#just a lot wider

[fumifooms]

Omg guys he just genuinely likes bugs and mollusks and critters 😭💘💔 Forced to noble when he just wanna crouch and watch things skitter in the dirt…

#Dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #spoilers #dungeon meshi manga spoilers #toshiro nakamoto #shuro #tfw you latch onto the first person you see that shares your interest #I’M SOBBINGGG #Yeah i didn’t know the hag monster tidbit existed so now I’m adding stuff into my masterpost #6 yo toshiro watching a snail and tuning out his nanny calling for him I’m screaming #This post is blowing up so: just for your information I made a masterpost on his whole family situation we do get a lot of info on him #His character goes quite deep it’s just not relevant to the wider story so Kui doesn’t go into details in the plot #So yeah look for that on my blog if you want. Also he likes flowers <3 #Nature lover toshiro

[fictionadventurer]

Maybe love triangles work better in classic books because, well first off, because sex isn't really mentioned. Most people's complaint about YA love triangles is that it devolves into "I can't decide which one is hotter." Physical attraction is an element of romance in classic literature, but it's rarely the only one, and you're not going to have the same kind of in-depth descriptions of how standing near a guy causes heat or tingling sensations or whatever. Physical attraction in classic literature is more about what draws someone to another person, while the YA approach is more often about the feelings the other person causes within you, which makes the YA approach feel much more self-centered.

But I also think the different approaches to courtship may be a factor. The other big reason people hate YA love triangles is because the girl is "stringing along" two guys and "not making up her mind." This seems to be tied to assumptions of dating culture--even in the exploration stage when a girl isn't thinking about lifelong commitments, she needs to be in an exclusive relationship, otherwise she's being emotionally unfaithful. (And if she's kissing two separate boys, she's straight-up cheating).

In a lot of classic literature, the relationship only becomes exclusive during the engagement. Before that, the woman is just living her life, meeting men who could be romantic options, but not necessarily pursuing any individual one. She does have to be careful so guys don't interpret her behaviors as romantic interest, because it doesn't take much to be seen as flirtatious and "drawing men in". But she can still be around multiple men and getting to know them without it necessarily feeling like she's "stringing them along". (And she's not likely to be kissing these guys the way a modern YA heroine would). This gives her more opportunity to slowly get to know these guys without being pressured to choose just one at this early stage.

#random thought of the day #adventures in writing #i recognize that i experience only the tamest romances of classic literature so that could be a factor #but i think there still might be something to be said about the wider cultural atmosphere #i also recognize that i may be interpreting 'love triangle' differently from a lot of people #i apply the term to any instance of multiple love interests #while most people seem to assume there's some level of competition between the options #but anyway every time i mention good love triangles there's always people who are like #'yeah this is good but i hate when love triangles are done badly' #and i'm just like 'yeah i know. everyone hates that. i'm trying to remind you that it can be done well' #'so people can stop hating a very basic trope just out-of-hand' #which got me thinking about how the love triangles i like are very different from the typical ya approach #hence the above #carry on with your day

[stoneshipmapper]

<I can learn so much studying my own body…>

#World of Horror #Mimi #sM Art #I have been working on this one for so so long #So glad that it's finally done #I tried to do a lot of different things with this #So I'm really proud I stretched that comfort zone #And I'm so glad WoH released and the wider world is seeing it #It'll flag my blog but adding a label just in case #Better safe than sorry

[skitskatdacat63]

2011 British gp Fernando is such a mood...

#okay now obviously i could make a super accurate actual version of this using a wider variety of pics #but i found it so funny that all of these are literally from one day #and hes exhibiting every stage of grief and expression known to mankind #there was literally almost 50 pics just from this one day at this specific time #thank you to whichever ferrari photographer this was 🙏 #(i feel like we dont really get pictures like this so much nowadays?) #(or at least not the sheer amount?) #(but i feel like i dont really have any pics of him from recently just chilling in the garage) #(i loveeeee the candids!! so cute to see the drivers just in their 'natural habitat' and also great for ref) #(but yeah idk i think i like photography from this era better) #(i remember reading an interview w a photographer who talked about how fernando was willing to let him take more candid pics) #(and i wonder if it was a more novel thing back then? and now its a lot more content based and performative? idk.) #anyways!! sooooooo obsessed w the amnt of pics of fernando chilling in his garage from the ferrari era #literally thousands of them and im so endeared!!!! #i wonder what was going on in this practice session for there to be so many pics of him incredulous 😭😭 #i wish I could just post all the pics from this compilation bcs hes soooooo adorable but also very memey #f1 #formula 1 #fernando alonso #fa14 #2011 british gp #we do a little bit of f1

[angelmush]

i got a goose tattooed on the inside of my forearm today and it was a flash piece but it's my favorite tattoo already it means everything to me i could sob

#i love geese so much and so deeply i named my dog after them #goose is my black dragon dog and my loyal faithful companion and my entire world #i just love these birds #they are so misunderstood as aggressive and scary when really they just are sensitive to spatial pressure #and they need a wider diameter than humans are often willing to give #but they are so beautiful i love their long graceful necks and how i can recognize their sounds anywhere #and that no matter where i live i see their little v's in the sky #and of course wild geese by mary oliver is one of the first poems i fell in love with #my english teacher deborah read it aloud to us in high school and it made me want to go outside and to stay alive #and when my gf and i first started dating i knew i loved her for lots of reasons but one of them was that she also loved geese #she told me she had a shared folder with her family members titled “geese i've seen” that she would put her goose photos in #so her entire family could witness them with her #i remember when i was sick with anorexia a few weeks before i was hospitalized a v of canadian geese flew over me on my way into work #and these big fluffy snowflakes were falling down and i could hear them calling #and it made my eyes well up #and i hoped they would get somewhere warm enough for winter #whether or not people have respect for them is a wonderful metric for gauging somebody's character #at the grocery store i worked at when i was 18 the only coworker i grew close to had a similar affinity for geese #she had a necklace of one #a little silver glinting goose in flight :'') #personal

[fitzrove]

Bad dark joke but I feel like cultural representations of crown prince rudolf and the extreme overemphasis/influence of 1888-1889 in discussions of him are kind of like the internet meme thing with blobfish. Like that's his sad corpse you're parading around and showing to people,,,,,

#kdpaofksöfkfldlfl #for context: the common 'ugly fish' bl*bfish memes are not cute because they're dead animals whose tissues have exploded painfully. they #normally live deep underwater in a high pressure environment and look like more normal fish. but the gruesome corpse version became a meme #and is everywhere #i feel like crown prince rudolf is like that too #WITH THE CAVEAT that obviously we shouldnt hush hush mayerling because doing so would obviously sweep a lot of bad stuff under the rug #but the thing is... most mayerling media isnt interested in justice for mary or new perspectives anyway. its the same shit conservative news #wrote about in literal 1889........ #and theres this wider tendency to assume that 1888 rudolf is the only one there is and extrapolate his erratic and violent behaviour from #that period to other eras WITHOUT CREDIBLE EVIDENCE. like its just assumed that mentally ill ppl are always crazy and dangerous #and also this essentialist assumption that because he was so destructive in 1888/89 he never did anything good in his life before that

[allgremlinart]

thoughts on natla? Still unsure if i should give it a go (like I’ll watch it if I can get something out of it, even if taking the piss out if it. It just seems bland and heartless)

see for me its OFFICIALLY ! a solid 6-6.5/10

I dont get bland ! and I dont get heartless ! There are additions that I think really add flavor to the world, to the worldbuilding, even some character decisions that I think are interesting or fit well for this version of the story ! I can tell from how the cast and director talk about it that they put a lot of love into it !

what it DOES lack. is a sophisticated script. well written dialogue. it has its moments, maybe, but the entire time I was watching it I kept thinking... I bet I could think of a way to get this information across quicker and more naturally.... and thats BAD cus I do NOT consider myself the best writer sdhsd

would I recommend it ? for people who want to have fun watching some good live action fanfiction, absolutely. for someone who likes action/fantasy/c-dramas on in the background, sure. but not for anyone else.

do I want a second season of this ? yes. because frankly, I think a second season will make or break this show. if they dig their heels in on the script/writing style choices then the narrative, the tension, the characters, they'll just fall apart.... If they build on the good stuff they already have going on and pay attention to the right stuff writing wise, they'll have a hit !

#some people are like 'why is a live action even necessary' well for one. I think #this show deserves to be represented by a fully asian and indigenous cast - that kind of #representation hits a LOT different in live action as opposed to animation which can only do so much #and for two. some people just cant get into animation (weird ik) its a great fantasy world. it deserves a wider audience. #ideally this would give it that. so like I really do get why its being made. it's also a cash grab but. well #natla #allgremlinasks

[crehador]

ok now that i've loved on all the good bits of reverse 1999 (and there's plenty of good) i gotta touch on the elephant in the room too

the english tl is... iffy at best, but to put it plainly it's not good

i would say the story is largely readable, though there were a few parts i genuinely couldn't parse. main issues are in grammar (particularly tenses) and flow, the writing just doesn't sound organic

but it isn't every line that's a problem, some are fine and some are genuinely good. and the overall story/setting are pretty good (well, decent enough) for a gacha so really the english text just needs a polish

like... a major polish, but i really hope it gets it because the battle system and character art are pretty appealing and i'd hate to see this one tanked by its translation

#crab plays #reverse 1999 #there are a lot of little issues that are just distracting and detract from the overall quality of the game #makes it look a lot less professional #but i think for me the most egregious part was druvis iii's introduction #like it was a good scene! pretty and dramatic #but when her shoe fell and hit vertin in the head #in english she says ''no offense'' #like that's the first thing she says lmao #the jp dub had it as shitsurei which fits just fine imo #don't know what it is in cn sadly unable to get a cn version here :( #but i feel like in english that should've been ''pardon me'' or something #instead it was just ''no offense'' like a;sdkfj;kdfj #ANYWAY this wouldn't be the first gacha to be criticized for its shoddy en tl #hopefully it can make improvements going forward and not lose out on a wider player base

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Free Day Thursday

(Picks up where Viper left off)

"You know you've got like a whole bucket of cactus paddles down there?"

Jak sauntered back into the throne room from the hidden door and tossed Damas a sealed bag of roasted crickets.

"I should hope it's a full bucket, considering I picked those this morning."

Damas pulled out one of the cooked insects, plucked off the legs, and popped the rest into his mouth.

"You don't eat the legs?"

Jak draped himself over the edge of the throne to snatch a handful of crickets from the bag.

"They get stuck in my teeth," Damas complained, "I save them for my birds."

Daxter snickered. "Even Pecker?"

"If Pecker doesn't like the food, he's free to fly back to Onin," replied the king with an almost mischievous look.

"Oye, you didn't mess with anything in the kitchens, did you? The head cook is...tetchy."

"She's a miserable old cuss and she threw a knife at me," Jak said indignantly.

"She throws knives at everyone. You're lucky it was only a knife."

Around another mouthful of crickets, Jak made an appalled expression. "What else does she throw?!"

Damas grimaced and rubbed his forehead as if remembering an old injury. "Whatever is closest. Pans. Porridge. Whole onions. Cactus paddles with the spines still on."

Daxter started to come closer, but glanced at the dead snake still decorating the dais and thought better of it. "Hey, Jak doesn't need to go to the kitchens to experience that! All he has to do is get distracted while on the Leaper again and he'll have a mouth full of prickly-pear!"

"That wasn't my fault!" Jak protested hotly.

Damas raised a brow. "Oh? I hadn't heard about this one."

Hoping to avoid retelling the story, Jak quickly changed the subject.

"Wait, can you actually eat cactus?" he demanded.

He moved to sit cross-legged directly in front of the throne, and began examining the viper's mouth to get an idea of how to harvest the fangs later. Absentmindedly, he reached a hand back behind him, and was too deep in focus mode to register that this wasn't Daxter or Keira he was non-verbally bumming snacks off of. Nonetheless, Damas made a goodnatured scoff and placed several more crickets in his hand.

"You can eat specific kinds of cactus," Damas clarified. By the emphasis he placed on "specific", it was fairly obvious he was anticipating Jak trying to eat random cacti in town.

"Only the ones with the paddles like you saw, understand?"

"Sure, sure." Jak brushed this off. "But what do you make with them, though?"

Damas inspected the bag of crickets and sealed it back up to ensure that they would have some snacks during the coming meetings. "You use them for just about anything you need a vegetable for, honestly. I tend to grill them with lemon. Some people boil them for salads. Sig's mother is known in the East Quarter for frying it in batter and selling it in little cups."

"Ooh! We still haven't met Sig's ma!" Daxter chirped. He grinned wickedly. "We should ask her about Sig's embarrassing baby stories."

"She has no shortage of them," Damas agreed.

Daxter glanced back at Jak, happily munching crickets, and shuddered.

"On a scale of one to "Jak eats things raw if he can't figure out how to cook them", how hard is it to cook?"

Jak looked insulted. Damas snorted.

"After the afternoon appointments, I'll teach you one of the simpler methods. You won't need much- Jak, don't touch the fangs. We still need the evidence intact."

"I was just looking!" Jak defended.

"With your hands?"

With a gusty sigh, the teenager scooted back to the right of Damas’s seat. He looked a little cross, but it faded soon enough.

"What appointments do you have, anyway?"

Damas stood up to stretch. Precursors knew he wouldn't get a chance in the next few hours.

"Third bell after noon through fifth bell is reserved for Arbitration Court," he said. "Which is why I do not usually call you during those hours. My job as king is to uphold the safety of my people, ensure the continued functioning of the Beacon and the water filtration system, mediate disputes not serious enough for the Arena, and enforce laws agreed upon by myself and my council."

Jak made a face. "That sounds like a lot of being stuck inside."

Dryly, Damas asked, "Why do you think I planted an entire grove of date palms in here? I would have died of boredom years ago if I did not."

He turned to fix both boys with a stern look.

"Out of respect for your fellow Spargans, try not to fidget during Arbitration Court unless you notice something suspicious. After five is a monthly meeting with the northern clifftop farmers to discuss rent payments."

"You rent farmland?"

"They rent from me," corrected Damas. "I didn't clear boulders until my hands bled just to abandon my land when I became king."

Jak blinked. "Fair enough. Man, we should've charged Sandover rent, Dax."

"Pal, they thought we owed them compensation for being allowed to sleep on their porches and eat a bare minimum of their food," Daxter pointed out sourly.

He caught a troubled frown on Damas’s face after the statement.

"Hm. I would like your attention to be on the visitors most during the rent meeting and the council meeting after evening meal. If anyone has a problem with me, specifically, that's likely where they'll turn up."

Jak eyed the snake again. "And if they blow their cover, I get to take 'em out, right?"

"No." Damas narrowed his eyes and pointed at Jak as he sat down again. "I need to determine how far the plot goes. No killing the assassin or accomplices."

"What about after?" Jak pressed.

"I'm the aggrieved party, I'm the one who deals with them," Damas said in mild reproof.

Jak folded his arms. "I dunno, we're feeling pretty aggrieved, right Daxter?"

"Positively outraged," Daxter added, sounding more bored than offended. "More Jak than me, but he's the sensitive type. You know him."

"Yes," Damas said, shaking his head with a small smile, "Yes I do. The answer is still "no", Jak."

Jak huffed and settled more comfortably against the throne. "You never let me do anything fun," he joked.

"I don't, I really don't." Damas reached over to prod the back of Jak's head affectionately.

"I'm a horrible, mean, adult who only lets you risk life and limb four days out of the week instead of every three hours."

"The folks in Haven would think that was the worst kind of tyranny, not being able to make us do all their work for them," Daxter scoffed.

The lift began to rattle, and Damas cleared his throat.

"Well, back to work. Eyes open, my boys. Let us see if we can't catch a would-be assassin. Jak, don't touch the fangs."

"I wasn't!" Jak protested.

Neither of his companions looked convinced.

#fic prompts #writing prompts #jak and daxter #dadmas #king damas #jak and daxter au #free day thursday #long post #welcome to adult supervision Jak #never had roasted cricket but as long as it didn't gave the head I'd try it #i guess i should give the viper oneshot a tag now that its not a oneshot anymore #its an au where Damas is subtly coaching Jak to be his successor so maybe that could have something to do with the name? #or maybe I'll just stick to Viper au #Jak has impulse problems but in his defense i would also be poking a dead viper with a stick #tw animal death #said animal went down in self defense i grant you but I'm actually rather fond of snakes so the warning stays #we'll just say this particular snake was a Known Problem to the wider Snake Community #it probably double parked in snake parking lots and tried to make all its old highschool peers join snake mlms #rip random fictional snake: you shall be hissed #viper au

[blood-choke]

hi! i have a question, but before that i just wanted to thank you for giving such amazing sapphic rep in both of your games. as someone who's sapphic (Im a bi girlie) I'm always a little bit disappointed when the female sapphic characters are given not as much thought even when it comes to both female gender locked ros and the female/nb counterparts of gender selectable characters in comparison to the male characters/male counterparts of gender selectable characters in other ifs. i absolutely adore both of your games and the fact that you take such great care with each of the characters' identities, even if they share the same sexuality or gender, they express their gender and sexuality in different ways and i also love the stud rep with hana. And I love that your gender selectable ros in tnp present in a similar way regardless of gender, yet there are still differences in the way that they express it or experience it. my first language isn't English so if i get any terminology wrong please lmk. ❤️

as for my question I was wondering what your thoughts were regarding sapphic ros in IF. do you think gender selectability could be used in a better way to explore a characters' identity in some circumstances. i am curious as to what you think regarding gender locked and gender selectability especially regarding to female/nb ros. i always love to hear your thoughts on different topic so i thought i would ask. ❤️❤️

thank you so much! 💗 now, get ready for a really long-winded response!

honestly, my opinion on genderselectable ROs tends to fluctuate. it's kinda a love/hate relationship, hahaha. there are a lot of games that i think do a fine job handling it, and overall i prefer having the option as a lesbian because typically we don't… get sapphic/gay female characters… like, at all.

now for my controversial opinion: i don't really think most of these female genderselectable characters are actually sapphic. they're just playersexual. and this goes for the opposite, as well, for the male versions. they're not gay or bi they're just playersexual. genderselectable characters can only work if the author is willing to make an effort & flesh out both/all versions of a character as well as acknowledge their sexuality. if one version of the character is meant to be a bisexual woman, then you should be writing her as a bisexual woman. unfortunately i'm sad to say i've seen more than one author publicly admit that this is "too much work," but i suppose i can commend them for being honest about it…

it's been interesting to see this kind of stuff in the IF tag recently. for a while it seemed like we were actually moving more towards favoring genderlocked characters, with set sexualities, and then suddenly it feels like we've ended up in a worse spot than we used to be. i see some really egregious gender essentialism with some genderselectable ROs, down to even their sense of fashion and tattoos changing so the female version can be more feminine and dainty. it's very bizarre, and i really, really do not like it.

i don't necessarily think it's a bad thing for selectable characters to be different. it makes sense in some cases, like if you had a character that was gender nonconforming in all variations. it would make sense that their clothes would be different and their experiences would be different. i even think it can be interesting to explore how certain characters are affected differently by society because of their gender. if you had a character like Lea that existed in a misogynistic society like ours, their experience as a butch would be very different from their experience as a masculine trans man or androgynous nb person… and they would also share a lot of similar experiences, too! but this is not what i usually see. it's usually just… woman: wears pink, is shorter and skinnier, has long hair. man: wears blue, is big and muscular, has short hair. nonbinary (if there even is a nb variation): thin and androgynous artbreeder mashup of the other two. and then in every other aspect they are the same. unfortunately, that's as far as some authors are willing to take it. the rare times i do see someone add in differences it's always just the female version experiencing some form of misogyny that her male counterpart does not, with very little elaboration or reflection.

i don't really think i need to explain why that kind of characterization is a problem.

i do think there is a lot of potential with the gender selection mechanic. i've tried to do something interesting with Lea, and i like to think i've been successful with it. but in my honest opinion, if you want to write a story about gay and/or sapphic characters, you should just genderlock them. for one, the IF audience at large is always going to favor the male version of your character. that is just a fact. if your only female or nb characters are selectable, they will be erased by the wider IF audience. i know this sounds kind of cynical, but this is my honest opinion & my experience as someone who has been involved in this community for almost four years now.

i think if you are someone who is setting out with the intention of writing a sapphic RO, you are doing them a disservice by making them genderselectable. just genderlock them! you may get people that complain, but they can suck it up or go play something else. and i don't think i need to tell you this but just to be clear, genderlocking gay or trans characters is not the same as a game with an all straight or all cis cast. it just simply is not. cis, straight, & white people are already considered the "default." most games already cater to this demographic. it is not the same to genderlock or even lock your characters race or ethnicity to something other than cis, straight, or white. cis, straight, white people are not a minority. you are not underrepresented. there are millions of games out there for you to play. & it's irritating when people pretend like someone getting upset at the exclusion of gay people (or any other minority, for that matter) from a game is somehow comparable to another game "excluding" straight people (or white people, or cis people). arguing this is just blatantly ignoring the reality of our misogynistic, racist, homophobic & transphobic society. again, straight people are not underrepresented. you are automatically included in almost everything except the gay media that gay people create themselves.

gay women especially are repeatedly left out of IF. unless you want to go read yuri VNs (which, no offense, but little anime girls are entirely sexless to me. i do not feel represented by feminine, bug-eyed little anime girls) you're pretty much shit out of luck. there are very few lesbian ROs out there, fewer gnc women, almost no butches and definitely no studs that i've seen in this specific tumblr/cog IF space.

so all of this to say, if you do really want to make your characters genderselectable, then just take your time with it. really think about how their gender may change their experiences within the world of your game. does it change anything at all? maybe not. there does not need to be a drastic difference at all if it's not applicable. don't loop back around into gender essentialism. but you should still think about it, and consider what the gender selectable mechanic can offer as a narrative and characterization tool.

what is my plan for this character? what am i trying to accomplish with them and their story? does making them genderselectable add to that narrative or does it hinder it? how can i explore the potential differences between these versions of this character without falling into and reinforcing harmful stereotypes? how does their sexuality impact their experience? i think these are some of the questions authors should ask themselves when deciding if they want to make their characters genderselectable.

#it's so hard to talk about it bc i DO like the gender selection mechanic #but i dislike the way its typically used #a lot of people just use it for brownie points/to catch a wider audience #but then dont put in any work to actually earn those brownie points or keep that audience #and to be completely frank i just don't respect that mindset #if someone is going to make their characters genderselectable and claim theyre all bisexual then i want to fucking see it on the page #not just in asks on their blog #not just in the lamest way possible where this RO is a girl now cus she has long hair and is feminine and uses she/her #no i want her to be a bisexual woman!!! i want to SEE that in the text #and if that's 'too much work' then just dont bother #genderlock them one way or the other #anyways. sorry i have a lot of opinions about this LOL #ask #anonymous

[blood-orange-juice]

You don't ship kaeluc because it's pseudo-incest. I don't ship kaeluc because in a romantic relationship their dynamic would be toxic. We are not the same.

#seriously #siblings have a wider range of acceptable behaviour #because they are more distant #building a future together is not implied #and you can't really replace a sibling #you're stuck with them #'you should pick someone who makes you happy instead' doesn't work #so they can do a lot of things to each other that would be absolutely devastating in a romantic couple #and those would be the equivalents of elbow jabs #or fighting over toys #sibling relationships are more drama-resistant if I may #so the same relationship can be sweet as a sworn siblings dynamic and toxic as a romantic couple #there's of course nothing wrong with writing a toxic couple #it has its charm #delicious angst is delicious #but I just like my fluff #also I got into several disussions recently about how I'd rather read an honest dead dove #than a toxic dynamic presented as wholesome #so there's that as well

[grewlikefancyflowers]

LWJ & burning paper money

Seen a lot of pretty wild theories in this fandom about LWJ and burning/not burning paper money for WWX and why he refused to answer when WWX brought it up. But actually, it's not for any profound reason like LWJ refusing to accept his death or whatever, the answer is very simple.

Cultivators do not burn paper money, in fact the practice is peculiar & novel to them.

WWX does not believe the dead can receive paper money; he regards it as superstition — "Each of you is a disciple of a prominent clan. Haven’t your moms, dads and uncles taught you that the dead can’t receive the paper money you’re burning?" He expects the juniors to know this too.

When WWX asks LWJ if he burnt paper money for him, he is joking, he knows that as a cultivator from a prominent clan, LWJ would obviously not have done any such thing. He's teasing him. This is why LWJ refuses to answer, WWX is talking nonsense for his own amusement, as he often does.

#text is in the image description #this has been on my mind since i first got into this fandom lol #but everyone seemed to take it as a given that lwj would have been burning paper and just chose not to. and im like ........... #mdzs #mdzs meta #i guess? #anyway mxtx sure did subvert a lot of traditional beliefs about death in mdzs huh #this sure does have some implications for wider textual analysis huh

[freakwiththeknifecollection]

how do you think dean feels about aging? obviously we know he never expected to live very long, so when he does i’m sure he’s thankful as hell!! but things like wrinkles, hearing loss, bad eyes, other disabilities that come with age — how do you think he takes it? especially when he was such a physical POWERHOUSE in his prime.

AHH GOOD QUESTION THANK YOU!!!

In general, yeah, every day is a gift because he never would've thought he'd live this long, especially not to see retirement. It wouldn't hit him until his birthday, when he's now in his forties, mid-forties, his fifties, mid-fifties, and so on. Watching his kids get older too would really make him feel old.

But looks-wise, Dean is largely in denial, as we see here

(courtesy of arcanespillo)

I don't think that would change lmao. I think it would take someone else pointing something out to make him feel conscious about it. Like the "What's a dad bod?" moment that one episode (it's escaping me rn I can picture it clear as day). But I think generally he's confident enough in his looks that it doesn't bother him. Especially since he's in a loving, committed relationship.

His body degrading would be much more disheartening (as you've seen in my ficlet about his bad knees) Like, he loves his new quiet retirement life. He still works out regularly and stays in shape in case he does need to fight, so he definitely could be worse-off if he wasn't exercising, but he still lived a really hardcore lifestyle and that did some damage. I think losing his hearing and eyesight would be difficult but losing his mobility would hit him like a truck. At first, he just powers through (to his own detriment later on when he's sore for the next day or two) and he learns the hard way he's better off taking it easier in the first place. But that takes a mental toll as well. It's hard, adjusting to this new normal and letting go of things he used to do, letting go of how his body used to be. He really beats himself up for it. But he has a good support system in his partner who accommodates his needs and they figure everything out together 💖

#I kept this vague to appeal to a wider audience but of course me personally I'm imagining him married to Jo #in my ficlet Jo reminds him his body has been put through a lot over the years saving people and that's nothing to be ashamed of #and reminds him that he wouldn't call Baby old. she's classic. she needs more maintenance than she did in her prime #but she's still just as good (I'm paraphrasing it sounds better in the fic lol) #and he can't argue with that logic even though he still feels old #dean winchester #supernatural #spn #spn headcanon #dean headcanon #dean winchester headcanon #supernatural headcanon #dean headcanons #spn headcanons #supernatural headcanons #disablednatural

[wonder-worker]

Margaret of Anjou’s visit to Coventry [in 1456], which was part of her dower and that of her son, Edward of Lancaster, was much more elaborate. It essentially reasserted Lancastrian power. The presence of Henry and the infant Edward was recognised in the pageantry. The ceremonial route between the Bablake gate and the commercial centre was short, skirting the area controlled by the cathedral priory, but it made up for its brevity with no fewer than fourteen pageants. Since Coventry had an established cycle of mystery plays, there were presumably enough local resources and experience to mount an impressive display; but one John Wetherby was summoned from Leicester to compose verses and stage the scenes. As at Margaret’s coronation the iconography was elaborate, though it built upon earlier developments.

Starting at Bablake gate, next to the Trinity Guild church of St. Michael, Bablake, the party was welcomed with a Tree of Jesse, set up on the gate itself, with the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah explaining the symbolism. Outside St. Michael’s church the party was greeted by Edward the Confessor and St. John the Evangelist; and proceeding to Smithford Street, they found on the conduit the four Cardinal Virtues—Righteousness (Justice?), Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude. In Cross Cheaping wine flowed freely, as in London, and angels stood on the cross, censing Margaret as she passed. Beyond the cross was pitched a series of pageants, each displaying one of the Nine Worthies, who offered to serve Margaret. Finally, the queen was shown a pageant of her patron saint, Margaret, slaying the dragon [which 'turned out to be strictly an intercessor on the queen's behalf', as Helen Maurer points out].

The meanings here are complex and have been variously interpreted. An initial reading of the programme found a message of messianic kingship: the Jesse tree equating royal genealogy with that of Christ had been used at the welcome for Henry VI on his return from Paris in 1432. A more recent, feminist view is that the symbolism is essentially Marian, and to be associated with Margaret both as queen and mother of the heir rather than Henry himself. The theme is shared sovereignty, with Margaret equal to her husband and son. Ideal kingship was symbolised by the presence of Edward the Confessor, but Margaret was the person to whom the speeches were specifically addressed and she, not Henry, was seen as the saviour of the house of Lancaster. This reading tips the balance too far the other way: the tableau of Edward the Confessor and St. John was a direct reference to the legend of the Ring and the Pilgrim, one of Henry III’s favourite stories, which was illustrated in Westminster Abbey, several of his houses, and in manuscript. It symbolised royal largesse, and its message at Coventry would certainly have encompassed the reigning king. Again, the presence of allegorical figures, first used for Henry, seems to acknowledge his presence. Yet, while the message of the Coventry pageants was directed at contemporary events it emphasised Margaret’s motherhood and duties as queen; and it was expressed as a traditional spiritual journey from the Old Testament, via the incarnation represented by the cross, to the final triumph over evil, with the help of the Virgin, allegory, and the Worthies. The only true thematic innovation was the commentary by the prophets.

[...] The messages of the pageants firmly reminded the royal women of their place as mothers and mediators, honoured but subordinate. Yet, if passive, these young women were not without significance. It is clear from the pageantry of 1392 and 1426 in London and 1456 in Coventry that when a crisis needed to be resolved, the queen (or regent’s wife) was accorded extra recognition. Her duty as mediator—or the good aspect of a misdirected man—suddenly became more than a pious wish. At Coventry, Margaret of Anjou was even presented as the rock upon which the monarchy rested. [However,] a crisis had to be sensed in order to provoke such emphasis [...]."

-Nicola Coldstream, "Roles of Women in Late Medieval Civic Pageantry," "Reassessing the Roles of Women as 'Makers' of Medieval Art and Culture"

#historicwomendaily #margaret of anjou #my post #henry vi #yeah I don't necessarily agree with Laynesmith's interpretation (that it was essentially Marian with an emphasis on shared sovereignty) #which she herself says is 'admittedly very speculative' #as this book points out that interpretation tips the balance too far on the other side and has a somewhat selective reading #It's also important to remember that this interpretation was not really reflected across wider Lancastrian propaganda at the time #which isn't really talked about - let alone emphasized - as much by historians but remained focused on the King #For example: look at the pro-Lancastrian poem 'The Ship of State' which hails Henry VI as a 'noble shyp made of good tree' #and emphasizes how he was widely supported and defended by many great Lancastrian lords and the crown prince #but not Margaret who was entirely absent #also look at the book 'Knyghthode and Bataile' (presented to Henry) and Fortescue's various pro-Lancastrian texts in the 1460s #even the recording of that Yorkist trial which was iirc reported in the 1459 attainder #all of these were entirely conventional and highlighted the presence and importance of the King. Margaret was not emphasized. #so either the Lancastrians were impossibly inconsistent about what message they actually wanted to convey about the role of their own queen #or the Coventry pageants were not actually meant to emphasize Margaret in the lieu of Laynesmith's interpretation #and would not have been viewed in such a manner by contemporaries #I think we should also keep in mind that we don't really know what Henry VI's condition was like at the time of MoA's entry to Coventry #we know he had been injured in St. Albans and had only just recovered from his second illness #this is especially important to consider since we know he had also arrived at Coventry before Margaret but much more discreetly #and was not welcomed by any pageants that we know of. This is VERY unusual and can be best explained if we consider the fact that he #may have simply not been in the right state (be it physical or state of mind) for it at the time #in which case the pageants for Margaret should be viewed as more of a improvisation/cover-up/temporary measure to bolster prestige #or Henry may have deliberately taken a more discreet role to emphasize the position of his heir - especially important after the long wait #imo I think Kipling's interpretation (ie: that they addressed Margaret but really referenced the prince & heir) makes a lot more sense: #'Coventry [...] regarded Margaret's entry as a kind of triumph-by-proxy: the Queen entered the city but Coventry received its Prince' #though I think he tends to view Margaret as more of a cipher (and has a very questionable view of Henry VI) which I also don't agree with. #The pageants very much DID focus on and reference her but they most prominently emphasized her 'motherhood and duties as queen' #ie: I think Kipling and Laynesmith tip too far on opposite sides and I think this interpretation takes the most realistic middle ground

[phoenixyfriend]

[taps microphone and gets in way too close] I actually like S17+ Project Runway more than S1-10.

(S11-15 is... decent. But imo saying that the Siriano seasons are worse than 1-10 is just the nostalgia talking lmao.)

please don't argue with me I'm just here to complain about Popular Opinions I Disagree With

#vent post #project runway #phoenix liveblogs #Honestly the early seasons are just so incredibly mean-spirited and rude for the sake of 'comedy' #the judges aren't charismatic they're just... rude #Brandon and Elaine are significantly more enjoyable as judges to me. They critique the clothing and are more open-minded #about who/what counts as fashionable and allowing people to just. You know. Show off their subculture skills #e.g. consider Garo Sparo's corsetry getting recognized as a genuine skill in S17 compared to s16 Samantha Rei getting DRAGGED for... #doing a skilled and near-perfect lolita look that fit her client's wants and needs exactly #and if I never have to hear Michael Kors and Heidi Klum asking 'where is the sex appeal' it will be a Happy time #The fact that they allowed modest designers to EXIST is a bit of shocker considering the amount of rage that 'where is the sexy' #got out of me #I cannot emphasize the frustration I get out of their focus on sex appeal as a core part of fashion #'what woman wants to feel so unsexy?' lots of them. not everyone is you heidi #(I'd have loved S16 for the format shift and wider inclusion of sizing but. The twins. God. The twins.) #TLDR: Genuinely think new PR is better than old PR #Elaine and Brandon are 100% more interesting to me as judges than Michael and Heidi #(Zac was. [shrug emoji] I mean he was better than Karli #but I wasn't a big fan of Karli in the first place.)

[rotisseries]

worst thing about getting into bsd rn is my trusted sources telling me that the fanfic fucking sucks like ok WHAT am I supposed to do when I finish this then

#the main concern in my mind when watching smth is just the fanfiction it's true I will watch smth just for fanfic. suck it up #hella needs to write her dazai character study so I have smth good to read at the end of this WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALL THE FIC SUCKS #I gotta gauge how bad it is. I gotta ask her if it's bad cause SHE'S picky #(completely understandable as she's THE QUEEN of writing only things that he would absolutely fucking say) #or if it's like. completely unsalvageable. cause I tend to be more forgiving with fanon then some of my mutuals I think #I get annoyed with fanon but I have to bake in it first #I have to spend long months comparing and contrasting the most popular fics with my understanding of the characters #and my understanding of the characters also has to bake for months in analysis tumblr posts and shit #but like. immediately after finishing something? my range for what I'll believe he says is a lot wider #so I need to know if I can go in a fugue state week long garbage binge at the end of this or if the fics aren't even good enough for that #WHATS WORSE. WHAT'S WORSE. SHE SAID THE MAIN SHIPS ARE VERY NARINESESQUE #DO YOU KNOW HOW DEVASTATING IT IS TO KNOW SHE'D COMPARE THESE SHIPS TO NARINES. BUT THE FIC SUCKS??? #I'm starved for narines I'm looking for substitutes AND THE BSD FIC SUCKS???