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galacticbugman · 5 years

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My Favorite Insects

Well howdy ya’ll Galactic Bug Man here with another blog post. Sorry this is long over due I have been busy with school and I have had some family issues that needed to be resolved this last few months but I am back with another blog post and just in time for the start of *drum roll* *fanfare* INSECT SEASON! or just spring.

So In my last post that was back in November I said that I would talk about what are my favorite insects. For the record some people may tell you that you can only have one or two favorites of everything. Well for me that has always been hard for me. Anything that interests me automatically becomes an obsession with me. With the autism it is kind of hard to ignore things that have a profound interest with me. Some people just have one favorite or each category. As for my goofy/nerdy self I have many favorites on many levels. For me I don’t just have one favorite science fiction TV Show or movie, same goes for Cartoons, comedies, food...eh you get the picture. Anyway I don’t just have a single favorite family of animals or just one favorite species for each.

In my line of a hobby it is the thrill of the search and an encounter goes. For me favorites come in many forms and have different lifestyles, and sometimes the story that will form when I find an organism helps make an organism my favorite. So there are many things that add up to make an organism a favorite. For me it is all of these put together. Even though I am a storyteller of sorts and love to share experiences I have had finding certain species. So now let us go into some of my favorites from the world of insects. Even though I am a birder too think I am just going to leave this post strictly for the insects. Just FYI I am expanding my blog to more than just insects. In the future I will be talking about birds, mammals, and all things natural. So with that said let us dive in to Insect family #1...

Beetles have become a growing obsession for me in the last few years. Back when I was in the Future Farmers of America I participated in an entomology contest once in the spring of 2011 then I did another one in spring of 2012.It was like a UIL contest of sorts but it was an FFA governed contest. We had to study a list of 125 or 150 insects I can’t really remember the amount we had to ID but it was a lot. The Texas Ironclad Beetle was one of the many on the list. (the picture was a photo I took of one during the 2017 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge of that same species.) The FFA contest really opened my eyes to loving the insect world. I became quite interested in the lives of insects and the ways they work. Butterflies had always been a favorite subject of mine ever since I was in grade school. My late grandmother (who passed away back in August of last year) got me butterflies and we had a garden at the house we moved from back in April for a long time. Most insects didn’t really appeal to me until my time with the Martin High School FFA. Me and the teams I had both years won first prize at the contests so that is how my love for loving insects a lot more than I did started to grow. Beetles started to grow on me. There have been many species that I have seen in the last few years that I wouldn’t believe existed. Some are just so amazing to watch and to photograph.

A growing favorite group of mine would have to be the Tiger Beetles. They are some of the prettiest and most vibrant colored of the beetles. This one was found at Thora Hart Park a few blocks from where I live now. We moved back in April of last year. This was found on one of our getting ready to move days. This guy is called a Chartreuse Tiger Beetle. It is a really shiny one. I found this one on one of the sand paths out there in the back forty of the park. It is small but the number of Tigers is amazing. There are a lot of deep sands out there and on any given hot and sunny day they will be out. Tiger Beetles are known for being fast throughout their lives. They have good eyesight even when they are larva which is kind of interesting for an insect. They are also predatory their whole lives. With a sharp pair of scissor-like mandibles and a tiger like attitude they are a fascinating beetle to observe. Both fast runners and fast fliers they one of an insect’s worst nightmares. This one was really cool. I saw this flash of green and blue. Then it landed in front of me and then I saw a flash of red. These guys are actually yellow on their wing covers; but when the sun hits them just right they shine a bright reddish orange color. That is what makes them really appealing to me. We all like shiny things don’t we? Shiny rocks, Pokemon, silver, gold. You name it people love shiny objects. For me shiny beetles are no different.

Another one of my favorites is this one called the Carolina Tiger Beetle. This one was one cool Tiger Beetle. I was out at a park called Parr Park in Grapevine Texas. There was a bunch of these guys running about the light traps we were using during one of our field investigations which was a Moth Night. A moth night or mothing event is where you set out lights with different wave lengths and purposely attract insects to photograph and document them. I have been on several in the last couple of years and they are loads of fun. They are cool because you don’t always get to see the creatures of the nocturnal world that often if you are a day person. Me I am more of an afternoon and night person. I have never been much of a morning person.That doesn’t mean I won’t get up early some days and go early morning birding or something like that. I do that sort of thing all the time but the night time when it is really muggy and sticky outside the bugs just come from out of the wood work. I don’t suggest doing those kinds of events if you don’t like bugs touching you or if you have a fear of insects because they will get into you mouth and your hair. Anyway getting back on track. I had my flashlight on and I was just looking down to see what I could find. I saw a couple of purple streaks running around at the base of our sheets that the bugs would cling to while we took photos. These guys really catch your eye and the refection from a headlamp or a flashlight is amazing when the light bounces off these guys. It is amazing how shiny they are. That is why I love these guys because one they are appealing by vibrancy in color and by their amazing patterns and shades. They are amazing little creatures. They are tiny and you can easily miss them. That is why you will not have tour guide going to have a tour guide with a group of people looking for these guys. They are too small and will flee in an instant. Still going out by yourself will be your best bet on seeing these guys.

Another one of my favorite beetles is this kind. This one is known by only a scientific name. It is called Zygogramma Heterothecae. It is a mouth full I know. This photo was taken at Tarrant County College’s South Campus where I go to school. I found this guy on one of my study breaks. On most study breaks I either go to the school’s game room and hang out with the other nerds or I go out and see what insects I can find so I can upload them to iNaturalist. This guy was at one of the best places to look for insects on campus (the library). This guy was the first one I have seen. Just look at those markings; it almost looks like a tribal painting or something from a tropical land. It is amazing how these guys look. I posted it to the iNaturalist website and turns out it had never been found in the Metroplex before so I got to expand its range just a little bit. That is another factor that makes an insect my favorite for its rarity or if it is a new one for a new range of territory. I have expanded ranges for a lot of insects on iNaturalist in the three years I have been using it. It is not that I am a big shot or anything it is just that I like to take pictures of everything from common insects and birds to the really hard to see ones. It is often the small things that are the least observed. I don’t know just how many species in total I have expanded for but I have also found several firsts for many parks around the area. One of my friends tries to give me the big head and calls me a rockstar. The truth is I am no rockstar or super naturalist I am just doing what a citizen scientist does take photos and send them on the database website and let nature take its course. I mean it is cool that I have found a lot of species that are rare and maybe out of place but I am not one who likes to take credit; I am the kind of person that likes to give credit when it is due. I have always been modest in this case. But yes finding rare things like this adds to the value.

Sometimes a bug just has to look like a spaceship or an visitor from another world to get my vote. Many insects I encounter remind me of things from Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica (1978 version with the Ovion Bug People) among other science fiction movies and TV shows. This guy Delphinia Picta or Picture Winged Fly is a wild looking one. It almost reminds me of the Bounty Hunter Greedo that worked for Jabba the Hutt that Han Solo blew away with his laser pistol in Star Wars IV A New Hope. It has a head that looks just like Greedo’s face minus the green with the bumpy texture and the funny looking ears. This guy is just bizarre looking all together. It looks like a starship with a Greedo head. so that is kind of fun and adds to the favorites if they remind you of fun things like that. Many insects in my mind always look like a sci-fi or horror movie monster from the 1930s- 1960s with the B horror classics. That is just it with being a nerd you see things like that out in nature and as a huge nerd of science fiction and stuff like that I have a lot of fun with it. I seriously can’t be out with a group on a BioBlitz see a bug and shoot off my mouth with some kind of silly science fiction reference. Thankfully I am with people that get it so I am safe but yes it is true that I can’t go a day without referencing a TV show, movie, or book. I am just that kind of guy even when it comes to nature. I surprised no one has gotten sick of me yet in my naturalist group. Lets look at another insect that looks like an alien shall we.

This guy is called the Wheel Bug. Named after its weird Buzz Saw like blade on his midsection. I am surprised that when they made the Starship Troopers series they didn’t make a bug that looked like this monster. This guy is a true monster. I It conjurers up a lot of science fiction nightmares just by looking at it but man I live for this kind of stuff. I love weird looking bugs. The weirder the creature the more blown my mind is. Sometimes the things with a face only a mother could love are the best things to look at. This guy you do not want to pick up just FYI. It can bite and it bites hard. I have never been bitten but good golly I know people that have been bitten and they say it is a feeling you don’t want to have. It may not kill you but it can leave one nasty mark. This guy is a member of the Assassin Bug group and it is one of the largest. Most assassins don’t get this big but these guys are over an inch long in some cases. They are a true monster but heck just as long as you keep your distance they can’t hurt you. So that is one factor for me I guess. Some animals like elephants may remind you of Dumbo or a baby deer may remind you of Bambi. However if you are into bugs and a pop culture nerd you will probably be seeing some Close Encounters business. Just saying I have been on the sci-fi bandwagon all my life and let me tell you some insects get even stranger and bring even more science fiction stuff to the table.

Some times it just has to have a fun name to say and since we just went down a path of sci-fi reference I think this one would be great to talk about. This little butterfly is known as a Phaon Crescent. I think that name sounds so much like a ship name (just the Phaon part). This guy is a very pretty butterfly that looks very much like a starburst or a disco ball. It is a very interesting butterfly and is just as small as its sister species called the Pearl Crescent which we get here in Texas too. These are not as common for me on a more personal note but they do happen quite frequently. Both are really pretty but this one gets bonus points for having such a cool name.

Sometimes to be a favorite they have to look weird before you can figure them out and know what they are doing. As in this case for this little Yellow-collared Slug Moth. You see that arched thing? that is its butt. I am just going to say this now like I have said so many times I am glad I don’t have to put my face near my butt for protection. This moth is in its defensive position. I was in a group doing another event out at Parr Park and I was coming back with a few other and I spotted him on a garbage can and we couldn’t figure out what he was or what exactly he was doing. So yes sometimes the oddest bits of behavior help with the humor of a potential favorite observation.This guy was just doing what he does best when not looking for food or a mate. 1. he had chosen a good hiding spot that matched his color. 2. he was just in the defense position so that way nothing serious would happen to him if he was attacked. 3. It just looked funny to us. We all gave it crazy bewildered looks trying to make heads or tails out of it. Turns out many moths do the same thing like the Eggplant Leaf-roller Moth and others. So sometimes the things we don’t understand may seem like a good laugh and that could add to a fond memory.

So that is it some of my favorite insect moments frozen in time. I have tons more favorites but it is kind of hard to cram them all into a single blog post when you have over 5,000 observations and over 1,370 species on your life list. That is kind of hard to pick and choose all of your favorites. I would like to hear what your favorite animals are and how you pick and choose your favorites. So until we meet again readers stay tuned for more from me Galactic Bug Man. I will see you on the trail. See you soon! gotta run.

#insects #wild #behavior #nature #wildlife #texas #beetles #coleoptera #moths #lepidoptera #butterflies #parks #hikes #photographs #macro photography #close ups #up close #closer look #insect #bugs

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yevonscribbles · 6 years

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Backroads

In which a high school crush between a fox and a cougar grows into something more.

OK LISTEN! I had to get this out of my system! I am from the country (like COUNTRY country with 4-H and FFA lets-go-dance-in-cornfield-country) and this is romantic to me! It’s that cheesy “I wanted THAT but I was so far in the closet a talking lion is telling me about religious allegory,” type of idea from my teenage years that has been eating away at my sanity since I thought about it. So please enjoy with a cheap beer that you stole from your Dad and Garth Brooks playing on the radio…

*****

“This day has been shit… Ah got a C on mah test, ah have three reports due next week, and ah have another text on Monday…” Gideon Grey thought to himself as he slammed his locker shut. Senior year of high school was supposed to be a magical time for lots of mammals but all it did was remind the fox that he was going nowhere fast. At first, it had seem that the pudgy fox wouldn’t even graduate in a few months but with some tutoring from Bobby Catmull, Gideon would at least get his GED. The large cougar male had offered to help the former bully after the Grey family started to fall apart. Rumor had it that Gideon’s father had been abusing his wife and kit for years and the law had finally made a move towards the end of last semester to arrest the fox for multiple charges. Gideon and his mother had finally been saved and were working on rebuilding their lives since the beginning on the spring semester.

“Ah little late…” Gideon muttered to himself. Part of the healing process was to set up the pudgy fox with a counselor to try and help Gideon control his ‘unchecked rage and aggression,’ as the sow in a clean green dress had put it. The fox had met with her for the past three months and had to admit that having someone to talk to was helping. Bobby was helping too, staying after school to help the delinquent fox and being someone Gideon had grown to care for. He was close to the only friend Gideon had besides Travis. The cougar had grown from a small nerdy cub to a large lean young man with an attractive body. Gideon winced to himself. “Yer not allowed to call Bobby attractive ya queer fox…” He thought to himself. Sure, his counselor had helped him come to terms with his sexuality, but that doesn’t mean the fox was ready for the world to have one more thing to make fun of him for. “Besides. There is no way Bobby would like a broken mammal like me…” He thought to himself, as he shoved books from his locker to his tattered and worn backpack.

The long school day finally ended and Gideon started to trudge his way to his bus home with his torn and beaten backpack when the foxes path was blocked by a large frame. Growling, the fox shot the large mammal blocking his path a glare. Lately, every mammal had been anxious to start something with the former bully. Instead of an angry snarl, the fox saw the smiling muzzle of Bobby Catmull. Gideon looked away in embarrassment. “Sorry Bobby… Ah thought yer were someone who wanted to start something…” The cougar stood a full two heads above the fox and had a lean runner's body. If you didn’t know the mammal, you would guess he was the local football star but instead the cougar prefered to make music and art.

Bobby laughed a bit and adjusted his own backpack. “No one wants to hurt you Gid.” With an awkward shuffle, the large cat produced a small gift for the fox. “I heard you got a C on your last math test and I wanted to get you a little gift!” Gideon took the hand-wrapped item with a little hesitation. No one ever gave the fox anything…

“Ya didn’t have to… Ah only got a C because you stayed after school and helped me. Ah should be getting ya something not the other way around!” The fox protested. Bobby just shook his head and smiled.

“I wanted to… Hurry, open it!” The cougar said, his tail flicking in excitement. With a smirk, the fox open the newspaper that was wrapped around the flat object. Now free from its wrapping, Gideon looked at the clear box that housed a round reflective disk.

“A CD?” Gideon asked looking back to the cougar.

“Yeah!” Bobby said excitedly, his long tan tail flicking behind him. “Remember when we were studying the other night and I was talking about the ‘Beagles’ and other classic rock bands? Tada! Now you can listen to good music while you study on your own!”

“Ohhhh…” Gideon said vaguely remembering the conversation. “...Thank you Bobby…” The fox looked at his feet.

With a frown, the large cat hunkered down to look at the fox's eye-level. “What's wrong? I thought you would be excited…” Bobby said failing to hide his disappointment.

Meeting the cougars eyes, Gideon saw the sad look forming over the large cat’s muzzle. The fox didn’t want to let the cougar down. “Ah am excited...It’s just… Ah don’t have a CD player...So I can’t listen to it…” Gideon admitted. He really didn’t own anything other than some clothes and a few old books left by his Grandmother. Normally, the fox would rather die than show weakness, but Bobby had really grown into a trusted friend over the past few months of tutoring. Gideon’s counselor had encouraged the fox to be honest with those he cared about.

“Oh!” Bobby said with some surprise. “I didn’t even think of that… That was very stupid of me Gideon. I am sorry.” The cougar offered a sincere look.

“Don’t apologize! Ya didn’t know!” Gideon felt his face warm. “Ah will figure out something later but ah gotta get to the bus!” The fox began to make his way past the cougar when a large paw grabbed his own.

“I have an idea!” Bobby said with a smile, squeezing the foxes paw. Gideon could feel his face turn a bright red as he looked from his held paw to the smiling cougar. He wouldn’t admit it, but the fox enjoyed the feeling on his paw wrapped by the large digits of the cougar, his slightly rough paw-pads warming the smaller mammal. Just as the fox was about to ask Bobby to let his paw go, the large cougar began to lead the pudgy teen out the school. “Let me take you home! I know the perfect place we can go and listen to the CD together!”

Gideon was thankful that the odd pair were some of the last students to leave the school and the parking lot was all but empty. Releasing the foxes paw Bobby, he fished for his key ring and pressed a plastic button housed there. A relatively new blue pick-up truck beeped in response from across the way. Throwing his backpack into the bed of the truck, the cougar moved to the passenger side and pulled opened the door. The fox blushed a bit and placed his own backpack in the bed before climbing into the larger cab of the truck still clutching his gift to his chest.

The blue truck was built for larger mammals like cows, horses, or in this case large breed cats. Gideon’s feet dangled from the seat with plenty of extra room above his head. With a huff, Bobby sat in the driver’s side and buckled in with a smile. “It’s a good truck! Dad used it for awhile before getting a company car. So I get access to the truck as long as I keep my grades up.”

“It must be nice to go where ya want…” The fox said buckling his seat belt. He look down at the CD still clutched in his paws. ‘Why am ah feeling so nervous?’ Gideon thought to himself. With a small roar of the engine, Bobby drove the pair out of the school parking lot and out towards the rolling fields of the Burrows. Many of the crops were just a small green plant in the Spring but in a few months large stocks of corn, multi-colored berries, and even large oval tobacco leaves could be seen. The fox watched out the window as a silence fell on the pair. The blue truck took a turn seemingly at random and continued to take the fox to an unknown location. A few more minutes and the truck parked on a small hill overlooking several fields and a lake.

Bobby turned to face the fox. “Here we go! My personal favorite spot! Mind if I see the CD real quick?” The large cat asked. Gideon handed his gift over and watched as the cougar took the round item and inserted it into the dashboard. After a moment, a soft guitar could be heard coming through the speakers. With a smile, the large cat cranked up the volume causing Gideon to cover his ears with a frown. “Oh sorry! I forgot that your ears are more sensitive.”

Wincing, the fox looked at the large cat. “Ah little, why are ya playing it so loud? Won’t we get in trouble?” Gideon asked. With a large grin, the cougar unbuckled his seatbelt and patted the foxes paw.

“Naw, we won’t bother anyone here. Wait there while I get everything set up.” And with that the large cat opened his door and started to reach below his seat for something before meeting Gideon’s eyes. With a blush Bobby added. “Could you close your eyes… I want it to be a surprise.” The fox gave the cougar a mocked frustrated look but did as he was told.

With his eyes closed, Gideon could focus on the smells and sounds around him; the CD was playing a soft guitar with a warm voice singing in tune and the truck cab the fox sat in smelled like Bobby and the usual scents of earth coming from the fields. Occasionally, a rustle or metal clank could be heard from where Bobby was working on his surprise. The fox felt his cheeks warm a little thinking about the cougar holding his paw earlier. He wasn’t sure why the cougar was being so friendly and went out of his way to give Gideon a present that he really didn’t deserve. Sure, they had spend hours together trying to get Gideon caught up and on his way to graduating before the end of senior year, but the fox thought Bobby was just being a good mammal. The cougar was easily the smartest mammal in their grade and had been one of the first to show support for Gideon after his father was arrested. ‘Maybe Bobby just feels sorry for me…” The fox thought before he heard the passenger door open and the warm voice of the cougar snapped the teen back to the present.

“Hold out your paw Gid.” Bobby said and again the fox complied. Jumping from the cab, the fox still with his eyes closed was lead around to the back of the truck. “Ok… Open your eyes!”

The red fox opened his eyes to see that the back of the truck had been turned into a makeshift picnic spot with a blanket thrown over the bed. Gideon found himself smiling and gave the cougar a sideways smile. “Did ya have this planned?”

“Not really… I had to improvise a little, here let me help you into the truck bed.” After a few moments, both mammals were laying in the bed of the truck with their backs propped against the cab watching the fields sprawling out all around them while the CD continued to play a collection of music hand-selected by Bobby. Gideon found himself absorbed by the sheer variety of music the cougar had picked out and after a particularly energetic song the fox smiled over to Bobby.

“Thank ya Bobby, ah really appreciate ya making this CD fer me.” Gideon said as his cheeks began to warm. “Ah don’t know why ya waste yer time on me though…” The fox started to twiddle his fingers together and looked out over the fields unable to meet the cougars eyes. Gideon felt tears well around his own eyes but tried his best to keep himself from crying. After a moment Bobby scooted closer to the fox and wrapped an arm around the smaller male.

“I don’t think I am wasting my time on you Gideon.” The cougar said in a warm whisper hugging the fox. “Hey look at me…” Bobby asked placing his large paw on the foxes cheek. Their eyes met and Bobby could see the tears Gideon was trying to hide. “I really like you Gideon Grey.” The larger male leaned forward until their lips met.

Gideon wasn’t sure if he should protest or allow himself to get swept away in the moment. Soon the fox began to kiss the large cat back placing his own paw on Bobby’s cheek. Eventually, the cougar broke the kiss and looked into the deep green eyes of the fox. The boys both wore a goofy satisfied grin.

“Ah can tell ya like me Bobby Catmull…” Gideon said with a little slur. The pair started to giggle at each other as the larger cat pulled the fox close into a hug. Leaning back in the cab of the truck, the pair continued to listen to music wrapped in each other's embrace. Their paws were locked together as they whispered to one another between the music. Slowly, the sun began to sink below the horizon and the bright blue sky gave way to rays of orange, red, and yellow.

Eventually, Bobby drove Gideon home and after a final goodbye kiss the fox waved the cougar off. Making his way into the small run-down building he called home, Gideon put his backpack down and headed to the kitchen.

“Well, well yer home late.” Gideon’s Mom said. The greying vixen walked over to her son and gave him a quick hug. The pair had been growing closer after Mr. Grey had been arrested. While there was still years of pain and hurt to heal, both Mother and Son were working hard to form a better bond and they would even go to counseling together at times. The vixen was also a bit pudgy much like her son and kept her longer autumn-colored head fur in a tight bun. She stood a little under her son’s chin and while Gideon had bright blue eyes hers were a cool misty grey.

Sniffing, the air the female fox stopped in her tracks. “Oh you smell a lot like a cougar right now, were you spending time with that Catmull boy?”

“Yes Mom, Bobby made me a CD so we listened to it in his truck. He’s gonna come get me tomorrow to help with mah essays…” Gideon said while he began searching the kitchen for a few items. His mother leaned in the doorway and took out a cigarette.

“Are you actually going to study tomorrow or make-out more?” The vixin said with a smile.

“MOM!” Gideon protested turning to his mother while his face turned a bright red.

“What? You can’t hide everything from me Gid! Ah can smell it and ah am all for ya making-out with a good kit! Truth be told, ah thought you would end up with Travis...” Mrs. Grey said lighting the cigarette. Gideon covered his eyes and took a deep breath to collect himself.

“Sweet cheese and crackers…” The male fox huffed as he went back to collecting the things he needed. Some flour, sugar, some strawberries from the fridge...

“Whatcha making?” The vixen asked taking a long draw from the tobacco product.

“Ah thought ah could make Grandma’s strawberry pie fer tomorrow… Fer Bobby…” Gideon said with a blush. The vixen giggled and turned to head back to the living room leaving her son to his work.

“As long as I get a slice, you can bake to yer heart’s content!” With a wave, Mrs. Grey disappeared from sight. “Tell Bobby he will need to come for dinner soon so ah can meet him! Yer not gonna date him till I give the O.K.” The vixen called from the other room.

“Mom! All we did was kiss!” Gideon hollered back and with a shake of his head, the teen began to prepare his Grandma’s famous pie. The younger fox began to laugh to himself. He could get used to the idea of dating the cougar.

#zootopia #fanfic #fan fiction #gideon grey #bobby catmull #gideon x bobby #country #gay #first kiss

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farorest-art · 7 years

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What do you think of the lombax and or the Ratchet & Clank movie?

Oooh boy what do I think? Umm, I like it fine, it’s cute at some parts and completely lame at others haha

Well, I think this deserves a little elaboration.

Overall, the R&C movie is harmless. It doesn’t send bad messages or morals. It’s colourful, and very pretty to look at. The characters are okay, and some jokes did get a laugh out of me (the Qwark scene where his gun gets sliced in half is pretty well written).

I think the biggest “crime” the film makes is the fact that it’s mediocre. It’s not bad, but it’s not particularly good either. That’s the worst place a film can be because it’ll be forgotten rather quickly by general audiences. At least it can call itself one of the better, if not the best video game-based film. I don’t know what to make of that though.

I just want to say that I have no nostalgia goggles blinding me. The Ratchet and Clank remake/movie was my first real exposure to the series. It’s what got me into the franchise in the first place. That doesn’t mean i don’t have grievances I’d like to address.

I’ll start by talking about the issues I have with it (then finish with the good). The ones I find more important are first, and it decreases from there (if you know what I mean). This is gonna be long so I’m adding the [read more] tag here:

(Bold = TL;DR)

1. The Pacing

The pacing/editing of the film is really not good. Okay, it’s not Suicide Squad bad, but man, it goes way too fast sometimes. Cut to here, then back to there, gotta keep the plot moving real fast! It rarely takes a breather to develop it’s characters and relationships further. I think that the character with the most development is Qwark, and no matter how much I love him, I’ll talk about why that’s a problem later. I feel like the film would’ve benefited had it been a little longer. Or, cut the parts with lame texting jokes in favour of character development or world building. Mainly, the film’s pacing makes the whole experience seem a little confused. Is the film about Ratchet learning about righteousness? Qwark overcoming greed? The relationship between two unlikely heroes? Are these heroes Ratchet and Clank? Or Ratchet and Qwark? The pacing makes it so the film lacks a concrete focus, resulting in a confusing mess (for lack of a better word).

2. The Focus (who’s the main protagonist?)

Now you might jump at me and say, “well that’s a dumb question, it’s Ratchet and Clank, I mean that’s the title of the movie!”. Okay man, I understand. But hear me out. Watching the film, to me, it should’ve been called Ratchet and Qwark. They’re the ones with the biggest character arks (Qwark even more so than Ratchet, if you ask me), and the two have more of a relationship ark than Ratchet does with Clank. Clank appeared to me like a sidenote. Not so much a main character, more like an almost flawless being. If he even goes through a charcater ark, I didn’t notice it. Ratchet and Clank are instantaneously friends. You’d think that a reckless organic and an ultra-rational robot would clash more often, that they would have to overcome their differences. There must be some issue to solve between them right? Oh yeah they disagree on how they should confront Drek (the galactic rangers meeting scene), but that has little bearing on their relationship. It’s a little sad because Clank felt really flat as a result, especially since he’s in my top 3 favourite characters of the series. The focus and development of Ratchet and Clank’s relationship was seriously lacking.

3. The Side-Characters

Under-developed and boring. I hate to be this blunt, but if you ask me to talk about the rangers, I can’t really answer you. Cora and Brax are pretty much the same, the only one who’s kinda got something going was Elaris. Her reactions to the marginalization she faced was interesting, plus her awkward nerdy-ness was kind of endearing. But even then, they’re overall pretty forgettable unfortunately. That random kid’s only purpose was to be the butt of jokes that often fell flat. Zed… the same thing. The blarg… also. Drek… man how many characters have to be the comic relief? This leads to another point.

4. The Villains Are A Complete Joke

Quite literally too. I get it though. Having played most of the R&C games, I understand that many of its villains are goofy. Nef and Lawrence, Tachyon, that guy from FFA, Mr. Dinkles, Thugs-for-Less… but here’s the thing most have over Drek and the Blarg (movie-verse): they have a certain level of threat to them that we could take seriously. If they’re not menacing, they make it pretty obvious (FFA villain). But with Drek and the Blarg, I don’t know whether to see them as threatening or just goofy. I get that you can be both, like Nefarious, but with Nef, there’s no question about the fact that he’s an actual menace. The main antagonists basically just do texting and meme jokes; the film gives us no reason to really take them seriously (aside from Nefarious), until the destruction of Novalis.

5. Novalis’s Destruction

Biggest jumping-the-shark moment of the film. How so? The consequences of it are barely noticeable. It’s unfortunate because they’ve built up this moment big-time, and it just falls flat. First of all, the make it so everyone survives? Listen, I get not wanting to go into too dark a territory for a kid’s movie, but, I have a really hard time buying that an entire planet population managed to evacuate on time and safely. They mention the loss of home for millions, but that plot point is never resolved. We don’t know what they did to solve this issue. What are the consequences? There’s no closure. It’s purpose is to make Ratchet feel bad, so Clank can give him a 30 second “There, there *pat-pat*” speech to get him back up to fix a mistake Ratchet wasn’t even the cause of. That reaallly bothers me btw. Maybe having Ratchet unknowingly play a part in activating the Deplanetizer, or something, anything, that could justify him feeling guilty. He discovers Qwark’s betrayal, so he knows that their failure was rigged. I just don’t like how he goes back to moaning and feeling sorry for himself instead of trying to stop a guy who destroyed a populated planet (many other lifeless ones).

Well anyway, those are my main issues with the film. It sound like I hate it right? Well no, actually, I found it quite cute.

1. The Animation

Very well animated for the most part. Characters are very expressive and bouncy, and have great key-poses. It’s fun to watch them move and react.

2. The Look

What can I say? The film looks stellar and really beautiful.

3. The Overall Moral

The lesson of doing the right thing, rather than doing it for fame and fortune (or to just be a “hero”) is always a good one. It could have been better told, but it was effective overall.

4. Ratchet and Qwark

Their characters were well handled. Ratchet’s adorable as heck, and while I would have taken a little less whine, he was fun to stick around with. Qwark has the best character development of the film. He’s probably the movie’s strongest character.

5. It’s Mindless Fun

It’s a fun movie. I understand it’s not Shakespeare, not meant to be a timeless classic, just a fun hour and half to spend. I get that. And for that, it accomplishes this well.

So no, I don’t hate the film. I don’t even dislike it. However, I do have major issues with it as a movie, plot-wise and character-wise, that keeps me from loving it. I get that it’s a kid’s film, but that doesn’t shield it from criticism (heck just look at the backlash against Frozen).

#asks #ratchet and clank #ratchet and clank movie #ryanandi #text post #long post

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ao3feedzukka · 4 years

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I Believe in the Future of Agriculture (And, Maybe, in the Gays)

by stardustgirl

Sokka's finally decided to join his school's budding agriculture program, after lots of pressure from both Suki and Katara. However, he wasn't expecting to get thrown back into science fair, or to be the assigned partner of the Self-nominated Class Emo, Zuko. Maybe he shouldn't have signed up for this after all.

Then again, baby ducks and baby goats might make everything worth it. And so might a new boyfriend.

(Or; Zuko and Sokka meet in FFA and everything else is history.)

Words: 1220, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, M/M

Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Suki (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Azula (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar)

Relationships: The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & The Gaang (Avatar)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), ffa, FFA AU, Future Farmers of America, this is the ffa au literally no one asked for but i wanted it so now it's here, Slow Burn, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, and they were partners on a group project!, Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Smart Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Disaster Sokka (Avatar), Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Science Boyfriends, Science Experiments, Ducks, Goats, Sokka (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Iroh (Avatar) Isn't Zuko's Uncle, (at least not biologically), but he still loves him bc iroh's great like that, Sokka isn't super nice in this at first, but he'll get nicer!! i promise, Nerdiness, this is very very, Self-Indulgent, Zuko (Avatar) Has Issues, Agriscience Fair, State Fair, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, The Boys(tm) Hatch Some Duck Eggs, Crack Treated Seriously, (sort of), Fluff, Boys In Love, Soft Boys, Sokka texts while driving but that does not mean I endorse it

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/25750582

#zukka #zuko x sokka

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morbidly-a-beast · 22 days

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Could we get more pics of your belly? 😍

Hehe, always! If you want even more, DM me😉

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houseswolo · 4 years

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Day 7 - ‘Tis The Season To Be Thirsting

“That star belongs to me!”

While Rey and Kylo tussle for the star, here are today’s Thristies!

LostInQueue

(Tumblr: @lostinqueue-ffa | Twitter: LQffa | Ao3: LostInQueue)

What got you into Star Wars?

Hubs. I never watched it until after I was married. Let's just say my parents were against us watching TV... "go play outside" was all I really knew until hubs and I were married. Heh.

What made you a Reylo? Lightbulb moment!

That was a surprise actually. I mean, I noticed it in the movies, and hoped it wasn't just actor to actress interests there... but I'm a fabric designer and was looking for references for a handful of characters including Kylo to morph into a specific art style (I can't really contractually talk about) when I came across a Reylo anime style piece and that solidified it for me. The more I researched that the more I realized it wasn't just me that thought Reylo was a thing. I'm still squealing about it every time I read reylo fanfic. <3

Why do you write / make art?

Because it is fun and I'm usually inspired by others to go forward with it. I like the excitement it brings to others too :)

Which part of Adam do you like the best?

His drive. I can get behind that. He's got the looks and that is wonderful, but the drive to be the best and the intensity he's been said to have on screen and on stage is admirable. I'm scared stupid on stage. lol...

Favorite Star Wars Movie

The Last Jedi

What do you like to write / draw / paint the most?

Action in all three. I love the angles, the way the world reacts to cause and effect, all of it. There's an intensity there that I can’t quite explain but I love it!

Your TRoS Prediction

That I'm going to drink too much soda and miss something important.

If you were an aesthetic... (colors, images, feels....)

I'd be warm fuzzy socks and a warm blanket. If I had to be a place though, I think I'd be a tall cliff looking over the ocean at sunset.

If you were a candy bar, what would your name be?

(no idea - totally open for what you guys think)

What's your ideal environment for writing / creating?

A nice warm room - but not too warm because I will fall asleep.

Are you a dom or sub?

Dom in life, sub in the bedroom. If I never met you guys, I would NEVER have had the courage to write that. :P

What's the most exotic/wierd place you've gotten intimate?

Field hockey fence... yes... outside at night...

What's your kink?

arms... eyes... hair... yep, definitely arms. Can't go wrong with feeling safe.

Use three words to describe yourself.

Kind, Optomistic, Strong

Meaning behind your nick / ID name

Oh, I always went by another one and sort of wanted to distance myself from it because it’s my gaming ID. But May is my slow month for work and I just finished a huge project by then, because of this I sort of fell down the fanfic hole and started writing in between projects. When I finally had the chance to make an Ao3 LostInQueue was born. It literally means I'm between work and play.

Are you a big spoon or little spoon?

little spoon.

Do you like it rough or soft?

Rough. I put my all into life, I better get his all... O_O I'm just sayin...

Favorite toy

I can’t honestly say.

Favorite fic you read

Rolling the Dice by our very own MizuPhoenix - It mixes all of the nerdy awesomeness I never knew I needed in a fic.

Favorite fic you wrote or favorite art you made

While I absolutely love Stars... It's a solid tie between Rey's Mechanics and Triggered. Rey's Mechanics was my first go at an AU and that opened up my nerdiness with Triggered. I've had fun in the craft ever since.

Favorite SW character besides Kylo and Rey

Rose, then Finn, can I have both of them as a favorite?

_________

Kaybohls

(Tumblr: @kaybohls | Twitter: kaybohls | Ao3: kaybohls)

What got you into Star Wars?

I was raised by a die-hard trekkie. Watching Star Trek was a weekly occurrence and something super special in our family. I have vivid memories of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and pretended to be Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge with plastic headbands over my eyes acting as my visor. When I was still a little girl, I begged and pleaded with my Trekkie single dad to let me see "the space one with the princess" and the rest is history. Headband visors became braid and hair buns, and "make it so" turned into "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." Let's save the discussion of my teenaged obsession with Han Solo for another time...

What made you a Reylo? Lightbulb moment!

I'll admit, I had the tiniest inkling of a feeling during the interrogation scene in The Force Awakens that was instantly forgotten the second that Kylo Ren, hot as he may be, killed my first true, love - Han Solo. It took time and many more viewing to understand more about the character, and by the time The Last Jedi rolled around, the INSTANT the first force bond started, I WAS ALL IN.

Which Adam look do you like the best?

It's hard to say, I love when he's in full Swolo mode, but I really can't describe how much I am loving his slimmed down, "normal" Adam look he's been sporting lately.

Which Adam avatar/ role do you like the best?

Kylo Ben, forever and ever. There's some characters I love as well, some I love to hate, but Ben will always be my top pick.

Which part of Adam do you like the best?

Easy. Dat mouth. His voice. His hands, and his eyes.

Favorite Star Wars Movie

I love ALL Star Wars. Really, I do. They all endlessly fascinate me in their own ways. I can narrow down a favorite from each trilogy, but I am SURE that The Rise of Skywalker will end up at the top of the list.

Your TRoS Prediction

I love to speculate. My friends will agree, and my family will roll their eyes, but the ONLY thing I can predict with absolute certainty, is that I will love it, no matter what. After all, it's Star Wars.

If you were an aesthetic... (colors, images, feels....)

This is probably a question best asked of someone else because, while I am a weaver of words, I find it impossible to do it for myself, haha!

What's your ideal environment for writing / creating?

My Star Wars shrine of an office and zero interruptions. Music is a must. I get an astonishing amount of work done when I’m locked in a dark room with noise-canceling headphones on.

Are you a dom or a sub?

Dom, definitely.

What's the most exotic/wierd place you've gotten intimate?

A charter bus. How, when, and what is a good story for another time.

Use three words to describe yourself

If I hyphenate, can I use more? Awkwardly-charming. Protective. Clever.

Meaning behind your nick / ID name

It’s a combination of my middle and last names because, for a creative writer, I couldn’t come up with anything more interesting. 😂

Are you a big spoon or little spoon?

BIG SPOON. I can't fall asleep without cuddling my husband's ass. I HATE being the little spoon - don't stifle me with your love!

Do you like it rough or soft?

Wouldn't you like to know? Hehehe....The romantic writer in me wants to say soft...but I'm a naughty girl...

Favorite toy

Lelo Sona - The OG Goat!

Favorite fic you read

I've read so, SO many amazing fics, but there's a few that really stand out. The Sword of the Jedi (Like Young Gods/To Kingdom Come) will FOREVER be glued to my heart.

Favorite fic you wrote or favorite art you made

Stardust. Forever and always. I could write a hundred things and this one would still be at the top.

Favorite SW character besides Kylo and Rey

Can I pick two? Yes? Okay good. HAN and LEIA.

____________

Meet the Other Thirsties! Thirst Order Advent Calendar Day:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

cc: @tazwren @drnucleus @ashtyntaytertot @deadlikemoi @nite0wl29 @thereylowritingden @housedadam @houseplaidam @house-crylo @housereysistance @my-jedi-life @shestoolazytologin @koderenn @thoseindarkness @areylofan @lostinqueue-ffa @queenoferebor @kaybohls @cosmo-gonika @roguesinside @wilsonthinks66 @dangertaylor

#reylo #reylo fam #reylo fanfic #reylo fanart

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