#maybe it's dumb of me to say but i think i have more optimism in humanity than that

[goldensunset]

k tbh i get the sentiment of 'why should people donate to tumblr to keep it alive when they won't donate to the millions of mutual aid posts floating around' i really do but sometimes i wonder if people making these kinds of posts are making up a guy to get mad at. yes there are a lot of people around you excitedly showing off their badges and checkmarks and yes there are a lot of followers of yours who aren't donating to your post for any given reason but are you absolutely sure those people are the same. because i suspect they aren't tbh. and if you have proof that they are and it's that deep of a cut then just like block them so they aren't allowed to enjoy your page anymore or something tbh. unless you really think vagueblogging angrily about them is going to work. but again these sorts of people probably are not that common most of your followers would probably love to help you if they could

#to be clear i'm neither advocating for or against donating to websites like that #bc we all do love using these sites #but i do question if tumblr is even financially smart enough to use money for anything good tbh #i personally would never donate to a site bc i think there are much better uses of money #ethically speaking #but it doesn't have to be treated as a great evil #but that isn't the point #i guess what i'm saying is. your followers are probably all either also poor #or would never dream of giving a website cash themselves #maybe it's dumb of me to say but i think i have more optimism in humanity than that #at least among the tumblr demographic

[rainsofcamelot]

i need to talk about this beacuse i've been a poto fan since 2021 and i just have to say... i truly don't think raoul was trying to gaslight christine AT ALL in the rooftop.

the goal of his character is to protect everyone and make sure everything is ok at the opera. including christine.

one of his lines in "why have you brought me here/raoul i've seen him" is: "my god who is this man?"

of course he knows there's someone who's killing people. he just wants to make sure christine knows that it's not a supernatural being, because she is having a mental breakdown and because, at this point of the story, raoul thinks that if the murderer is only a man then he can be defeated and is not as dangerous as a literal monster (that's a reason why he tells christine "you said yourself he was nothing but a man... YET while he lives, he will haunt us till we're dead".)

he even checks to see what is happening when she asks "what was that?". he does care. that's why he's telling her all this. he wants to make her feel safe and calm.

while erik is blinded by the dark he has lived in his entire life, raoul is, at the same time, blinded by the light and his position. he is naïve (and maybe a bit dumb) but he has a heart of gold. he only wishes good for everyone (even for erik in some way. i mean, notice how he gives him advice. and, also, him and christine met because he went to fetch her scarf!! this dude wants to help others!!). and it seems to be hard for him to accept that not the entire world will be good and that not everything will always go the way he wants it to go.

he has blind optimism.

and his journey is to see life and the world as it is. it's personal growth. it's letting go of the chains that held you down. and that is also christine's journey.

they both leave their caves and learn about life together.

he wants to do everything for everyone and he may be stubborn as hell, but he would DIE for others (especially for christine). he needs to be the hero, it's not until the end when he becomes the victim that he realizes that the world is more than what he'd always known. and now he has seen the good and the bad. and the middle of both. and he can carry on.

#raoul de chagny #raoulstine #r/c #i'm insane about him #alsoo this is specifically about the musical!! #i guess it also depends on who portrays him #but this is what i got when reading the script (+ steve barton was my first raoul)

[the-leafiest-leafwing]

I've seen a lot of people say that Kinkajou and Sunny are basically the same character, and I strongly disagree with that. What do you think?

HOOOOOOOOLY MACKEREL THIS ASK HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRAFTS FOR LIKE TWO YEARS MAYBE. SORRY ABOUT THAT

this is gonna be kinda long, disorganized, and probably poorly written but it was fun to think about so 🤷‍♂️ i hope i am coherent

first of all, i feel like people who have no media literacy or character analysis skills are ALWAYS the quickest to make baseless generalizations like this. yes, kinkajou and sunny have very similar personalities (both bubbly and optimistic) but their character archetypes to me are actually completely different.

i see kinkajou as a character who is more focused on novelty and adventure, always seeking new experiences, new knowledge, new people, etc. she’s far less seasoned, mature, and responsible than most of the characters around her - not to say that she’s weak or dumb, as characters like them who are portrayed as happy and excitable are often equated to being dumb, by both the other characters and the readers/fans.

both of these characters are often underestimated, but sunny’s character revolves much more heavily around her proving herself to her peers and dealing with feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, and not being listened to or being unimportant. we never really see examples of these types of struggles from kinkajou.

i think kinkajou is also especially underestimated in her resiliency; she was kidnapped, imprisoned, and essentially tortured by the nightwings, she was hit by that venom during the competition for the throne, and she was put into a literal coma for i forget how long, plus all the other various harrowing adventures, fights, and experiences she’s been through. she always bounces back very easily and never seems to be deeply/personally affected by any insults to her intellect or general character. she gives the impression that she embraces and even flaunts her odd characteristics, physical and personality-wise, but sunny seems to have more trouble with accepting herself. it’s all like water off a duck’s back to kinkajou, whereas i think sunny is much more easily hurt by other people’s opinions.

sunny spent her entire childhood being put down and shamed for her appearance, demeanor, abilities, “weakness,” basically just everything about her. so it makes sense why, even after founding jade mountain academy, she’s so worried about being taken seriously and also making sure she doesn’t make any of her students feel the way the guardians always made her feel. she’s also (in my opinion) a much more dynamic character than kinkajou, meaning over the course of the books we see her change a lot more. she becomes less of a happy-go-lucky character and more of a sweet, caring, good-natured adult figure (regardless of her actual age). she kinda reminds me of an aunt with no kids of her own who loves looking after her sibling’s children.

kinkajou, on the other hand, would be more of the aforementioned child that is being looked after. she’s still a very independent character, don’t get me wrong, but she’s also very young and often needs to recieve guidance and protection from others. at the same time, though, kinkajou seems a bit more sure of herself and confident in her optimism, while sunny probably used her optimism as an escape/defense mechanism of sorts.

of course, being happy and excitable is an important part of both these character’s personalities, but it comes from different places and experiences and is conveyed in different ways. they do fill similar roles in their friend groups, but feel like sunny acted that way because she had to, while kinkajou acts that way because she wants to. she’s more inclined toward spontaneity, exuberance, and drama, and sunny is more inclined toward peace, love, and unity - to simplify it, sunny is a “happy” character in a calmer way than kinkajou.

​i also think there’s something to be said about the fact that sunny and kinkajou are both women and that’s part of why wof fans lump them together as “basically the same character” and don’t take them seriously as individuals or pay much attention to them and their importance to the overall story, and to both of their respective story arcs.

i might come back to edit this later if i have any more ideas, but please let me know your thoughts on this! whether you agree or disagree with my assessment of these characters, you think there’s something i left out, or there’s something youre confused about!!

#this was so fun i should do character analysis more #i really really hope this all made sense #AHHH THERE ARE SO MANY WORDS IN MY BRAIN #wings of fire #wof #kinkajou #kinkajou wof #sunny wof #character analysis #media analysis

[xoxobuckybarnes]

March 2023 Stucky Fics

Completed

Till It Bleeds Daylight (Rated: E, Words: 44K) by cable-knit-sweater / @cable-knit-sweater 

Summary: Steve has been undercover with Hydra for a couple of months, slowly getting deeper into the organization . As he tries to figure out what they’re plotting and tries to take them down, he struggles with his past, loneliness, and keeping his cover. When he finds out about a mysterious contractor, the Winter Soldier, Steve figures he or she is the key to Hydra’s plans, but getting more information is not without risk. But well, Steve is anything but risk averse - just ask his secretive one-night-stand turned regular hookup turned …something, James “Bucky” Barnes. Or, going undercover with the criminal organization that haunted your neighborhood growing up, a Steve Rogers guide: Step 1 - Don’t make it personal; Step 2 - Don’t take unnecessary risks; Step 3 - Don’t lose your cool; Step 4 - Don’t fall in love with a hitman; Step 5 - Ignore rules 1 to 4, especially 4. Title from the song "Lovers In A Dangerous Time"

From Ice and Ashes (Rated: M, Words: 64K) by phansomedevil / @phansomedevil 

Summary: Steve asks: “How do you move on?” Sam’s eyebrows shoot skyward. He whistles air out from pursed lips. “Do you want the therapist answer or the real one?” “Surprise me.” “The truth is – you don’t get over it,” Sam says, his voice low. “Not when it’s that close to your soul. Not when he’s someone you built yourself up around. Maybe you fall in love again, maybe you don’t. It won’t feel the same. He’ll always be coming up in your peripheral.” As the bus pulls to a stop in front of them, Sam grips his shoulder. “But you still gotta keep living your life. For his memory, yeah. But mostly for yourself.” *** Steve Rogers learns what it means to be a queer hero in a complicated modern age. He tries to move on from the pull of the past, and his lost loves, but fate rarely lets him catch a break.

The Size of Perfection (Rated: E, Words: 31K) by Phoenike 

Summary: The serum enhances Steve’s physical attributes to peak condition. All of them. Unfortunately, ‘enhanced’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘optimal’ or ‘something that a fella wishes to show the girl of his dreams on their wedding night.’

Introduction to Fake Dating Your Best Friend 101 (Rated: T, Words: 24K) by crinklefries / @spacerenegades  

Summary: Bucky stares at his best friend as though he’s absolutely lost what’s left of his dumbass mind. “Excuse me?” he asks dumbly. Steve sighs and sags back onto the couch, covering his face dramatically with one large, well-manicured hand. “Dean Coulson thinks we’re dating. And gay. But like, for each other. And now I need you to fake date me so I can convince the Chancellor to fund my research.” or; Steve and Bucky are a pair of professors who have to fake date for academic purposes and are real dumb along the way. It's not so much a forest of pine as a whole landscape of it. It turns out fine, probably.

The Best Way to Wake (Rated: E, Words: 42K) by LeeHan / @leehanji

Summary: James Buchanan Barnes lay in a glass pod in the middle of the table, frozen since he fell. Steve’s hands were on the glass before he realized he’d moved. “Wait, Captain!” “Get him out,” Steve whispered, his hands searching for a clasp, a keypad, something. “Captain, we need to keep him in stasis—“ “I said get him out!”In which Bucky Barnes lay frozen in the Alps for seventy years only to be woken up a year after Steve Rogers was uncovered from the Arctic.

Casual Encounters (Rated: E, Words: 66K) by MoreThanSlightly / @morethanslightly 

Summary: “You have never once been careful in your entire life.” Bucky huffs out a laugh. He looks away. “Maybe I’m offended you didn’t think to ask me.” He says it like a joke, but he can’t bring himself to laugh again. “Bucky,” Steve says, scandalized. “You’re my friend. I’m not gonna use you to experiment sexually.”

Pisces Season (Rated: T, Words: 6K) by dreamsinthewitchouse / @dreamsinthewitchouse

Summary: Steve can’t get drunk because of what the serum did to his metabolism, but he still likes beer, and Bucky knows it’s because he likes the simplicity of it; likes remembering how drinking it used to feel, before the war. He watches Steve lift a bottle to his mouth and take a swig, teeth flashing. Steve has let his hair grow out a bit, which is a pretty great look on him, but the truth is that every single version of him, ever, has made something at the bottom of Bucky’s stomach twist into an unsolvable knot. Bucky knows he’s probably got what Natasha calls his smitten kitten look plastered all over his face, but just then he’s way past caring because it's Steve, now looking back at Bucky across the room, his mouth curled in a smile. Or: the one in which Bucky and Steve live happily with their Avengers family and nothing hurts (and Bucky snacks and naps a lot). Also, it’s Bucky’s 101st birthday.

A Certain Slant of Light (Rated: E, Words, 32K) by agetwellcard

Summary: Steve first meets Bucky on a Sunday morning. He's instantly intrigued by the new pastor's son with pale blue eyes and a nervous smile.

a song on a policeman’s radio (series) by rohkeutta / @rohkeutta 

How we rolled up the carpet so we could dance (Rated: E, Words: 7K) art by SulaSafeRoom / @sulasaferoom

Summary: Steve’s already showered and changed into sweats and a tank top, his hair still sticking up in cowlicks. When Bucky drags himself to the couch, still in his uniform with soot on his face, Steve takes one look at him in the soft glow of the living room lamp and opens his arms. Bucky drops the shield on the floor and crawls over Steve’s legs to collapse on top of him, tucks his face under Steve’s chin and exhales. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

our chosen homes (Rated: G, Words: 756)

Summary: “It’s been freezing,” Steve repeats as he drops the wood in front of the fireplace, throws two logs in to make sure that the fire isn’t going out. “Huh,” Bucky murmurs absently from the folds of his blanket, and Steve has to squeeze him a little as he passes, rub his cold nose against the vulnerable patch of skin behind Bucky’s ear. Bucky yelps, a high-pitched sound muffled by the duvet he’s wrapped in, and Steve laughs, kisses his ear on the way to get more water from the well.

The Same River, Twice (The Man Is Still Left with His Hands) (Rated: G, Words: 4K) by dorian_burberrycanary / @burberrycanary & art by amoneth / @amoneth-art​

Summary: Steve had meant to stay forever and didn’t last a year. He meant to return right back to when he left, but that doesn’t work out the way he planned either. Turns out a lot can happen in nine months.—Steve didn’t need his first month back to make him aware of just how many degrees forgiveness comes in, but some lessons feel new each time. Getting a text from Sam asking him to Delacroix for the weekend feels like one tick closer and Steve’ll take it. He’s texting back when Sam adds, Bucky will be there. And Steve? Steve’ll take that, too. A post-The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Stucky Endgame fix-it where a lot needs fixing.

***This fic is complete, but the series (A Man Takes His Sadness Down to the River (The Consolation of Philosophy)) is not.***

Still Left with the River (The Paradox of Motion) (Rated: M, Words: 14K) by dorian_burberrycanary / @burberrycanary​

Summary: Coming back from as good as dead to a changed world is easier the second time around. But then Steve supposes that, like with most things, you get better with practice. A post-The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Stucky Endgame fix-it where even if you can’t go home again, you’ve got to go somewhere.

***This fic is complete, but the series (A Man Takes His Sadness Down to the River (The Consolation of Philosophy)) is not.***

North Fork (Rated: E, Words: 62K) by BeaArthurPendragon / @beaarthurpendragon & art by Stucky1980 / @lisamott9

Summary: Sworn to silence by the Air Force after a friendly fire accident in Afghanistan, former aid workers James and Sam have come home to take over Sam’s family’s vacation rental business to escape the bad memories. Losing an arm and working maintenance wasn’t how James pictured his life turning out, but his life is good: He likes fixing things, he gets to work for his best friend, and he loves surfing every morning. Fresh out of the ice, all Steve wants is for SHIELD to announce his return and let him get back to work so he won't have time to think about all he's lost. But when his psychiatrist refuses to clear him for duty until he's dealt with his trauma, he reluctantly accepts Tony's offer of a beach house for the summer to settle his mind. Armed with a false identity and a stack of sketchbooks, his only goal is to get back into the field. He's got no intention of letting his heart defrost along with the rest of his body. That is, until a handsome maintenance man with a secret of his own shows up with a gallon of ice cream and a smile that could light up half of New York.(Written for the 2021 Shrunkyclunks Big Bang)

with all my skin and bone (Rated: T, Words: 54K) by unicornpoe

Summary: Agents Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes don't get along. With Steve's reckless attitude and Bucky's cautious, no-nonsense way of doing things, they clash from the beginning, and make enemies of each other before they can even think of being friends. But when both men are assigned to a job that will take them to the suburbs in investigation of CEO Alexander Pierce—where they're supposed to live together, to be married to each other, to be in love with each other—old feelings rise up, and new ones emerge. What happens when the person you hate most in the world has to be the person you love? What happens when the line between lies and truth gets blurred? Pining, that's what. And some kissing, too.***Steve and Bucky fall together, and fall in love.

Push It Real Good (Rated: M, Words: 35K) by spoffyumi / @spoffyumi​

Summary: The way Steve had to steel himself to ask the question made Bucky a little wary. "Will you be my partner for a Lamaze class?" For a few long moments, Bucky just blinked at him, not knowing which question to ask first. Finally he went with the biggest question on his mind. "What?"

WIP

Treading Water (Rated: M, Current Words: 96K) by sparkagrace / @sparkagrace & art by Dyslexic_Fetus / @reagy-jay

Summary: Olympic swimmer Bucky Barnes always believed that when the time came to retire, he would walk away with his medals and world records firmly in the history books and never look back. He never thought the water would leave him first.

***Be sure to check out the rest of this amazing series: Lane Lines: Lane Lines (Rated: M, Words: 132K), Lumière (Rated: M, Words: 5K), & New Traditions (Rated: M, Words: 6K)***

a league of their own (Rated: E, Current Words: 8K) by burning_brighter / @burning-brighter

Summary: Steve's sixteen-year-old son's one and only dream is to play in the Major League. He thinks he has a shot when the team get a new coach, retired MLB legend and Steve's high school crush, Bucky Barnes. Steve hasn't thought of the man in many years, but seeing him brings back many memories that push Steve to reach out to an old friend and maybe make new ones on the way. What happens when Steve gets to know Bucky properly? What happens when they open up about their darkest secrets and deepest fears? There's really only one thing that can happen.

An Appropriate Omega (Rated: M, Current Words: 205K) by BeauRadley

Summary: Steven Rogers, the Duke of Brooklyn, is in a bind. The provisions of his father’s will mean he must marry before his thirty-fifth birthday or lose his mother’s inheritance. The catch? He has to marry a suitable omega. James Barnes is the third child of the impoverished Barnes family. If he or his sister don’t marry before the season is out, their family will fall further into poverty. If he doesn’t find someone else soon, he’ll be forced to marry the sinister Lord Pierce. The two men realize they can solve each other’s problems, but will their marriage of convenience turn into something more?

#Stucky #Steve and Bucky #Steve Rogers #Bucky Barnes #fanfic #XOXOBUCKYBARNES' Stucky Fic Reading List #march reading list #i was very sick at the beginning of the month so i ended up reading a lot

[bitty-bits]

The First and the Last of the Year

And possibly last ever... on Tumblr at least.

Where did I go?

Nowhere in particular... if you've seen my socials all year, that is. This blog/newsletter however, took an extended vacation, not just from a lack of interest (and personal real life stuff getting in the way) but also from a technical standpoint - I really wanted the email newsletter aspect of this to work, but I still couldn't. I was considering using TinyLetter ...until they announced that was shutting down. If I had a nickel for every time a newsletter service shut down out of nowhere I'd have two... you know the rest. And with Tumblr getting worse as the year went by, maintaining this wasn't exactly motivating enough.

That said, it was a less than ideal year for my productivity, inconsistent pace, money issues, the lowest amount of notable dreams to write down on my dream journal to date... you get the idea.

So I can only hope for things to be better. For me to be less lazy... and work not only on stuff I make, but on myself. And I do have a bit of optimism, since a lot has, so let's see a couple of stuff, although everything else you should expect to see in a "rebooted" version of this blog...

Also, Free Palestine!

What I've Been Playing / Watching

So while I haven't fully completed a LOT of things this year, this will be going back to the beginning of the year, essentially, so strap yourselves. (Some of it I'll be grabbing from my media thread that I've made on Twitter as well)

Lucky Star (Finished)

I have posted about Lucky Star in another issue, but I was still in the middle of watching it. Now that I've actually finished watching it (in February) I can say more about it: When it comes to this anime, it was either pretty ahead of its time, or we just have Regressed as a species since then. Maybe the latter.

And sorry folkz, Lucky Star is pro-ship/pro-fic culture and there’s nothing you can do about it. I watched the entire series including the OVA, and while I’m definitely still not sure I’m exactly the "target demographic" what I saw was still very enjoyable. it really just is whatever the fuck and I'm all for it.

At first my kin™ was Konata pretty quickly because of course. That was until Minami showed up and like, she’s basically the weeb version of Ongo Jelly Jamm™!!! I actually can say I got attached to and care about most of the characters, even if just a little.

Like I said in a previous issue, in 2015 I had watched part of an episode of it english dubbed and it didn’t click with me at all. Turns out the dub just sucks as I should’ve expected lol (And I really wasn’t used to segmented "several short stories in one" type anime and stuff to be fair - that and I was dumber too of course so I couldnt properly appreciate the ART........)

My rating is Timotei/10 - and Nichijou is next!

Pizza Tower

Easily the biggest loss for gaming this year was this game not winning "Best Debut Indie" at the Game Awards. Oh well.

I was already highly anticipating this game - having first heard of it when it had a demo at SAGE 2019 I’m glad the game turned out great and is getting the recognition it deserves. I pretty much finished the game in early March. P/10

The Owl House (Finished)

Well... it’s over... for better or worse. I do think they managed to deliver a satisfactory ending all things considered. This was definitely a great cartoon to kick off the new decade.

And of course, fuck Disney as always.

This show got me to break out of, I guess an habit, you could say, or a superstition, or whatever the hell it is, when it came to media with too much ""occultism"" in them. You know the drill. I guess it opened up the little my mind had left that was still a bit closed. Even if it’s mostly involuntary.

But this isn’t even new. As a child I’d actually have an "imaginary friend" that i made (that kinda just Existed, didn’t really "interact" much with them whatsoever cuz i was Dumb™) that their backstory was literally that they were a demon in hell "gone rogue" so they were "not an evil one". Again, I was a kid. I never thought too much about the implications of me thinking about stuff like that already at that age. But it is interesting to think about now.

Anyways, been gay, did witchcraft. ⛥/5

Invader ZIM (Series + Enter The Florpus)

Well I did it. I finally watched the funny hot topic show™ (Finished in late May)

What can I even say about it that hasn’t been already said by everyone else? ...well maybe I have one thing: for some reason I didn’t find That One Episode that people always bring up the MOST disturbing one. I thought the one with a literal character flatlining and Zim being ":)" about it got to me a bit more.

Anyways yeah it’s Cool I liked the characters especially Gaz, and GIR obviously Why Wouldn’t He Be Here. The show can be stupid and end episodes in Whatever The Fuck ways that leave you like "That's it? That's the episode???" but I think that’s one of the unique aspects of it that I Enjoy - also the movie is cool. ☮️>🐔+🍚/10

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

So I watched it first when we only had shitty cinema bootleg recordings (that aren’t even that shitty anymore at this point in terms of quality, the Shit comes in the form of godawful intrusive illegal casino ads™ placed.) even though a bit later the raw movie would sometimes be uploaded in full to YouTube with no consequence for days. And at this point I’ve rewatched it plenty of times in proper HD (though only once in English cuz I’ll be honest, the Brazilian dub really is phenomenal really and blows the original "star talent cast" out of the water in my opinion, where it falls short is the voice for Luigi, as I know the dude’s voice too well and he’s just doing his normal voice with an accent, not to mention he’s the brazilian Sonic voice already!!!)

I think Charlie Day is the superior Loogy here but I’d still say the dub is better, not only for the fact there are "real voice actors" cuz you know, that’s Their Job, but also like, Charles Martinet is still in there cuz in case you didn't know, he voiced that jumpman dude’s only line in pretty much every language possible which is absurd/admirable.

It’s a fun movie if not mostly for looking at Mario Things happening that you know and recognize, because otherwise the story is pretty ridiculously basic, though even for "Mario game story" standards it’s definitely refreshing to see Luigi as the one to be rescued... though that Also sucks because Luigi deserved more screentime. The main Toad too. Oh well. Also disappointed that the "wise Toad" in the movie isn’t Toadsworth… or maybe he is but hasn’t aged yet and maybe in a sequel we’ll see him get older and then main Toad becomes Captain Toad. Who knows 🍄/10

Honorable Mentions - Stuff I've Watched That I've Yet To Write My Thoughts About, I Don't Have The Time Now

Spy × Family (Season 1) - Not the type of anime I'd see myself watching, but I was forced roped into it by one of my partners and found it to be VERY enjoyable.

Sparkle On, Raven: The Life of Drillgirl - Charming, shitpost-y, but genuine and fun

The Amazing Digital Circus - A very promising series with unexpected popularity, and equally unexpected high quality Brazilian dub with recognizable talent.

Murder Drones (Season 1 - 6/8) - A series I've been cautiously optimistic about since its pilot - it has endearing, enjoyable characters and settings, but flawed writing and pacing - more on that at a future date.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off - An amazing take on a series that I'm not so familiar with (haven't seen the movie or read the comics, only really knew that the franchise "exists") and judging from what I've heard from others, it probably is the best take on the main storyline. Especially when it comes to the representation of who turned out to be my fave - Roxie. Watching the live action now is... probably gonna be very weird. Not sure if I want to.

Kunshikter (Күншіктер) - A new, yet very obscure cartoon from Kazakhstan. It's cute. It's for children but at this point I don't think y'all care. It's still ongoing and there are not many episodes so far. I recommend giving it a watch. Now!

Future YouTube Updates

As some of you saw in a xeet tweet from early October I was planning to do something significant on my main YouTube channel which has been stagnant for a while now, only for that to, surprise, not happen. I do have a set goal now: In very early January, a video to explain exactly what happened and what was the video I wanted to make, and... why it's hard for me to get a video like that out in the first place. The short answer (that doesn't actually account for Everything) is autism. The long answer is... stay tuned for it, lol

Song of the Issue

Although this section was supposed to be for sharing music that isn't mine, I thought I'd share snippets of music stuff I've been making since the beginning of 2023 until now, that you can look forward to!

Conclusion

I dunno. All I can say is... happy new year! It's been a tradition to make a stupid amateurish collage at the end of the year with the highlights, but this year there's been... less of them, that I took note of at least. But that won't stop me I think. Once I have that done, I may edit this to include it.

No comment on anything related to Twitter (which I'll never call "X") and the billionaire that happened this year as you all probably already know by now, and by the way you can now follow me on the social butterfly of bluesky. See you next year!

#newsletter #personal #Youtube

[kzele]

The Man Behind The Spider 5(?)

@hermesserpent-stuff and I did a back and forth convo. I was Peter and they were Tombstone. This is legit copy-pasted from our chat with their permission.

Tombstone: how much does the spider pay u?

Peter: What? That's. . .Look, it's really not about the money, alright?The Bugle pays me for Spider-man photos. That's it.

tombstone:hmmm

Peter: *not liking the sound of that* You have something to say? Not everyone is in it for the money, you know.

Tombstone: then why cover for him? Why do you make his gear, take his photos, and presumably do other things for a person who seems more of an endangerment to you and yours than any sort of benefit?

Peter: Because he's also saved me and mine a lot. Before either of us had anything to do with the Bugle, he saved Mr. Osborn from dying and Harry got to still have two parents. If I can help make sure that no one else has to get hurt, I will. Money or no money.

Tombstone: ah I see.

Peter: *raises a disbelieving eyebrow* You do?

Tombstone: somewhat. Blood loyalties are the hardest to break. Especially among good men. And I think you are a good man at heart Peter.

Peter: *flushes* I, uh, thank you? But I think just about anyone could do the same.

Tombstone: *shaking his head slowly* I can count on my hand the men who would rather fight and die for loyalty. The number that would turn against their own brother or anyone who's saved their sorry skin is akin to the number of stars in the sky.

Peter: You're getting pretty philosophical. Maybe you don't see many of them with your lifestyle, but they are there. It sucks you haven't been able find them around you, though.

Tombstone: Im not sure if your optimism is born of youth, foolishness, or is some inherit personal trait. And perhaps your right. But I've lived many lives with many faces. Trust that I might have picked up some wisdom along the way.

Peter: Don't see what's foolish about finding a reason to get out of bed in the morning. My aunt and uncle are *pause* and were good at finding a way of looking up, so it's definitely not an age thing. And besides, isn't the whole point of wisdom knowing you haven't experienced everything yet?

tombstone: *there is a note of delight in his smile* it seems you have had some very valuable teachers. And youre not incorrect. Wisdom relies on learned experience and seeing that you have not experienced all there is to learn. Though patterns tend to speak for themselves. as they say: history does not repeat itself. but it often rhymes.

Peter: *relaxes and smiles back a little* The best teachers. Makes learning from experience much more fun. Glad we're on the same page with something, then.

Tombstone: *immensely pleased* Indeed.

Peter: Sooo, where do we go from here? How are you going plan around me now? Since you decided not to threaten me and stuff.

Tombstone: *he lets out a hum of consideration* I think it would be unwise to tell you. You have the ear of my enemy after all. But rest assured, my network wont bother you. Unless strictly necessary.

Peter: *rolls eyes* That's all I wanted to know. I'm not dumb enough to think you'll just let me in on your detailed plans. But what exactly do you mean by *air quotes* strictly necessary?

Tombstone: I dont think Ill elaborate. I do believe you would find reason to be irritated with the guidelines I have in mind

Peter:. . .How do I know if I crossed a line then? *frowns* Also, how did you come across me at all today? I would have thought I was too far beneath you for you to notice me.

Tombstone: *sidestepping the first question* I make it a goal of mine to keep a thumb on the pulse of the underground. and you have entered one of her main arteries. Working for spiderman will gain you many eyes. Including mine

Peter: *narrow eyes* That's not an exact answer for my second question and you didn't even answer my first. Did you talk to someone I know about me and they told you where to find me?

Tombstone: So you wont turn on spider-man but you expect me to turn on my source of information? *teasing* For shame.

Peter: *crosses arms* When it concerns people I know, yes. It's not like I'm asking you for a list of underworld informants. Was it Jonah? I know he donates to your charities. Or what about Mr. Osborn? You two run into each other from time to time and catch up on rich people things?

Tombstone: What benefit does it give me to tell you who my informant is?

Peter: . . .Are you actually saying you want something in return for that info? You're the one who cornered me using someone I know as an informant.

Tombstone: *shaking hsi head slightly* no. I did not mean to imply that. Rather, that would end in a burnt bridge where i get no more information from that source for other things. Though the bridge may be burned anyways, given that we have spoken, despite their... reservations

Peter: *thinking it over* Not Jonah, then. He's totally bought into your public persona. Same with May. I can't see Captain Stacy being happy about giving you info but I can't see that being called a burnt bridge either, since you two don't hang. I'm not in contact with the Connors now since I was let go. Burnt bridge crosses out anyone my age, which leaves Mr. O?

Tombstone: *smiles with a little more teeth, definitely pleased* Oh, you are quite quick on your feet. Im not going to confirm or deny. But your logic is sound.

Peter: *sighs* I'm quick enough to know that's as close as I'm going to get to a yes.

#man behind the spider #tssm peter parker #tssm #tssm tombstone #the spectacular spider man

[invisiblegarters]

23.5 Episode 6

Halfway mark, here we come!

Last ep, Ongsa almost told Sun the truth about Earth but then bottled it like we all knew she would, and Sun was kinda dumb. Sorry not sorry but if someone just sent me a package to a random park I would have some questions.

Meanwhile Aylin was getting picked on for the crime of being herself and that did not sit well with Luna, who offered to be a safe space for her and then got very very bashful about it and it was the cutest. Aylin then wondered if she could feel human emotions and it was also the cutest.

Alpha is still a great big sis and cousin. Only "normal" one or not, that girl cares a lot about her family. If she also hooks up with a girl in this I might cry tears of joy.

Lol poor Aylin being pushed into interaction again. Or bribed. But Aylin veggies are delicious I don't know if I can get behind this part of you, lol.

Okay I think I might officially be over the Earth thing. I think it's because there's not enough conflict for Sun between her feelings for Earth and her feelings for Ongsa. I'm not getting enough of a Bruce Wayne v. Batman vibe and that was what I was most looking forward to.

Oh Ton. You were doing so well.

Lol my god did Ton just discover gay people exist? If he were less of a himbo I'd be madder about it. But as it is, he's just too dumb to be really mad at. Like a giant pretty puppy.

Oh Aylin no. But also it's sweet she trusts Luna that much. And she's lucky in that I don't think Luna has a mean bone in her entire body. Still. Not your secret, babe. That said, have more cute moments with Luna. Please.

Mawin's crush is adorable.

Open your mouth and use your words, Ongsa, that's how you tell her. Because when she finds out on her own it'll be worse.

Hahahaha oh man I don't mean to laugh but Sun, babe. They don't mean that he's not as attractive as you imagine. They mean that he's not even a he to begin with. Although in this case that's probably going to be a plus, lbr.

She's not gonna confess in front of people, Dear lord girls get it together.

Hahaha Aylin. Sun really is the most oblivious thing ever though, can she not see how strangely everyone else is acting?

Aw I knew Luna would find her way to sleeping in Aylin's room. Just accept she likes you, Aylin.

AAAAH THEY ARE SO CUTE.

Aw I think Luna finally won her over completely. I swear I want to have things to say besides aaaaaaaw but well. They're too cute, the cuteness kills me. I am only human here.

It is probably that I am watching The Eclipse with a friend but I swear, sometimes this show reminds me of that one. Like Ongsa very clearly thinking the idea of angry Sun is hot. If you know, you know.

Spit. It. Out. Ongsa.

Ugh it is so frustrating watching her bottle it and bottle it and bottle it. I am not like that as a person so I just want to grab her shoulders and give them a good shake.

Oh thank god. Not sorry, I'm ready for some fallout already.

I am not mad at Ongsa. I want to say that right up front. But also, girl. All Sun was asking for was an explanation. At least give her that before running off.

Well that was quick. But well. I think we all knew Sun would be like that. Genuinely I wish I could be more like her. Maybe not the total obliviousness to things around me, but she's so positive and lovely and I...am not. I felt the same way about Sand's ridiculous patience and gentleness in OF. I have no clue what it must be like to be able to do that.

You know I'm more like Ongsa lol. Except for the not facing things head on thing. Optimism is not my default state lol.

Sun girl. You might have not registered your friends' shock that you were into a guy, but I haven't. You and Ongsa will do just fine.

#23.5 #23.5 the series

[realreulbbrband]

jemima

🌷Character Ask Game 🌷

Give me a character and I will give you my thoughts on

one aspect of them i love

I love how optimistic she is, I love whenever she has a more red-ish / maroon design. Literally all her facial expressions during rtt. How adorable she is just <3333 I just remembered the question said one I mentioned three but like there’s never too much to love.

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

Uhm this is probably from my personal interpretations and not trying to force anyone to think like me or see my words as the holy truth or anything.

I wish we could get some more discussions of just like the conflicting thoughts in Jemima’s mind when Grizabella arrives you know? She sees this poor old cat she doesn’t know suffering and her family and friends rejecting her in unison like she’s some pariah (minus Victoria / Demeter). The jellicle’s have always been a kind, welcoming tight-nit community but to reject another wandering street cat so harshly? And it’s like she knows she can’t do anything about it, at least not now at the ball, but she wants to. She feels like she needs to even if Munkustrap or any other cat wouldn’t approve. 

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

I’ll just go over what I think Jemima’s powers are since she defo has some. 

Sensing other’s emotions fairly easily 

Being able to see other’s memories but that’s mainly because of old Deuteronomy though I do believe she’ll unlock that on her own eventually.

And mind reading or thought reading.

as well as

one character i love seeing them interact with

I literally squeal when she and Victoria brush hands next to each other so, gotta go with her. Especially since Victoria is the cat she turns to when she wants to approach Grizabella when she shows up again. While Victoria is hesitant about approaching her that look Jemima gives her, that reassurance in that nod is all she needs in order to approach Grizabella even though the older cats turn them both away. I have a personal hc that Victoria knew the other cats would turn her and Jemima away from Grizabella but still, she wants to have that hope, that belief Jemima has that maybe they could help her. Touch her?

What I’m saying is Jemima has infectious optimism and Victoria is completely susceptible to it.

one character I wish they would interact with/interact with more

Hmm realistically speaking since I know she can’t interact with Grizabella too much without the story feeling a little wonky, but yknow a passing glance or nod is enough for me. I wish we could see more of Jemima interacting with Demeter, I don’t know why but until I started interacting in the fandom space and with fics I never got mother/daughter vibes from them. I’m just saying some more moments between them would be nice or maybe I’m just dumb and not looking into the background of every scene enough.

one (or more) headcanon(s) I have that involves them and one other character

She really wanted to hug Grizabella before she descended to the Heaviside layer. Just as a way to congratulate her, it was weird but Jemima felt proud in that moment when Grizabella was selected even though she didn’t know Grizabella all that well it felt like she did and that hug would’ve been like “I knew you could do it” moment. 

But she thought she couldn’t due to everyone wanting to hold Grizabella’s hand to welcome her back/say goodbye and by the time that was done old Deuteronomy had already begun guiding Grizabella to her ascension. Still, Jemima always thinks back to that moment and wishes she did, wishing she could give Grizabella that last hold farewell from her a sign of hope for her in her next Jellicle life. She still regrets not doing it every now and again.

As for a personal one, Jemima is a lesbian and has a crush on Victoria <3 she told me herself, you guys!!!!! 

#Jemima cats #Character ask game #grizabella #cats musical #victoria the white cat #jemtoria #Tyyyy

[bsaka7]

30 for the book asks!

30. give any 3 book recs to ur followers!

i always feel so awkward giving book recommendations because i never really know what kind of books people like or have read and i don't feel like im a particularly insightful reader although i do think i have at least an interest in books which give me something to think about. Anyway. I will try to choose a few different types. Under the cut because nothing I say will be short. And also thank you!!!!!

1. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

I always feel a bit dumb recommending a book that has won a Pulitzer, because well, you'd assume it won a Pulitzer for a reason. This is Whitehead's second novel to win a Pulitzer. However, I found it to be really, really, really worth it. The Nickel Boys is based off a historic reform school in Florida where a number of unmarked graves have been found, and where Black boys were systemically tortured. It's a dual-narrative book, Elwood Curtis, a business owner in NYC, and Elwood Curtis, a high schooler in the 1960s who gets sent to the reform school. In some ways, it's a dialogue between optimism and cynicism. The world can get better with work. The country is founded on genocide; there is no change. It's a short book -- maybe a little over 200 pages -- and it is really, really worth a read. It's quite different than the other novel of his I've read (The Underground Railroad), and I think I slightly prefer it, but they are both really very good.

2. Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe.

This is a book I had to read for one of my senior seminar classes for history in college a few years ago. For some reason, I've been thinking about it on-and-off lately, which is a bit ironic, because although it's an excellent read, I had some qualms about some bits of rhetoric and also the conclusion when I read it for class. The other book in the same vein, that I also think about occasionally is Imperial Reckoning by Caroline Elkins which is about the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya and the British colonial response. Say Nothing is about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, investigating the murder of Jean McConville. I think, having also read a sort of worse book in the same investigative vein (see the other book ask I got LOL), that the sort of issues of sources and interviews and the limits and openings of oral histories is one of the most interesting aspects of the text (at least in a how-history-is-done sense). I can't say how the book reads if you have extremely in-depth knowledge on the subject, which I certainly don't, but I think the complexities it presents (on an individual level and beyond), the impressive research (and complications in that process), and the extreme readability (especially for such a heavy subject) make it an interesting and perhaps even useful popular history. I complain about popular history books a lot (it is what it is), but perhaps this one is worth a read.

3. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #1)

One thing about me, which I occasionally try to deny, is that I quite enjoy both fantasy and sci fi (the former a bit more than the latter, though this series is doing something to convince me). I read this for the little bookclub, although it's been a while since we've met, and I think I've read the first four? novellas in the series now. The main character, Murderbot, is a part robot, part human construction serving as a Security Unit. After hacking it's own control unit (governor module), Murderbot wants to watch TV and be left alone. It tries to evade detection...and yet also wants to protect its humans. It's so delightful to sort of experience this awkward prickly robot be forced into realizing that it has connections, that it has things it cares about. I believe Rhu (@traincoded) was the one that said it was tightly plotted, fun scifi and honestly I couldn't agree more. It's fun and yet very engaging and gives you a few things to think about with regards to "humanity" and whatever else you're in the mood for.

#ask game #ask #idk i am not a very good reviewer maybe this will be a little interesting to u at the very least #and thank u for the ask! #see i love books but i am soooo wordy

[archer3-13]

Someone was dumb enough kind enough to get me pokemon violet this christmas so i guess i am gonna be playin it and gettin the 'inside scoop' on the pokemon companys latest game. For clarifications sake the last pokemon game i really bothered to sit down and complete was oras and thats only because oras was a remake of gen3. otherwise the last mainline one ive gone out of the way for is xy.

thoughts!

i appreciate the effort to cinematography, it helps breath a bit more life into the affair then there might otherwise have been

on the other hand the game runs like ass, which you could arguably say is a good indication of the ambition the pokemon companys going for this time... but i would argue back that its just the game being poorly optimized cause overall well its all rather ambitious i havent seen anything that feels too far outside the switches capabilities so far.

nemonas a treat, shes got that slight edge of barrys insanity but its a bit more balanced with calmer moments so that she doesnt feel quite as overwhelming as barry could

is catching easier in this game? cause it feels real easy so far to catch in this game, practically nabbed the whole lot of pokemon in the 'tutorial area' before hitting the school

i appreciate the game introducing terrestalizing the way it does, having nemona use it against you before letting you enjoy it. it helps demonstrate how well its quite the powerful new gimmick to use, its not invincible and can be beaten if ya play it smart

that said the ai for battles is feeling particularly rock stupid this time around. hopefully that'll change when things go on, but if nemonas response to having her pokemon wake up on red health with already 3 workups behind it, is to go for another workup as ralts erases it from existence immediately afterwards... im not confident itll get much better from there.

neither penny or backpack boy leave much of an impression so far. cant even remember backpack boys name.

it definitely feels like theres some form of response to criticisms of pokemons previous outings going on here, how a lot of the gens after xy were seeming to get increasingly hand holdy to the point of gen8 having the player around as a side piece to its actual plot. here the reins are taken off pretty heavily even just in the tutorial section and they really wanna emphasize how its 'your choice' on what ya do.

that said, the fact that theres 8 gym challenges but only 5 star bases and 5 titan pokemon makes me irrationally angry cause they arent all 8 apiece. hopefully they still all feel substantial enough that it doesnt become an actual problem...

the tutorial section as it were both lasts too long, yet feel too short in my opinion. cause mechanically you can get all the stuff the game teaches ya here out in a much shorter timeframe/area. but on the other it doesnt feel quite as immersive as i think they were going for to draw me in?

i like that even in the school setting child endangerment is just the accepted status quo of things. turns out even if red and blue were in school they'd still have a better then 0 chance of being killed by super powered monsters.

idk, maybe its the abysmal expectations i had going in but im digging this more then i thought i would. if the game ran more consistently and didn't... glitch out in a lot of places i'd probably be even more hooked into the experience.

they shoulda given you a cylcazar as a 'ride slave' instead of the box legendary to start with, especially if were just gonna keep the legendary out of battle 'till yer tough enough' regardless. that way you could have the legendary as a reward for say, completing the titans quest.

#pokemon #pokemon scarlet violet

[good-witch-luz]

i hope there isn’t a character limit on tumblr…

The Owl House, Season 1 Episode 17: Wing It Like Witches

This episode opens with a very iconic Boscha quote, “Hello Hexside, your Star has arrived!” Then this episode immediately shows us willow and her newfound confidence and popularity. Willow’s flower barrette is repeatedly used to symbolize this confidence, but that doesn’t become relevant until later. When Luz gets dropped off at Hexside, we get some brand new Eda lore, she was the star player of her grudgby team! This is later elaborated on, and we get a new young eda picture, and in my personal opinion, those are the highlights of the show. Another important thing in this particular scene is Luz saying quote, “can’t reason with crazy.” This is paralleled in Hollow Mind by EMPEROR BELOS. This episode also clearly sets up something that I personally never got, and that is everyone’s admiration for Boscha. I suppose it’s because she’s the captain of the grudgby team but she’s such a bitch. This episode also sets up a lot of early lumity moments and it’s so adorable. There are several lumity quotes in here that I will now be dedicating a segment for. “Oh, Luz, you’re here. I mean, obviously you’re here, this is school, and you go here now, with me. I’ve been talking for too long.” “-Amity we need your help.” “-Yes. I can help! With.. what exactly?” “Oh wow.. Sports” “Me? On a team with you? Running around in cute uniforms? Sweating?? I gotta go.” “She can be so stupid, which I love. I mean hate! In any case, she needs you right now, which is sweet. I mean, I hate it, and it’s dumb.”

This chapter also brilliantly displays Luz’s naivety and childlike optimism and how they can ultimately hurt people even when she’s trying to help people. For example, when Luz challenges Boscha to a grudgby match on behalf of Willow, without consulting her first. Immediately following this scene, we come back to the owl house, and here some new Lillith lore is dropped! How exciting! Lilith was a grudgby CHAMPION. Back to hexside, this scene features an absolute banger of a joke from Boscha “Maybe It’s the altitude of the second floor, but I thought I heard Willow challenge me to a grudgby match.” Underrated as all get out. Later in this scene, another Good Witch Azura parallel is made between Luz + Friends and “Good Witch Azura 2: The Field of Deadly Fates” Immediately following the best montage ever, Luz attempts the thorn vault, and horribly hurts all of her friends. Not physically, but emotionally, and she damages their things. When Willow's barrette breaks, it’s symbolism for her confidence breaking down. It’s so so sad. Hard on the heels of this event, Luz gets hit with a difficult pill to swallow “Not everything can be solved with a good attitude and a dope music soundtrack.” After this, we come to a very important scene, the beginning of Eda and Lilith’s grudgby match! The B plot of this episode serves as a very important sibling bonding and relationship set-up for Eda and Lilith. Also we learn that Lilith was grudgby team captain?!?! Following this tidbit, we learn that Amity was once grudgby team captain, as a preamble to Boscha, and she stepped down after attempting,,, *GASP* THE THORN VAULT!?!?! After Boscha throws FIREBALLS at Luz, Amity manages to re-recruit Gus and Willow to do the grudgby match again. And then Eda and Lilith have one of the sweetest moments in the show.. “I will be back for you. And next time, i won’t be alone.” “I’ll be waiting..” This episode also includes that like, png basic sprite you see everytime you google Amity and I think that’s hilarious. Another thing that makes this episode so impactful and important, is that Luz learns the fire glyph from Boscha’s grudgby ball! The underdogs win this match (in spirit) via a thorn vault, *GASP* CALL BACK!! Lastly, this episode provides us with cheerleader king! Ugh!! Concluding thoughts: I have never had more fun commentating on something in my entire life. I love this episode with my entire heart + my bile sac.

#the owl house #wing it like witches #oh my god #lilith clawthorne #im in love with lilith clawthorne #young eda #young lilith #btw spoilers for hollow mind #sorry for the two page post

[sneezemonster15]

the other anon was rude asf but I agree that u dont really need to fill yourself with pointless knowledge to understand sns. every other romance media makes it obvious, why would kishi not make it obvious for this and for people to understand u need to be smarter? isn't it just entertainment? and lots of people get surprised if u tell them u ship sns or think they should've ended up together. its unbelievable to them or it never crossed their mind. how do you explain that? heteronormativity or denial? not trying to be rude like the other person lol

Are you sure you aren't trying to be rude?

This is the post you are talking about, aren't you?

Tell me this first. Can you read? I mean are you able to read words and understand what they mean and then put those meanings together to make a fully formed understanding of a statement?

Didn't I say in my answer that one does not have to be an expert at media to get SNS?

And what part of shounen and censorship don't you get? I applaud your optimism that you think shounen should be 'obvious' about showing gay relationships and major gay characters but sadly, that's not how it is in the real world. Are you new here or just not very smart?

Pointless knowledge? I am sorry what?? What is pointless knowledge exactly? Do tell. Is it pointless to learn about how gay dynamics are portrayed in media? Is it pointless to learn about how closeted homosexuality is portrayed in media or how closeted people really function in society, especially a conservative one? Oh yes of course, why should you learn about something that isn't of your immediate concern? Why should you waste your time like this? Is it pointless to learn visual language and narrative? Is it pointless to learn about Japanese culture and literature given that's where Kishi takes a lot of his inspiration from and I talk about it on this blog because it is an ANALYSIS blog?

Yes, it is entertainment but isn't it a more satisfying experience to glean as much as you can from a piece of media, so as to enjoy it even more and maybe learn something in the process?

So just because it's entertainment means you would switch off your brain like some common chimp, sit on your couch, drool on your hamburger as you change channels with your clicker? So watching some anime or film means you don't need to think? How many times did you watch Inception to get it right? Oh I am sorry, I shouldn't assume you have watched it, it must have been too hard for you given you don't like to use your brain while you read or watch stuff.

If you haven't read my stuff before, I will tell you now. SNS is not like other romance media. It's much much better. Implicit but it's the best.

If those are the kind of people you hang out with, who are just so 'surprised' when you tell them you ship SNS, no wonder you are here asking me dumb shit like this.

Now who said - "Your friends are a reflection of your own personality"?

Lol. Make better friends.

#this is a good example to show how i will deal with stupid anons #naruto #anon #ask #sns

[ordinaryschmuck]

Walt Disney Animated Pictures Studios from Worst to Best-Part Four: The Good Films

Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck! I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

Today, we get to the better half of the ranking of Walt Disney Animated Pictures Studios films. They’re more than ok this time. Now, they’re good. You see, these are the movies that I’ll genuinely seek out if I’m in the right mood for them. Not as much as others, but I still know I’ll be in for a good time when I put them on.

But enough talk. Let’s keep moving forward with…

#30. Meet the Robinsons-This is a movie that’s either is your thing, or it isn’t.

You either find it funny, or you don’t.

You’re either willing to overlook the nonsensical logic regarding time travel, or you’re not.

And you either find the characters delightful, or you don’t…Except for the Bowler Hat Guy. Do not hate the Bowler Hat Guy. He’s both funny and tragic, meaning that hating him is a sin.

Anyway, you’re probably wondering how I feel about the movie. Well, to be honest, I’m half in half. I like some of the characters and some jokes got a laugh out of me, but others…didn’t. And, yeah, the time travel makes no sense. It’s one of those things where if you think about it for too long, you’ll get a major headache. And that’s no good.

However, love or hate this movie, as far as I can tell, everyone agrees on the same thing: The message in Meet the Robinsons is fantastic. To tell kids that they just gotta keep moving forward despite a failure or two is a great thing to teach, and I hope some of them went out to make some great stuff because of this movie. And it’s true. You can’t get bogged down by failure. You just got to buck up and improve on the next big idea.

So, this leads to a question: Can a great lesson save a movie with a few mistakes? Personally, I think it does…to an extent. While a great ending could make a story worth going through, it still means you have to sit through some mediocre stuff to get to what’s outstanding. It just depends on how much you’re willing to sit through as you keep moving forward through a film.

#29. The Hunchback of Notre Dame-This is Disney’s second–and arguably more famous–attempt in making a darker story. And I think there are two reasons why this one is more fondly remembered than The Black Cauldron. For one, the main character, Quasimodo, is ten-times more likable than that other turd who’s name I already forgot. Quasimodo isn’t whiney or pathetic, but rather sympathetic. His existence is quite honestly a sad one, and yet there’s a sense of optimism and purity in his personality. Despite how bad things go for Quasimodo, you admire him for doing good despite having such a twisted teacher of morality. Speaking of which, this brings me to the second reason why The Hunchback of Notre Dame works better than The Black Cauldron, and that’s Judge Frollo. The Horn King can be intimidating, but not only does it feel like the writers are trying too hard, but the character as a whole lacks personality. With Judge Frollo, his evil is one many can identify, as there are dozens of people who use their religion as an excuse to do awful, twisted things. Maybe not to the extent Frollo does it, but pretty close at times. As for his personality, he’s oozing with it, acting as a character whose views are hypocritical as they are diabolical. It feeds into the darkness of this film, definitely making it one of Disney’s grimmer stories. But this leads me to discussing The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s fatal flaw: It doesn’t go all the way.

There are too many times when this movie tries so hard to be a grim drama, but scales itself back with cartoonish comedy. Now, that doesn’t say none of the jokes work, as there are a few cute ones the movie makes. But there’s too much slapstick and dumb jokes that feels like the writers are pandering to kids. And then there’s the gargoyles, one of the textbook definitions of the bad Disney sidekicks. They’re rarely funny and the idea that they’re apparently magical and real instead of figments of Quasimodo’s lonely imagination hurts the story.

“And don’t forget the maybe offensive representations of the Romani people!”

Oh, yeah, that hurts the film too.

The dark moments work really well, and the main hero and villain sells this movie, but if the writers went further with things, The Hunchback of Notre Dame could go from good to amazing.

#28. The Lady and the Tramp-Oh, those racist cats...

There are some other awful racial/cultural stereotypes in here too, but it's the cats that people remember the most. And with good reason. They're...really bad...The rest of the movie's cute, though.

Lady and Tramp's (can I still say that?) relationship is pretty believable. They go on one date, get to know each other, have a spat, and get together after Tramp proves how much he's all in for Lady. Granted, it'll take more than one good deed to know someone's other half is there for the long run, but it's still more realistic than most Disney couples.

...I said most. Not all. Plus, this movie has a cocker spaniel as the main character. And as a former cocker spaniel owner (RIP, Max), it already won ten points from me. The story may drag a bit at times, but The Lady and the Tramp (still not sure if I can say that) is still a solid love story that'll make me go "d'aw" in all the right places.

#27. The Fox and the Hound-MY CHILDHOOD!

Everyone has that one Disney movie. The one movie that you've watched several times as a kid so your parents could take a break from you for an hour and a half. And The Fox and the Hound was that movie for me. I remember loving the friendship between Tod and Copper and all the heartbreak that came with it. It was everything to me...so believe me when I say it hurts to claim that the movie doesn't hold up as much when watching it as an adult. Don't get me wrong, all the emotional moments work, but I feel like they would have been more effective if the movie was longer. An hour and twenty minutes aren't exactly enough to effectively tell the story between Tod and Copper, filling in all the tragedy and heartbreak that comes with it. It's good enough, but more time would have been better. The Fox and the Hound still holds a special place in my heart, but I can't hold onto the nostalgia despite how much I would love to.

#26. 101 Dalmatians-Listen. Listen. Listen...I am a dog person. I love canines with all of my heart and soul. So you better believe that a movie about ninety-nine cute little puppers and their two underappreciated parents is going to be a movie I adore. And I do adore it. Seeing those doggos in peril breaks my heart, but it results in their ultimate triumph being all the more gratifying. And as much fun as Cruella De'Vile and her two stooges are, it's more entertaining (and satisfying) to see them fail rather than succeed. Because of f**king course, it would. I mean, why would I want to watch a woman who wants to skin puppies actually do just what she seeks out to do? That would be insane, and any chance to make a story where we should root for her is equally so...just putting that out there. For no reason at all.

101 Dalmatians is a movie that I love simply because I'm a dog person. And if that's so wrong, then f**k you, this is my list. Go make your own.

#25. Sleeping Beauty-F**k Princess Aurora and her dull Prince Philip! The Good Fairies are the true stars of this picture! Their personalities are identifiable, their interactions make them a solid comedic trio, and they're the ones who actively go against Maleficent. Philly-boy gets the credit for throwing the sword at the dragon, but you want to know who freed him from Maleficent’s castle and enchanted that sword in the first place? The Good Fairies. And you want to know who raised Aurora to be such a respectable young lady for sixteen years? The Good Fairies. If you ask me, they're the main protagonists, with Aurora and Philip feeling like they’re nothing more than supporting characters in their own story. Seriously, I'm not kidding when I say that they're both flatter than a plank of wood. 

Aurora's sort of that middle child in terms of classic Disney princesses. She's not mature like Cinderella or naive like Snow White. She more or less takes aspects of both characters, both with Cinderella's friendship with animals and Snow White's curse of being in sleep until awakened by true love's kiss. And Philip...is just another boring, perfect, pretty boy who took the credit of saving the day. And is also a grown man in love with a sixteen-year-old, and that's just...ew. I don't care if it's a thing in the period in that movie. It's still an "ew."

Sleeping Beauty is carried by characters like the Good Fairies and especially by a genuine threat like Maleficent. The Prince and Princess may not be anything special, but everyone else sure is.

#24. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs-I'm not a fan of the idea of "The first one's the best one because it's the thing that started it all!" I get the mentality that if this movie failed, then all of Disney might not have existed, but calling Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the best Disney movie by that ground alone is a major disservice to their future feature films. However, that doesn't mean Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs isn't worth some praise. It features a lot of what makes Disney, well, DISNEY. The movie has characters that are identifiable and unique, a story that’s simple enough for kids to understand while adhering enough for adults to respect, a tone that balances dark and light really well, and the whole thing manages to be charming as all forms of hell. I physically cannot hate a single second of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, despite showing everything we praise Disney for, it also has the studio's criticisms. Primarily through the happily ever after, not going all the way with the darkness, and having a...not great role model for young girls. Now, Snow White isn’t an awful character. I want to get that out of the way. She proves why she’s the “fairest in all the lands” through her good nature in helping others. But all she does is cook and clean for the dwarfs, eat the apple like an idiot, and falls in love with a creep who kissed a fourteen-year-old girl. Like I said, not exactly the best role model.

Something tells me the movie's ending isn't the best thing to teach, and I'm more impressed by Disney films that have the main character earn their happy ending rather than receive it through inaction. With that said, everything up to it is still charming as a movie can be. I can roll my eyes at the issues but smile through everything else done right.

#23. Alice in Wonderland-This movie is a trip and a half, but I feel like that's the point. Alice in Wonderland seems to go for that moral of how one shouldn't let their imagination run wild. And the best way to go about that is to have this poor young girl running around in a world that makes no sense with a cast of uniquely designed characters driving her up a wall. The end result is definitely a unique experience, with an extra emphasis on the word experience. This is not one of those movies you watch for the story, but for the fun visuals and characters, with Alice balancing it all out by being a straight man to the insanity while still being a tad bit bonkers herself. But just a tad. Alice in Wonderland is still a solid film, despite how nonsensical and maddening it can be at times.

#22. Robin Hood-I don't know anything about the original Robin Hood, but I feel like you don't need to when it comes to this movie (or most Disney movies, for that matter). You still get this fun movie about this cunning and mildly charismatic fox outwitting Prince John, who's the perfect balance of a hilarious incompetent and even a genuine threat at times. Prince John's the type of character who can talk a big game but never stand up for himself, making him the perfect foil to Robin Hood, who can outthink his way against any problem with both his confidence and skill. Even the rest of the cast is chock full of entertainment, with all of them standing out with their personalities and humor. My personal favorite is Lady Kluck, who wins my favor by being the character who plowed her way through rhinos as if she was a linebacker. And it's good that Robin Hood has such great characters, as it helps add joy and intensity to the story. If I didn't care for our heroes' plight and enjoyed seeing the bad guy fail, I wouldn't have much interest in it. But because I love these characters so much, the movie warmed itself into my heart, making Robin Hood a blast to watch. And, hey, you know what? I might just read the book this time.

#21. The Great Mouse Detective-This movie is a lot better than I remember. The animation is pretty top-notch, with every character having movements tailored to them, such as Basil being often stringy and wild, whereas Dawson is often bouncy and stumbling. The climax itself is also quite the spectacle, combining CGI and hand-drawn animation in a way that still looks nice for something made in 1986. But none of that would matter without characters, and The Great Mouse Detective certainly has just that. Basil's enthusiasm for solving a case is infectious, and it's a blast watching him run around, mouthing a mile-a-minute to figure something out, whereas Dawson's calm and rookie behavior has him act as the perfect straight man to Basil's wild antics. Then there's Ratigan, who is the perfect foil to Basil. Ratigan is wild too, but there's a bit of fury to him, with his stature showing he can easily kill Basil with his bare hands if he wanted to. But he doesn't. This battle is that of the mind, not mass. And Ratigan proves he can outwit Basil in ways where he can turn a possible inconvenience into an opportunity. It's well done, making The Great Mouse Detective a solid movie with great animation and a better cast of characters...too bad the mystery couldn't be as perfect. This movie is obviously trying to imitate Sherlock Holmes, with the actual Sherlock Holmes even being a character. But the film misses the important thing about those stories: the mystery. We know who caused the caper right away, meaning that the movie is more about Basil finding Ratigan rather than solving a case. Granted, it's still entertaining. I just feel like a movie with the word Detective in its name should be more focused on a mystery, if anything else. As is, The Great Mouse Detective is still a strong movie, even if it does have one strong fault.

And that’s about it for the good. Tune in tomorrow (I mean it this time) for when good turns into great.

#walt disney animated pictures studios #worst to best disney #meet the robinsons #the hunchback of notre dame #the lady and the tramp #the fox and the hound #101 dalmatians #sleeping beauty #snow white and the seven dwarfs #alice in wonderland #disney robin hood #the great mouse detective

[cavsansspice]

Bennett knows that his Adventure Team is a one-man show. At the end of the day, it's still worth it.

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So, he’s been in worse situations.

Bennett’s got only a minor injury, despite his terrible lie—which is currently hidden underneath the brush. There’s an abyss mage not twenty paces from him, glowing with cryo energy. He’s got an advantage with his pyro vision. And, of course, he’s gifted by the Gods. They haven’t given up on him yet, so he won’t either. 

His shoulder burns, having twisted it. Could be worse, but it’s enough to take the edge off and breed caution. At least for a moment. He’s already thinking of where to go from here and his next plan of action. 

The abyss mage is a problem, but he’s a problem that Bennett can handle: he ain’t quite dead yet which means that things are already in his favor. Nothing like standing around and breathing, truly alive. Better than the alternative.

“‘Kay,” he says to himself, rolling out his sore shoulder. 

It sucks to be alone on his adventuring, but at least he’s giving it ago. One part stubbornness, one part cheerful optimism. And the pain? The burns? The occasional dislocation? Well, he can handle all that. 

“So, maybe I just go at ‘em,” he says. “An all-out attack. Catch it off guard.” The abyss mage probably thinks he’s run off, tail between his legs. 

But Bennett isn’t like that; Bennett is all smiles and laughs, and hopeless confidence that’d be a detriment to anyone else. His dads would be happy, he thinks, and proud. He suffers through the worst of it all and still manages to come out on top.

Bennett, contrary to popular belief, isn’t dumb. He’s flighty and sometimes things sail right over his head, but it isn’t because he’s unintelligent. Bennett chooses to ignore the worst of things and only focus on the positive, and it’s an outlook that’s saved his hide more times than he can count. 

He knows that Benny’s Adventure Team is a one-man show at the end of the day, even if he wishes it wasn’t. Even if he wishes he had a solid team that stuck by his side. But, he’d take his solo adventures over no adventures at all. In the end, it’s still worth it all, the lingering memories of that old adventurer who’d left words of mystery upon his death. 

“So, just go for it,” he says, already sitting up and readying himself to draw his weapon. “He won’t know what hits him.”

In the end, trying is better than not. Action is better than inaction, and Bennett’s never been the type to just sit around like a bump on a log. He charges forward instead, full-steam, no matter the danger. An unexpected fervor, like the hot blood burning deep in his veins. 

He hesitates, smiling wide as he presses down the bandage slapped across his face; it’d come up a little. Such grand expectations, befitting of the true explorer that he is. 

It doesn’t matter if the others left him behind, he’d rather be here, doing this. 

“Well then,” he whispers in hushed excitement. He creeps towards the edge of the brush, calling forth his weapon. His core burns bright with anticipation that can be only found in this line of work. “Let’s go.”

#genshin impact #Genshin impact fanfiction #bennett genshin impact

[48787]

alright that's enough for one day, no more random tumblr posts i need to go to bed. But first I'm gonna vent just a bit to wrap up.

Went through like 3-too-many catharses/breakdowns-followed by-breakthroughs(-followed by-breakdowns) for one day and i think i've hit the limit on being able to channel it productively into dumbass tumblr posts Most weren't even my catharses or breakthroughs!! I'm in, like, catharsis debt right now!!! Shit fucking blows but at least I can make dumbass late night tumblr posts in the meanwhile to indirectly work out thoughts, positions, and schemes when i'm too exhausted to write plans down explicitly in my notes software and figure out the exact right things to say/do that lets my scheme targets experience their catharses in ways that doesn't compromise my own agency/genuine emotion, or at least does so in a way that builds to being able to having my own genuine catharsis in the future without jeopardizing my sanity or animorphing into a fucking beetle all Kafka style. This still isn't much more than a dumb late night tumblr post, it's probably nonsensical if you don't personally know me, but maybe it's healthy to vent about shit a bit more directly from time to time, even if I leave out specifics... A lot of my issues, internally or (more frequently rn) externally, stem explicitly from not being able to be direct about problems/feelings and I've definitely been avoiding making actual posts in general because of wrongful/unproductive/sub-optimal internalization of that external bunk... I don't know, we'll see in the morning how I feel! I've certainly been posting a lot more, writing a lot more, rambling a lot more, etc and things definitely have been improving because of that specifically, but maybe venting-on-main is a step too far and I already still have a lot of work I need to do before I can start making "presentable" pieces of anything so it being too big of a step isn't that unwarranted of a fear. Tomorrow's problem though, I need to sleep before I can work anything out right now.

#vent post #vague posting #i guess lol #I suppose it's important to note for vague posting that if any of this makes sense to you it probably isn't about you or anything #I'm far too on-edge to make any vague posts that could easily be seen by who they're about #but trying to get better at not letting fear paralyze me from talking about my issues. Even if indirectly (Still on-edge after all). #Taking an deliberate risk making a public post but working under the assumption that my worries #about being monitored or whatever are unhealthy and I should work to dissipate them. #Nothing too concerning still just indirectly working out plans like I said #Hopefully one day I can talk about my schemes and notes and all that weird stuff more openly #maybe through weird art stuff! #But it's all too current rn not to require too much specific and niche context to be coherent to anyone other than myself. #Once I get past some thresholds I can worry about presentational/artistic stuff. Just not quite there yet though. #So for now you have to “handle” me projecting a little too hard onto certain transformers characters/certain fire emblem characters/etc lol #I'm failing to actually do my current plan of getting the fuck to sleep so no more tags no more posting. hitting enter #good night

[0thsense]

11/29/2023

It's been a while since nippon and nothing good has happened. That's not really true but it is true I haven't made progress on my goals. I've even made negative progress on lifting and running. Or maybe sideways who cares im just not dedicated enough. why do i bother with good grammar on these posts just let it go bro.

I did well on the osu tournament at least, but ive gotta give up on that shit. just play for fun and casual improvement. I fucked up my wrist the other day too and it still hurts. It kinda hurts to type to be honest. tumblr can fuck off with the spellcheck btw. i talked to Peter about his journaling and im starting to think that my thoughts are just way more cringe than average. ur telling me everyone else doesnt have to hold back cringe all the time? i love being cringe is the problem

one thing I remember feeling on the way to see my pt is that i think i like feeling sad. the type of sad where id like to say its something other than self pity but its probably just self pity. god im so reluctant to say im falling into a common trap that is wallowing in self pity.

oh yea I started taking caffeine pills and not taking medication. I don't think its helping so far but I feel less shit all the time. is it time to truly give up? im scared that im losing my mental faculties. I remember I used to try to optimize everything i did. which i thought was dumb at the time because I would proceed to waste all the extra time I had. but now I dont have that drive to optimize anymore. i dont believe in myself to be different anymore. in fact its a struggle to even be normal.

i dont know if ive talked about this before but I tried to go for a route in my life where I wouldnt have to learn to be normal. if I got far enough doing special weird things then people would accept that I didnt have to be normal, and theyd even praise me for it. but now that ive fallen off the wagon I have to just be behind on being normal instead. I hate the feeling that other people will look at me and think I was wrong all along.

Im so doomer in these posts. I guess getting off the medication wasnt enough to stave away the depression. I didnt even do anything today either programming wise. Theres a month left, and its december. maybe i should just start leetcoding now. I say that cuz its the normal thing to say but there is no way I start before the new year. time to pretend to be happy for the holidays.

im worried that it will be difficult to find a job. i want to find a job in new york but i need to find a position that lets me afford rent. i have a limited number of people i can reach out to for referrals and if those dont pan out im probably in deep trouble and will need to take whatever i can get.

there's a channel called hoe_math on yt that has blackpilled views but surprisingly its really popular. the couple vids i watched were entertaining and agreeable and im scared of watching more and becoming a misogynist. the old me would not have been scared. watch and sift the new information and try to remain as objective as possible keeping in mind all of your own biases. now im a thinking plebian. what happened to me? i ask as i know the answer perfectly well.

also i think im bad at diagnosing my own mental state. after taking molly for the first time i could barely tell i felt anything. that probably has an effect on my diet for example, where my instinct on what i need to eat is dull. is this linked to not being in touch with my emotions? ur feelings are partly a reflection of your body's state after all.

i cant even finish this stupid pong game. any mental obstacle that i think will take like an hour is just too much. the true test of will is the will that can give consistent effort day after day. i wonder how neurotypicals feel. does it also feel literally impossible for them to do certain things? what does it mean to just not want to do something? determinism wise everything either happens or is impossible. i have a hard time relating that to the things adhd stops me from doing. maybe the reason im more inclined to believe determinism is that adhd makes the illusion of choice much weaker.