bi colours is so incredibly valid and i really adore the range of typography used to showcase their moments. it’s such a perfect summary of them and why they were such a highlight of season 2.

neve, my british twin @aryastaark​, has produced the most drop-dead gorgeously coloured gifsets this year. i still think about your rhaenyra episode sets because the colour combos you picked were everything. but if i have to pick a favourite of yours this year, it is without a doubt this dragons + their riders set because holy shit. the rainbow colours are gorgeous. the blending?! spectacular. the inclusion of little symbols was genius. and the use of different fonts for each rider... just wow. this set really took my breath away and was such a showcase of the talent you have. it belongs in a gallery.​

ana, keeping me fuelled with flawless house of the dragon content this year @zoya-nazyalenskys​​, has produced so many gorgeous and emotional sets i could list here. i always say you own the colours blue and orange, because each and every time you use them it takes my breath away. so i have to pick this rhaenicent set, because it showcases those things so perfectly. also the blending is absolutely to die for, the way this parallels moments and delivers on the angst is everything.

arianna, queen of typography @seance​​, always floors me with her colours and creativity. i’ve never seen a set of arianna’s that missed. each and every one is so incredibly beautiful and impressive. but i’m going to shoutout this wednesday + episode titles set because i’m still not over it. the choice of scenes for blending is immaculate, each adds such texture which elevates the gif. the colours are just phenomenal, so vibrant and stunning. and the typography rounds it off perfectly. your eye for combinations always impresses me.

myra, blender extrordinare @capinejghafa​​, has really kept me fuelled with umbrella academy content this year which is much appreciated. i will always think of your hargreeves rainbow transition set, but i have to shoutout this hargreeves + their mothers set because i’m still in awe of how you did it. the way you included the newspaper clippings is actual genius, and it’s so seamlessly done. and then there’s triple blends going on to include the newspaper clever?! so beautiful, so genius, so in love with it.

cj, provider of the luther content this fandom needs @viktorhargreeves​​, has come up with so many original and amazing concepts this year. getting a new umbrella academy season was a blessing because it was so exciting to see what you would do with it next. but i’m going to pick this luther + soundtrack set because of the way i gasped when i saw it. the creativity of this album and disc layout is absolutely incredible. and not only that, but every single gif within this is beautifully coloured, seamlessly blended, topped off with to-die-for typography. it’s just incredible, i don’t know how you had the patience to do it but i applaud you.

michelle, the talented angel @enidsinclaiir​​, blew me away with her talent a lot this year. but i have to say that umbrella academy week was a moment where i was going ‘oh my god how’ every single day. because i know you were doing things that week, and yet you still managed to come up with the most creative and beautiful sets. i have to pick this favourite episode set though because it showcases so many different skills and is simply stunning. the colour palette is to die for, the layout is so creative and clever, the cut out of allison? on the floor. the use of speech bubbles and typography... i could go on and on about this set because they’re are so many details and each are so beautiful.

bru, #1 nancy wheeler and robin buckley supporter as is right and proper @natalia-dyer​​, you are so talented but also your passion for what you create really shines through. thank you for always being a safe space to celebrate the lesbians, it’s been a delight to witness the ronance agenda. i am particularly in awe of your ability to take scenes from different films and fit them into an au gifset, it’s just incredible how talented and creative you are. but i’ve got to pick your favourite platonic relationship set as one that has stayed with me this year. the colours and typography for each is just so gorgeous, it’s the most perfect and spot on rainbow set i’ve seen.

dee, #1 contributor to my wenclair brainrot @wenclair​​, i swear you are one of the most dedicated gifmakers on this website because you always seem to gif for so many fandoms and to such an impeccable level. your use of colour is always so impressively beautiful, creating the most vibrant and aesthetically pleasing sets. i could probably list every single one of your wednesday sets here for the joy they brought me, but i’m actually going to shoutout this stobin set because it’s absolute genius. they fit it so well, and this is so beautifully executed. the blue, the blending, the split gifs, the typography, each and every single thing is so gorgeously done.

maureen, yenralt goddess @something-more​​, you have singlehandedly fuelled gifs for the yenralt fandom and i’m so grateful for that. we are such an underrated space but you have kept it bright and beautiful. thank you so much for your hard work and talent. but i have to select this witcher season 2 rainbow set because the colouring still takes my breath away. they are so vibrant and delightful and is a real flex of your colouring skills. rainbows fuel my very being, and this one was definitely no exception.

elsbeth, i’m so happy that wednesday gave us another mutual show so i could scream over your gifs once more @laylakeating​​. and i just have to point and yell at this wednesday + anti-hero set because wow! red, black and white is one of my all time favourite colour combos and this was perfection. the blending is flawlessly done, and i really adore the font you chose. there’s been a lot of anti-hero sets this year but this is the one that really sticks with me. it is so fitting and so perfectly done.

4 creations of which you’re proud:

i just did my list of my favourite creations for every month so i’m going to try and give some love to creations outside of that!

this umbrella academy s3 soundtrack set was a real labour of love. adding the rainbow to it was just so much fun and i’m really proud of how it turned out. i also tried to do it all chronologically which made a challenge for rainbow colouring as i couldn’t just pick the greener scenes for screen.

this kanthony favourite scene set is one i’m so proud of. i generally don’t like giffing scenes because it always feels like everyone beats me to it, but this was a more ‘creative’ take on it and was really fun to make. and i was really proud of how it turned out, especially the rings!

this shadow and bone season 2 trailer set admittedly could be better, but i’m really proud of how it came out with that awful trailer quality. i do wish the footage was better, but sometimes we have to work with what we’ve got! and overall i was really happy with what i managed to do with brief glimpses and low quality.

this chrissy cunningham set was a fun appreciation of the character! it was really fuelled by the hate grace was recieving from the fandom (which is never fair) and i really wanted to celebrate her acting in both the sadness and sweetness she brought to chrissy, which made her a scene stealer in what tiny screen time she had. i was really happy with how it came out, with the blue and green of the cheer colours and the ink dropper fade effect.

3 creations others loved:

this wenclair gifset keeps popping up in my notifications and i’m so happy that people enjoyed this concept. i really loved their contrasting personalities and it was fun to do that in the contrasting yellow and black and white.

this house of the dragon queens set is one i actually had scheduled to post when i was on holiday with no internet. i got home and got to see the reaction people had to it all at once and it was overwhelming! people had left such lovely tags and comments and it just made me so happy. there was almost a nerve-wracking feeling of ‘well, i wasn’t around to boost this so it could entirely flop’ but to see people had enjoyed it was lovely.

i think this first kill set is my gifset with the highest notes this year, so i have to give it a shoutout! loved seeing everyone connect with not just this set, but the show itself. its release felt so special and i really enjoyed engaging with the fandom and celebrating our supernatural sapphics (even if the show deserved so much better, still mad at you netflix).

2 creations that stretched you as a creator:

me? biting off more than i can chew? ... yeah it happens a lot. i’ve done a lot of appreciation weeks this year that have really stretched me, doing five or even seven days of straight gifsets while also feeling like i need to be creative has felt like running a marathon at times. but i also feel like it has helped to push my ideas. 

this yennefer week set pushed me a lot because creatively, i wasn’t sure how to make it work, and also because i was struggling for time because i was so busy with work and was literally snatching moments to hide away and gif. but i was really happy with what i came up with in the end, especially with the reviews fading in and out.

and this umbrella academy quotes set, again for an appreciation week, was a lot of work just because there were so many details i wanted to include within it. and i was doing so much for this week on the day/staying up way too late at night because i’d managed to make only one set in advance. in the end, i’m very happy with it and think it looks so fun! but at the time it was a case of me driving myself crazy with my own ambition and perfectionism.

1 creation you find aesthetically pleasing:

something so (literally) magical about this yen + magic set to me. i just think the shots of her trying to do magic/doing magic on the show are so beautiful and it was fun to play with them. also adored adding the witchy halloween colours to it!

1 creation that broke you:

giffing the entire umbrella academy season 3 trailer was a lot. this definitely broke photoshop and made me lose my mind. by the end i was so tired and fed up with it.

0 creation that never was:

i started a yennefer + smiles set (sort of based on this but for season 2) back in february and have still never finished it. i’ve actually still got all the caps ready to go, it’s just... still not happened. maybe one day.

#tag game #yeah i shouted out 15 instead of 5 WHAT ABOUT IT #it's so much easier to yell about how much i love everyone else's content ok #you are all so talented what am i supposed to do!!! #today is my day for yearly reflection apparently #p.s. pls ignore typos i'm currently ill and i know some things may be all over the place bc my brain is not present

[queerfictionwriter]

Regarding Drama

To anyone who saw this post here and is curious about what's going on: yeah, me too.

I had a falling out with former friends and fanfic co-collaborators Bunnywest and DiscontentedWinter. And I didn't say anything anywhere public about that, because personal relationships are, to me, personal business. I simply went on my way, and left them be.

And now, almost a year since I've spoken to either of them, they're making public callouts with baseless accusations about my supposed toxic behaviour. The trouble with this is that I haven't done anything to warrant that claim, but it’s impossible to prove a negative--I can't show you screenshots of all the times I didn't send anon hate or harass an author, the times I stayed out of fandom drama and toxicity, the times I chose to block or not engage. All I can do is invite anyone who cares to look to go through my Tumblr Archive, which is publicly available, and see the record of my behaviour for yourselves. To consider what interactions I have had with you, and the nature thereof. I’m far from perfect, but am equally a far cry from “toxic”.

I can speak on the subject of the collab pieces, which is: as a co-creator, I have equal share of the copyright and intellectual property we created. My co-creators made the choice to delete those pieces without speaking to me first, despite the fact that I was contactable; I didn't consent to having my work deleted. The AO3 notification of the deletion included the hmtl of the works, and between that and the independent copies I kept--which I do with all my written works, as keeping backups is wise in the digital age--I was able to re-post them. And, as any student can tell you: you must cite ideas and information that are not your own, because plagiarism extends to ideas, too, which is why I named my co-creators. However, I was responsible for a large degree of the conceptual development of those stories, even if they were written in my co-creators' words. That means it's not as simple as slicing up who-wrote-what to determine ownership. We all co-own all of it. So if they had the right to delete those works without asking me, I have the right to re-post them without their permission, especially given that AO3 is intended to be an archive--a forever home for fanworks despite situations such as these.

I can also speak, at least somewhat, to the accusation of dogpiling, because as DiscontentedWinter herself is so very fond of saying to fandom antis and purity police: words have meanings. In this instance, to dogpile means "an outpouring of like-minded criticisms or retorts in response to something". Bunnywest published a book, and negative reviews are part of making any form of commercial art; it is plainly ridiculous to accuse me of dogpiling when a) I have not contributed a review, either positive OR negative (my name on Amazon matches the name in the header of my blog, and I invite you to check); b) I have not asked anyone to review her book; c) the number of unfavourable reviews on the book are in the single-digits, and the overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars; d) one of the unfavourable reviews was deleted after I, and the person who left it, were confronted by a friend of Bunnywest and pressured to remove it.

Two reviews--one, now--is not an outpouring. I did not participate. I am being inappropriately held responsible for the actions and opinions of others, despite complying with the request to ask one of the reviewers--a friend of mine--to take the review down, and the review being deleted as desired. I have made no attempt to contact either of them, slander them, or otherwise harass them. I’ve left them be. So I don’t understand what’s going on over on their end, but I’ve been over here, minding my own business. I would appreciate being extended the same courtesy.

#fandom #fandom life #fandom wank #fandom drama #le disc horse #fanfic #my fanfic #copyright #intellectual property #AO3 #AO3 and the OTW are volunteers' labour of love to create a gift for all of us

[triviareads]

ARC Review of Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard

Summary:

A historical romance inspired by Clueless; Vesper Lyndhurst is a popular society lady who is known for her matchmaking skills. Aspen, Duke of Greydon was her childhood friend, until he wasn't and he went abroad for several years. Now they're reunited after Aspen returns from his latest archeological dig in order to take his rightful place in society as a duke. He asks Vesper to help find a match for his ward Judith. And although his scheming mother would prefer that Judith and Aspen marry, it's Vesper he can't help being drawn to...

My review:

Here's what worked for me in this book: First, Vesper is a Hot Girl (in the grand tradition of Emma and Cher in Clueless; also, is there a Vesper Lynd connection in here somewhere?) which I do appreciate after reading one too many wallflower in historical romances. I also like the girl-gang vibes of her friend group the... "Hellfire Kitties". Vesper is ready to matchmake anyone and everyone (sometimes to suit her own ends), which is fun.

In addition, I'm always curious to see how HR authors include politics in their romances, and I think Amalie did a pretty good job here, especially by making the amending of the Lunatic Asylums Act so personal to Aspen because of what happened to his father (who was wrongfully institutionalized and abused in an asylum). There's also Vesper's pet cause, education for the poor by way of ragged schools, for which she volunteers and fundraises.

Regarding Vesper and Aspen's relationship— they had chemistry, though I felt it was a little hindered by the will-they-won't-they aspect. Like, it got to the point where they had sex and all but admitted their feelings for one another, but then two chapters later they're still denying that they're even friends. I thought it was interesting the author chose to make Aspen only two years older (rather than the 16 year difference between Emma and Mr. Knightley) and not related to Vesper in any way (unlike Josh and Cher in Clueless, who were ex-step-siblings). Instead, their childhood friendship was played up a lot; and then they became enemies (in the mildest sense) because of a childish misunderstanding compounded by teenage dramatics. So this puts Vesper and Aspen in a place where they know each other well (and her father is his mentor— there's reference to that scene in Clueless where Josh and Cher are helping Mel with documents), but dislike one another for pretty superficial reasons. It's this, along with Aspen's mother's scheming, that keeps them apart for most of the novel.

The sex:

The most interesting thing about the sex scenes in this one were probably the locations. There's a near-sex scene at the billiards table (exhibitionist kink unlocked for Vesper). The standout moment for me was probably when they have sex in the Crystal Palace (always a delight to read; Prince Albert would be so proud) and uh, Aspen's dinosaur obsession is fully realized. He might have even made Vesper a convert.

Overall:

I'd recommend this book for anyone looking for romcom vibes in their historical romances along with cute banter and a solid cast of characters who have their own compelling arcs so you know they'll be getting their own books in the future!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

#netgalley #arc #arc review #amalie howard #forever grand central publishing #grand central publishing #romance novels #historical romance