#like 7 isnt my favourite by a long shot so i can deal with the fuckery theyre putting it through.

[bluebudgie]

my favourite thing is when my gf interrupts work to go "we HAVE to look at this announcement trailer RIGHT NOW"

anyway hate to admit it but the ff7 rebirth trailer actually makes it look like a legitimately fun game. at this point of the compilation mess the story and characters are beyond salvaging anyway so if they manage to capture the environment and overall feeling i might actually humour playing this?? the gold saucer looked fun as hell. there are chocobos that climb walls. junon looked sick.

gonna wait for release and check out some gameplay stuff to make sure the trailer isn't fooling around but damn. actually positively surprised.

#shoutout to when i got woken up at 5am bc tactics ogre trailer dropped #i didnt like the remake music but i guess i can mentally prepare for that over the next months #like 7 isnt my favourite by a long shot so i can deal with the fuckery theyre putting it through. #but i do feel sorry for sephiroth. he went from ambiguously cool villain to biggest cringelord of the series with each new spin off nfjkern

[pineconeinatree]

witchy tips for witches with depression <3

I've been struggling with depression for some time now and I've been having a lot of issues practicing my craft since the lack of energy and motivation, so I decided to compile a list of simple routine things you can try to add to your daily life to get you back on the craft and maybe make you feel better :]

theres no instant cure to depression but there are ways to make it a little less bad, and little by little get you back on your feet !! these may not work for everyone as I am writing down things that work for me and just simple ways I use to incorporate the craft into my daily life. please please please also seek prefessional help if you're able to !! talk to friends and family, you're loved and cared for !! google depression self help tips for more tips, I know most of them may sound dumb or trivial or useless but it is so worth a shot adhering to them for some time, maybe you will notice an increase in your mood :D

1. veiling

when I go out, I wear a scarf on my head to protect my energy or keep me in a good mood, depending on the days activity. you can wear a scarf around the house or go out with it and putting one on also works for a bad hair day (read: haven't washed hair in a week) ;D

just cleanse the scarf by maybe shaking the unwanted energies out of it or with incense or with whatever you see the best and bless the scarf with your intentions for the day :D

2. cleansing

if you have a hard time taking care of your hygiene ( it's okay I promise, it can be very exhausting :/ ), try getting some baby wipes on your bedside table and when you wake up / before you go to bed, wipe your face, armpits, feet etc. with the wipe and with the intention of cleansing. it's quick and very easy and I promise that it's worth it, you'll feel a lot more fresh afterwards. you can do the same with washing in general ! if you take a shower imagine the bad thoughts and depressive energy go down the drain in a black/gray/brown stream of dark water !! you'll feel a lot more fresh and maybe a bit clear-headed even :)

3. tea magick

while getting your cup of tea / coffee, stir your days intentions into the drink or do this:

stir clockwise thrice to bring positivity, stir counterclockwise to let out negative energy in your next three sighs and then seal the spell to let the sadness repel.

I recommend black tea or white tea or chamomile tea and add some honey / sugar to sweeten the deal !!

4. shadow work

I know that one of the last things you might want to do is dwelve deep into your feelings but it really will be useful in the long run. if you feel yourself getting upset or your mood suddenly dropping, try getting to the bottom of it; what triggered the emotional reaction? take a deep breath, relax into your feelings as they are in that moment and be honest with yourself. observe them without judgment and try to find out where they came from and how to solve the conflict.

here's some prompts and questions you can try asking yourself:

how did you feel ( more accurately than just upset; were you angry, jealous, sad, lonely etc.) ?

is there something you can do right now to solve it ?

how could you handle this situation in a healthy way? eg. try to come up with healthy coping mechanisms.

how can you maybe prevent this in the future?

try the court trial thought challenging technique. if these thoughts or this situation was a court case, which side would win? imagine yourself as the defense attorney. you need to gather 100% foolproof evidence you have siding with the negative thought and then defend it against the undermining counterpart. it's kind of a pros and cons type of list but you adopt the viewpoint of an outside viewer to get a clearer and more realistic view of the situation. this thought process can help you realize that some negative thoughts aren't truthful and help you let them go. you can Google "the court trial cbt" for more on this technique :D !!

5. studying the craft

we're all individuals and we react differently to bad states of mind but what I do often is distract myself by being on my phone and I know ( I hope so, at least ) I'm not alone in this. as a witch, you're always developing and learning new things, was it about learning different kinds of ways to practice your craft or getting to know other practices or maybe reading a guide how to grow your own herbs ! point is, if you're gonna distract yourself, you could try reading ebooks or articles or even tumblr posts about things that interest you !

maybe try making a list of subjects, topics and practices that interest you and set a goal for yourself to read at least about 3 subjects on the list per day !!

6. making pinterest boards / planning

this isnt directly magick but I think it does count as practicing your craft. make mood boards for the next full moon, come up with spells, make pinterest boards about cool things that interest you or maybe start planning for the next sabbath ! just have fun with it, maybe colour coordinate your pin boards or arrange them by season !

7. go out for walks

it is so so so important to try to adhere to some routines. a big part of managing depression is taking care that you get enough sleep, eat enough and do fulfilling, nice and healthy things. go outside and try to look for rocks or crystals from the nature ? or try foraging ! or maybe go for a walk during sunset/sunrise and admire the beautiful sky and clouds ! ANY reason to peep your nose out of the house is a good reason. maybe go meditate to the nearest park ? or try yoga !!

8. interests and passions and things you loved to do

I know that it might be hard to find joy in the things that you used to like doing but you should try to do at least one thing that you used to love doing for 10 minutes every day ! incorporate a little witchcraft into it too if you want to !

draw or paint a sigil and maybe colour it

sing your favourite song with intent that matches the lyrics

try freestyling with any instrument you play and let your intuition guide you with the chords and notes that come out ! you can try also making small melodies that correspond to different intents and use them for cleasing or happiness or protection !!

bake or cook something you've always wanted to try ! look up the ingredients' correspondences and cook with desired intents !

please know that you're not alone !! my dms are always open if you want tips or just someone to talk to, too :) you don't need to do all of these but maybe try taking some inspo and adjust it to your life and surroundings and daily life and come up with ways of your own, it's your craft after all !!

#magick #spells #witchblr #witchcraft #witchy #baby witch tips #green witch #witch help #baby witch #crystals #kitchen magic #kitchen witch #depression #mental health tips #depression tips #mentally ill #mentalheathawareness #witches #witchy tips #witch community

[hereforhalstead]

Jealousy

GIF ISNT MINE - FULL CREDIT TO THE OWNER

Jay Halstead x Reader 18+

To tell you the truth I started watching Chicago Fire but would always see people talking about Jay on social media and I didn’t want to start PD knowing full well I would fall in love with Halstead. If I like something I cant go half hearted, it becomes my life (im hoping someone can relate!) I blitzed through PD during lockdown and am so excited for the next season. I've found that Jay has become my comfort character and I think that’s due to his/Jesse's nature and how they seem to make anyone feel safe so with that in mind.. I thought I would write out one of the scenarios that played out in my dream the other night. I apologise in advanced for the lack of talent and skill I have lol. I always re read the same imagines as I said they bring me some form of comfort and I think that’s incredibly important during these times. Here goes! Also worth noting I've never written anything before so I'm swerving round the smut for now and just going with the leading up to..

I also should mention this is inspired by my favourite @halstudandruz who's writing I cannot recommend and praise enough, I think I revisit her Jay masterlist atleast 7/8 times a week and they still get me everytime so thank you for that😊

SORRY THIS IS SO LONG, I GOT CARRIED AWAY!!

TW: Swearing, Jealousy and implied sexual acts

*****

"another round of shots and add it to the tab please Hermann" Ruzek shouts from across the bar at Mollys, earning an eye roll from the barman as he reaches for the bottle on the shelf.

"so, who's turn is it to ask a question?" Upton raises her eyebrows as she looks round the table

*2 months earlier*

Voight storms up the stairs in the district, accompanied by Trudy who's attempting to keep the steam from blowing out of his ears. "Why is everyone in here on phones when we have 3 leads we should be following up on, last time I checked you're not paid to work in a telephone centre" He scans the room at the detectives sorting through the hoax calls following the cash reward offered by the media in exchange for information on a suspect.

Trudy follows him into his office, shutting the door behind her "You know, Mouch's niece is looking for a new job" she steps forward and takes a seat in front of his desk.

"She's done 3 years as a secretary with some big shot law firm in New York, I could see if she fancies a change of scenery to help out here? Kinda looks like you could use the help" she purses her lips

Voight huffs "As in work for us as a secretary?" he chuckles and nods his head "You think she would run out to get me Whiskey at 3am when I'm still here cleaning up their mess?" He gestures towards the intelligence unit who are all on the phones and exchanging eye rolls as they deal with another fake lead

"Well the point in Y/N being here is that you wouldn’t be here at 3am as she'd be around to help out during the day whilst you're out on scene"

Her response is met by a silent Voight who leans back in his chair and runs his hand along his jawline "She's coming into town tomorrow so let me know if you want me to mention it or if you’re happy being in charge of a call centre" she stands and heads for the door

"Tell her she has a week's trial, starting next week. We'll see if she's up to it"

*Present time*

"I've got a good one" you lean forward in your seat "Never have I ever done it in a police car" you smirk as you glance around the table

Ruzek chokes on his current drink as he laughs "No holding back, I knew I liked you" he downs the shot

"No one else, seriously?" you question as it seems to only be Ruzek who drinks, Kim is fiddling with her watch strap and avoiding eye contact with the rest of the group.

"So Ruzek was on a solo mission that day or?" Atwater speaks up from next to you as you tap the shot glass in front of her with your nail with raised eyebrows

Kim huffs as she takes the shot "You promised you’d never tell" she narrows her eyes at Adam, after consuming many drinks the intense glare now coming across as a child having a moan about not getting her own way "Rules are rules in this game" he shrugs

The game continued as you found yourself getting more and more care free about your answers, the drinks went on and it seemed everyone else mirrored your actions in unwinding and wanting the dig the durt on their co-workers.

Just as Hailey is about to ask a question, she's soon interrupted by Atwater with a vodka shot in his hand, leaning over the table to give it to Jay.

"Never have I ever, had a friends with benefits with someone at work" he smirks and you feel the heat rise to your cheeks. You and Jay had quickly hit it off when you moved to Chicago and joined the team, Trudy had warned about the 'Intelligence boys' and to not get involved with anyone from work.

Because of this, you'd both decided to keep your little friends with benefits situation under wraps which at first was fun with the sneaking around and little touches here and there at work but this soon escalated.

You couldn’t help but notice the way your heart skipped when you saw him walk up the stairs to the district every morning, the smile you couldn’t hide as he brushes the hair from your face before kissing you or the sickness you feel when he heads out to confront a suspect.

What started as simply someone who could 'help you out in your time of need' was becoming much more, however the fear of Jay not feeling the same way was out weighed by the crave for his attention. You could feel his panic just by the way he moved his hand from his arm to rest on the table "Why you so sure I should take a shot?” he questions

Hailey laughs and you try to act like the rest of the team in prying for knowledge "You don't seriously think we haven’t noticed how different you've been, I didn’t know Halstead could be so cheery with that extra little spring in your step everyday. We're just trying to work out who it is" Ruzek folds his arms and leans back in his chair

Jay reaches up and takes the shot from Kevin before drinking it in one. He can't seriously be thinking about opening up about this right now? You panic to yourself, thinking of responses you can say to defend the situation and act cool.

'But you're not just cool about it though are you, how do you expect a team of detectives to believe your cover up story Y/N' your inner monologue seems to be endless in the few seconds it's taken Jay to hand the shot glass back to Kevin.

"I suppose I had a friends with benefits with Lindsay so you’re right, I should do a shot" he tilts his head and smirks, "Not a bad situation you had in the beginning with that one, she was very hot"

Ruzek remarks, "I had no complaint's that’s for sure, she could go for hours" Jay's quick to respond, as much as you were relieved he didn’t out the two of you you couldn’t ignore the jealousy that name set off in you.

The thought of what they had together, how she left and broke him will never sit right with you, this leads you off onto a trail of thoughts of him touching her how he touches you and him actually wanting to be in a relationship with Erin, rather than just a FWB like you were to him.

He places his hand on your thigh and lightly squeezes it as the group move onto the next question, you feel the heat on your skin from his touch.

He knew you didn’t like it whenever her name was bought up and could sense the jealously you were feeling right now as he made his remarks, you crossed your legs under the table and felt Jay laugh under his breath from beside you.

"Okay so if we're trying to out people, I've got one" Hailey takes one of the shots from the tray and places it in front of you.

The panic you had just got rid of was now back and worse than before, how did she know? Did Jay tell her? Was he really going behind your back to tell her about this when he'd promised to keep it between the two of you?

You had a close bond with Hailey and Kim, they'd quickly taken you under their wing as the older sister type, Kim being the more responsible one and Hailey being the mischievous one who was trying to sneak you out to parties and hook you up with guys.

“Never have I ever slept with a firefighter"

"Well that’s a bit of a niche question" Jay laughs, your nervous laughter in response wasn't fooling anyone

She returns to her seat and slings her arm over the back of Kim's chair "Did you want me to ask again Y/N?" if you weren't quite consumed with alcohol you probably could’ve got away with trying to defend yourself but your guard was down, you were also being reminded of Jays comments about Erin and the thought of them two together.

Before you could think anymore, you picked the shot and downed it "that was evil Hailey" you winced and took a sip of your other drink to try and wash it down. "I've got to admit, that was a bit targeted" Kim tries to defend you

"Kevin cornered Jay and I thought of one I could use for Y/N" she couldn’t keep the smirk off her face as you both knew the dirt she had on you, your one night stand with a certain firefighter when you first got to Chicago.

Kelly Severide.

It's not your scene to go home with someone you just met but Hailey had taken you out to Molly's after her shift and his charm and ruggedness had you hooked, he was soon leading you out of the bar with him by your side and heading back to his apartment.

You were both aware of it being a one time thing, that thought being cemented as you grew closer to Jay and realised there's no one you could want more than him.

The fact you hadn't mentioned it to Jay had played on your mind but as time went on it felt less relevant to bring up the past and knowing how jealous Jay can get, it wasn't worth the risk with him working closely with Kelly and the fire department

The hand that was on your thigh had gripped tighter, his jealously showing and as much as you didn’t like to admit it you had quite the soft spot for jealous Jay.

"Come on, it's not like its someone from Firehouse 51, is it Y/N?" She takes a sip from her drink, knowing full well the pot she was stirring, your jaw dropped "I can't believe you're doing this" you shake your head

"No way" Ruzek exclaims, Atwater is just looking at you in shock and Jay follows by removing his hand from your thigh and reaching for his drink instead. "Well now you have to tell us who it is" Adam adds

"I don't have to tell you shit" As if on que, the door opens and in walks Matt Casey and Kelly Severide "well its got to be one of them two hasn’t it" you shrug your shoulders innocently as Kevin analyses the two firefighters as they position themselves on bar stools opposite your table.

"Matt doesn't seem to be one for one night stands if I'm honest, and I don’t recon he's your type" Ruzek joins in to speculate with Kevin "Which means it must be the one and only Mr Severide"

You feel all eyes on you, specifically the ones from your right which just a few moments earlier were loving and doting eyes from Jay and now being replaced with green, envious ones

“Fine, you got me" you sigh as they congratulate each other "it was a one time thing when I got to the city, he was … nice" Jay takes another sip from his drink

"Just like Lindsay was nice to me I guess" the jealousy between you was intensifying and if you didn’t diffuse the situation one of you would end up taking it too far

You hear someone calling your name, you look over to see Kelly waving, "excuse me" you take another shot and put the glass in front of Jay before making your way over to Kelly, practically feeling the eyes burning in your back motivates you to put on your show just a little flirtier than planned as you wrap your arm around Severide's shoulder "Had a bit to drink huh?" You nod to Matt's comment and subtly look over to see Jay still staring at you

"Can you take me to get some fresh air?" Kelly looks at you confused but puts his arm round your waist to walk you out of the bar, reminding you of the all to similar feeling just a few months prior.

You can't help but feel smug as you walk past your table on the way out, being met by faces of disbelief and humour, all except Jay who looked like he was ready to tackle Kelly to the ground, you were proud of yourself for getting him worked up – all a bit of fun isn't it??

Talking about your life in Chicago and his new girlfriend Stella, your mind is completely off subject as you long to be with Jay and to see the effect this is having on him.

Picturing how he hasn’t taken his eyes off the door and checking his watch to see how long its been, no longer having any interest apart from having you with him.

“You wanna head back inside? I bet you're freezing" you're snapped out your thoughts by Kelly leaning to meet your eye level, before you could reach for the door handle it swings back to meet a pissed off Jay, oh shit.

"I'll take it from here, thanks" he pats Kelly on the shoulder and hands you your jacket, you both look at him confused

"Oh I'm gonna get her home, think she's had enough and doesn’t need any help from you" the smile he's trying to spread across his face isn't fooling you, you can tell he's worked up and the last person he wants to see is Severide.

"Thanks Kelly, I'll definitely pop by next week" you call out over Jays shoulder to Kelly who is heading back inside, he responds with a smile and disappears into the bar.

Jay grabs your wrist and pulls you to the other side of the building, out of sight from anyone who would enter/exit the bar.

“What the fuck Y/N? Firstly you don’t tell me about him and next you're out here all over him and agreeing to go over to his next week? Don't I mean anything to you? How do you think it felt for me to sit in there seeing you being lead out here by him and you gladly going along with it? It's a good job I don’t care about who you sleep with anymore isn't it.." his chest rising and falling fast, the spite in his voice, the way he was 2 inches from your face flipped a switch inside as you backed him up against the wall.

"You wanna know what we were doing out here?" you question, leaning into his neck "going over that one night we had" your hand running along his arm and stopping at his shoulder where you let your lips hover over his skin.

"how he took me back to his apartment" his arms clung to your waist but now rigid as you taunted him "undressed me piece by piece and kissed me all over, asking how bad I wanted him" your lips made contact with the skin under his ear, earning a suppressed moan from Jay.

“But you know what?" Jay looked down at you with his brows furrowed, confused by the situation "He's nothing compared to the guy I'm currently with"

The power you were feeling was immense, the sudden confident persona that had taken over you. Jay's normal dominant and intimidating presence was out of the window, the jealousy he was feeling mixed with the teasing from you had made him speechless, hanging on your every word.

"He's really good to me you know" he murmurs in response "so much so that I can't go 5 minutes without thinking about him, the way he kisses me, the way he touches me and don't get me started on the things he does to my body" how you'd moved to linger your lips along his neck, jawline and now his lips along with him still gripping at your waist, stuck in his tracks not knowing what to do with himself had you weak and craving him.

All he can do is groan as you step away from his body, leaving him standing there heavily breathing and his eyes trailing over your body and landing on your lips.

"We're going home". You smile to yourself as you know you've completed your job in getting him riled up and picturing what he's going to do to you once he's got you alone "Let me just go and say goodbye to Severide" you couldn't help but add one more tease into the mix but this pushed him over the edge.

Before you could work it out you were up against the wall, tightly held there by Jays body over you, arm next to your head and the other back on your waist. "If I hear you say that name one more time, I'm going to fuck you so hard you’re not even going to bother remembering him" you swallowed hard, now you were the one speechless and struggling to think of a good enough comeback given all you can do is nod in response.

He walks you towards his truck and over to the passenger side for you climb into, arm still on your waist and the other opening the door "Oh and don’t even think about going over there next week.

Incase it isn't clear, you're mine" you turn with your back on the car door and look into his lustful eyes, quietly thrilled with the way he was speaking to you. "Didn't I mention? He's invited us over for dinner next week to get to know Stella, are we not going to attend?" you innocently look up at him, settling your hand on the back of his neck, scratching lightly.

“Definitely not baby"

*

Please be gentle with me, as mentioned this in no way me saying I know how to write a good story but just simply writing a dream that I had the other day!

#jay halstead x reader #jay halstead drabble #jay halstead x you #jay halstead x y/n #chicago pd imagine #chicago pd #Jay Halstead #one chicago #jay halstead imagine #jay halstead smut

[comicteaparty]

July 15th-July 21st, 2019 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from July 15th, 2019 to July 21st, 2019.  The chat focused on Radioactive Underground by Ezra Rose.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!

Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Radioactive Underground by Ezra Rose~! (https://tapas.io/series/Radioactive-Underground)

You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PDT), so keep checking back for more! You have until July 21st to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!

QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite scene in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?

QUESTION 2. What do you think caused Robbie’s scar that is briefly seen? Further, why is Robbie taking medicine? What might all this have to do with Griffin’s particular concern for how Robbie is doing?

ezzy

Wow what a wonderful comic surely who ever made this comic is very smart and also handsome

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?

QUESTION 4. Which aspect of the world has caught your eye the most so far? Why does it interest you? Also, how do you think it will play a role in how the story unfolds?

RebelVampire

1) my favorite scene is probably the first scene we see robbie at maki's. i liked the little flirty dialogue and then the ultimate payoff with it at the end. like i really felt like i was in robbie's shoes during it cause i wasnt sure if there was chemistry and then the "robbie with an i e " thing really sold it for me. just a great banter setup i can really appreciate. 2) Given the opening scene, I gotta imagine Robbie was fighting monsters or w/e he fights in the underground and took on a challenge he wasnt ready for. And that probably nearly killed him and thus why the scar and medicine. Cause the medicine is probably keeping his heart going or something like that. As for Griffin's concern, Griffin gives off a kind of motherly feel to me despite the aggressive attitude. And it seems she and robbie have a sort of mother-son bond (at least a little bit). and ya know, mom's worry when their sons almost die.

3) my favorite character atm is probably robbie. While this could change as the characters become more familiar, I really just like Robbie's design. It feels edgy and relateable at the same time without being overboard. I also think it super suits his personality. 4) I'm really interested in the underground aspect of the comic. Cause it really doesn't feel like their underground, yet it's clearly a thing. And given robbie's crush isnt from the underground originally, itll be interesting to see how the cultures differ. Since there already seems to be some inequality going on. In terms of the story, I definitely think the underground's probably...status in society is probably a breeding ground for crime. hence robbie's entire life situation.

ezzy

>:3c

RebelVampire

QUESTION 5. What has been your favorite illustration in the comic so far? What specifically about it do you like?

QUESTION 6. Why do you think Yui was supposedly kicked out of the family business, and how do you think she got involved with Griffin? What theories do you have about the rest of Griffin’s crew? Alternatively, who do you most want to learn more about?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 7. Which characters do you enjoy seeing interact the most? What about their dynamic interests you?

QUESTION 8. What do you think the ultimate goal is for Griffin’s group as for why they steal? Is it just for money, or is there some larger picture? Further, what do you think Robbie’s personal investment is in the whole thing?

RebelVampire

5) My fave illustration...s is probably the ones of Griffin on this page. https://tapas.io/episode/1357536 Griffin looks so cool, and something about this up-close shot choices really made me appreciate her really cool, badass design. Instantly won my heart over as a top-contending chara for favorites. 6) Yui sort of strikes me as the type who rebels just to rebel. Like the teen who never got out of the rebellious phase because she's 2kool4skool. And from what we've seen with her relationship with her family, rebelliousness is not well-received. And I can see from her families perspective how it kind of just looks like Yui lazes around and then throws attitude. I don't really have theories about the rest of the crew, although I definitely do want to get to know the completely non-human world. They'd be a great insight into the rest of the non-humans that are in this world.

7) I probably enjoy seeing Robbie and crush chick the most. They've got really cute chemistry that just makes me squee on the inside. And I also hope he continues to be called Robbie with an i e for a while. 8) I think the answer to this question depends on perspective. Most of the crew, like Robbie and Yui, are probably just in it for the money. While I think Griffin is in it for the money, I also think she has a bigger picture idea. Like eventually aiming for the grand jewel and making people super pissed. Or more I should say, she's waiting till they can make the heist of a lifetime and retire on a beach in Hawaii. As for Robbie's personal investment, besides money, he kind of maybe just has nothing better to do? So far my impression of him is hes the type to think hes not good at a lot of stuff besides running and fighting. Thus morals be damned, lets steal things? XD Plus if he needs medicine, hes gotta pay for it somehow. So to summarize, his investment is needs money + belief in lack of job opportunities. I think if something better came along hed be heavily tempted.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 9. What sorts of art or story details have you noticed in the way the comic is crafted that you think deserves attention?

QUESTION 10. Who exactly do you think Griffin is? In other words, what’s Griffin’s backstory and why is Griffin invested in stealing? Further, why do you think Griffin keeps the group at arm’s length and has them drop her off at random locations?

RebelVampire

9) One deal I appreciate is the balance of Griffin's design. Like there's this right blend of human and non-human traits that you could even guess she was a half-breed before anybody even said anything. And being able to get that across immediately visually is really A+ work there. 10) I think Griffin was probably someone a lot like Robbie. Just in the underground, nothing to do, no opportunities, and so she took the easy route of theft. However, I think she was at least once part of a bigger organization (given the connections she has) and that she kind of betrayed them and ditched them. Like I said earlier, I think she's both in it for the money but kind of has some bigger idea picture about retiring in style or something like that. As for keeping the group at arm's length, I actually think it's to protect them. Cause she clearly seems to know dangerous folks who know her and have a bone to pick. So by not letting the others become too notorious, she keeps the heat on her.

ShaRose49

I started this one awhile ago and I thought it was very well-drawn(edited)

ezzy

Thank you i try very hard

RebelVampire

QUESTION 11. What do you think are this particular comic’s strengths? What do you think makes this comic unique? Please elaborate.

QUESTION 12. Why do you think the new girl working at Maki’s has come to the underground? What might it have to do with her relationship with her parents? Further, what role do you think she’ll play in the larger story?

spacerocketbunny

1. Favourite scene is probably the one where everyone is in the diner after the heist! The banter is fun and I like how the characters interact. Yui and Robbie are great, they act like siblings who can't stand each other but of course cover each other's asses if they get in trouble. Also the moment when Robbie meets Sky, she asks his name so she can label his food but then he asks for her name and she pauses like "why are you asking the server's name lol" 3. Ummmm Griffin because she's a mysterious babe?? Love me a stoic lady with questionable motives ;)) also Sky is so sweet, I love that she's an artist! 4. Love the demons and other folks that are integrated into the world, it's a lot of fun! I hope there'll be more interesting people to see :)

5. The latest pages with Griffin on the phone look great, great colours, nice backgrounds, I like how the colours are starting to become more dynamic! 6. Mmmm my guess is that she's a bit messy and callous and probably messed something up in the family business. Too early to make any hard speculation but if anything I think it was Yui's fault probably... I want to see more of what these heists are for, and how their group operates. I'd like to see more on Griffin and her origin since it was pointed out that she was a %100 human (I'm assuming the other half is demon?) 7. Right now Yui and Robbie because of the bickering they do, but now that I've seen Sky blush after interacting with Griffin I'm

9. I like the style of the comic, it's angular and sharp and I like the character designs! I feel like the comic's aesthetic and mood is still being realized but it's progressing with each page and I can't wait to see how it develops further! 11. Like previously mentioned I think the style is definitely a strength, it's fun and offbeat and I like that it's one that I'm not seeing in the comic scene right now. The character interaction is great too, even as early as it is I'm already invested in these characters and I want to know more about them, they're a fun lot and they all play off each other in a great way. I'm interested to see where this comic goes and how it'll develop, I'll definitely be checking back for updates

RebelVampire

QUESTION 13. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?

QUESTION 14. Who do you think Solomon Reiki is, and what does they want with Griffin? What does this have to do with the guard who Griffin fought during the heist? What could this mean for Robbie and the rest of the crew?

RebelVampire

11) I think the comic's strength are definitely the character designs. There's a lot of personality packed into them. Not just the main characters we've seen so far but even the side characters as well. It makes for a really dynamic setting and cast that immediately catches your eye. Somehoe all the designs also really suit the tone of the story as well. 12) I feel there definitely has to have been a falling out with her parents. And she fled to the one place where she thought they would never look for her or something. Given she seems somehow hardcore herself, I could totally see her joining the crew and going on thieving adventures. Or at the very least being an informant of some sort. 13) I'm looking forward to learning more about the rest of the crew and seeing how they all play off each other. Cause that will definitely have a big impact in terms of how the heists go. 14) Given my previous theories, I think Solomon Reiki was Griffin's old boss who is super pissed at Griffin's betrayal of leaving. But until recently they havent been able to find Griffin so hence the guard. Heard some rumors and sent the guard to confirm whether its the traitor or not. Of course, this probably gonna put the rest of the crew square in sights and get them unwanted attention from bigger criminals or something like that.

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!

Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Radioactive Underground this week! Please also give a special thank you to Ezra Rose for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Radioactive Underground, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!

Read and Comment: https://tapas.io/series/Radioactive-Underground

Ezra’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ezrarose

Ezra’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ezzymourao

Ezra’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuperSonicSoda_

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #comic chat #comic discussion #book club #bookclub #webcomic book club #webcomic bookclub #comic tea party #ctp #radioactive underground #ezra rose

[bi-dazai]

okay here’s the 3 roots to all the problems in the writing in vld s4:

hi so right from the bat i was realising all these problems with uh. everything (including the art style?? who the fuck was in charge of drawing keith?? he has the same inaccuracy as fucking clone!shiro lmao). anyway if there are problems in writing, then you can actually trace it back to its roots and address the problem there, instead of just judging the outcome of the roots. 

there are also other tinier aspects of the show’s writing - like some moments of complete tonal whiplash (watch this video on star wars rebels if you’re curious about tonal whiplash) - which are just simply bad writing. but if you were wondering exactly what the fuck the vld writers’ deal is with s4, then this post will tell you. 

anyway, take this as a guide in how to critique s4, and how to not make these mistakes in your own writing.

1. loss of balance as the writers divert all writing to plot writing. 

so when you write a story, there’s a balance you have to find between character writing, relationship writing, and plot writing. depending on your story and your style, you’ll have more focus on one or two and less on another, but for a good story it won’t go to massive extremes and it will have a reasonable amount on each. for example, boku no hero academia is pretty much almost completely character writing, with a large focus on relationship writing from about the sports carnival arc onwards, but the plot is still really good because it isn’t forgotten about. avatar: the last airbender is character and plot-driven, but there’s still relationships built up and not forgotten about. 

so what is voltron: legendary defender? across s1-3, it had a HUGE focus on plot, a focus to the point that it was uh. risky. that focus is so much that you should only approach it if you know how to maintain that balance. vld’s focus on plot was toeing the line of too much - to the point that character writing was almost completely void, and relationship writing was extremely subtle. however, with keith’s arc in s2 and 3 and the developing relationships between keith and lance and lance and allura coupling in with subtle character development which allowed these relationships to develop and fuel the plot, vld actually handled it quite well. it’s why ive been saying this whole time to stop railing on the writers so hard because they chose a balance that’s extremely hard to keep and they actually pulled it off in a pretty impressive way when you factor in that difficulty. i regard s3 as a masterpiece - in 7 episodes the pacing was perfect despite plot accelerating massively and character relationships and development proceeding at a similar fast pace. 

where did s4 go wrong, then? well,  the writers forgot about that balance. they had plot points in mind, and they were sidetracked by these grand plans for t h e p l o t. pidge finding her brother, the introduction of the rebel alliance, keith leaving voltron, lotor being exiled, naxzala being attacked. all these plot points are really good!! and the plot was actually really good. but what went wrong is (mainly) the writers forgetting that they need that equilibrium, that balance (other reasons to do with plot are described below). they chose a balance that is much more delicate than many other stories, and this season they dumped a ten tonne weight on it because they forgot how fucking delicate it is. (i actually have a feeling this has to do with the way lok was written and i think they got used to that, send me an ask if you want me to talk about it more).

2. too much crammed into 6 episodes = destruction of pacing. 

i mentioned that the plot was good. it is. but it doesn’t feel that way, right? right. that’s because the ideas and the progression is good. but there is too much for this little screentime. lotor went from villain to “zuko” within 13 episodes, no, two episodes. that’s shit. do you remember actual zuko? that arc took years, and it began from the first episode. lotor? the redemption arc has taking uh. 40 minutes. and honestly, that is shit writing. 

another thing i had massive problems with - pidge’s episode. and that was my favourite episode for this season. this episode’s first bit is pidge finding and reuniting with her brother. and it’s really good! but i was watching it and thinking, “wow this is uh. this is moving a bit fast. we’re cutting away too soon on all of the scenes and shots. everything feels kinda cramped, time-wise.” well guess why!!??!!!?! the writers want to move the goddamn plot forward again!! the best episode of the season is completely ruined because instead of taking the entire episode to really dwell on pidge’s emotions and make us properly root for pidge’s journey (a la s3e5 - “the journey”), we take half the episode so that pidge and matt can reunite in two minutes and we can come back and do. PLOT RELATED STUFF. FUCKING CHRIST!!!! this is the episode that we have literally been waiting for since the first episode. and it’s fucking cut off by OTHER PLOTS. can someone please get briyan konietzko in here and explain to lm and jds what the fucking fuck CHARACTER AND RELATIONSHIP EPISODES ARE??!!?!!! HOLY SHIT!!! 

every shot in every scene in every episode of s4 isnt the full fucking thing!! listen - part of film language is how long you dwell on each shot, and how these shots are edited together. let me put this into layman’s terms - all the scenes and shots in s4 are just very vague, understandable descriptions of the actual scenes and shots. this aspect of the language of film is the difference between, “can i have water?” and “could I please get a glass of water?”/ “get me a glass of water now!”. you don’t get the emotion. you dont get the full effect. it’s just a summary of what happened. that was the entirety of how s4 was edited and put together, and it’s like that so that the writers could fit at least 13 episodes of plot into 6. with shortened, half-assed shots put together with cuts as transitions. i dont think i saw a single fade in/out/to in the entire season. all that i’ve described - it ruins pacing when it’s half-assed, and this was no-assed. the editing, the pacing - it’s close to fucking terrible b-movie standard. this is coming out of fucking dreamworks, out of tim hendrick, out of people from motherfucking legend of korra and avatar: the last airbender. the pacing of s4 is embarrassing.

3. getting too much into the current situation of the show, and forgetting about set-up.

after s1, 2, and 3, (particularly 2 and 3) people were making up theories, pulling from shot composition, pulling from hints. and guess what?! a lot of it paid off, or started to pay off! you know why? when writing s1, 2, and 3, every aspect of the writing (characters, plot, dialogue, etc) and even the film language referenced each other. voltron: legendary defender, across its first two seasons, established a subset of film language of its own. it’s because of that devotion to referencing past events and aspects of the show that things like @koganya​ ‘s massive klance masterposts could be made and believed. s4 is fundamentally not a vld season because it forgot its own fucking language. there’s no clever shot composition, no clever reference to past events or episodes, nothing. it’s so fucking flat. i don’t know what happened, but we got s3 - which spent the entire time pretty much worshipping its own film language to hint at stuff and then we got s4 - where the writers got tunnel vision of their own plot-related visions of grandeur that they forgot to write a season of voltron: legendary defender. this is so fucking ignorant of their own fucking show. fuck!!!

okay thanks for reading and please share!! this guide can help when critiquing the show and since there’s gonna be a lot of that then i feel it’s super important to have these posts!!

#mine #vld #voltron #voltron legendary defender #vld s4 #voltron s4 #vld s4 spoilers #vld critical

[mhopwood-bct]

Progress update!

First group project, our objective is to create a set of cards to encourage or facilitate play. My favourite part of this is "facilitate". This is actually huge, as the cards can be used as an extension of something else rather than a standalone product. I've never liked being creatively constrained, and this gives me plenty of wiggle room since this key factor renders my options near limitless.

So far, it's going great! I'm stoked with the group I'm with and have learned many amazing planning tools and exercises already which im sure I'll use plenty of times in the future. One in particular being what our TA had named "mad scientist". This involves a silent few minutes of relentlessly throwing ideas, keywords, or even just the first things to come to mind up at a wall. There is a specific reason this exercise really resonated with me. Our previous planning beforehand was thought provoking, however ultimately unproductive. This was because we were being vague in our ideas, and those ideas were subject to much overthinking as the result of having so many opinions floating around. I immediately knew this was happening, but was unsure how to deal with it and mad scientist was exactly the remedy we needed to keep that ball rolling, as it stopped ideas being shot down before they had a chance and also translated them into something visual.This led us to some interesting new concepts, two that we quite like though still rough. These were; 1. Card Tunes - a music box style set of cards with notes being on cards themselves. Possibly with changeable notes? 2. Slide like cards that can function as a picture when held to a light source. This could be used in many ways, however our best idea (credit to Kaelin Behrens) has been one using these slides as blueprints, for a card based building activity. However, after a talk with Krishna in the mechatronics lab, we have decided that these concepts may not very realistic with our current expertise. So it was back to the drawing board. To help us keep concept ideas flowing, we established a solid statement of intent; the sensation of achievement that comes from overcoming a challenge through fellowship. More specifically, we want to create something to help teach people how to work as a team via working towards a goal that isnt achievable as an individual.

Who could use these skills most though? Adults? Teens?

Our answer came to kids, between 7-11. Why? We believe that this is an age where social qualities and practices start to gain some real complexity. Things like ego, self identity, and social circles start to manifest themselves, and so we believe this is a crucial time for kids to learn to value both their own input as well as others to come to an effective means to achieving their goals.

We have been given plenty to work with and the ideas are starting to flow! Some involving potentially using cards as slides to be used with LED lights, and even a music box style contraption with musical cards. More progress to come this week, and hopefully not long until we know exactly what we are going to be making.

#cardsforplay #ctec501