#realistically there isn't but also sometimes there's things he mentions that make me go absolutely insane

[clingyduofan]

any s4 subz enjoyers out there. I cannot stop thinking about him

#zeph.text #help. it's 4am and have to get up in six hours. #I have so many thoughts about his character (specifically pre eclipse fed cause I haven't watched past that) and i can't for the life of me #put them into words #goddddd I need to watch more of his vods but I do Not want to sit through all of that building #ITS SO BORING #but also I don't want to skip more vods cause what if there's something in there that I don't want to miss ... UGH #realistically there isn't but also sometimes there's things he mentions that make me go absolutely insane #like how his axe was named Exodus. a reference to the wormhole like 40 streams in advance. #also I don't want to miss his little moments with zam... #okay it's 4:30 I really need to sleep #rare zephyr rambling moment #goodnight . im going to be so so tired in the morning 🫠

[decolonize-the-left]

Okay so as a non-American, i'm curious: what's the deal with Biden v Trump? How did it end up with only these two if everyone hates them so fucking much? If there are only two candidates, and neither are votable, what are people supposed to do on election day? Do you have a way of annulating the vote such that it doesn't just go to the candidate with the most votes? Or are you planning to just not vote and pay the fee? Wait, is voting even compulsory over there? If it isn't, are you just gonna not vote? Would that be better? Or is there some mysterious 3rd candidate no one's mentioned?

Dems & Republicans the only parties with ballot access because they're the only parties with money. They have money because they serve the interests of corporations, shareholders, etc.

Non-democrat and non-republican parties have limited ballot access across the 50 states and in order to get on the ballots, they have to meet whatever the standards are for ballot access in each individual state. Sometimes it's automatic, sometimes they need petitions, sometimes they need a Lot more than that. And doing all that costs money which again, a lot of them don't have.

If you don't have ballot access in all 50 states then you are at a risk of losing. You see, each state has a designated number of delegates. You need a certain amount to win. Some states have over 100 delegates. If you don't have ballot access in all 50 states then you NEED to win more delegates in the states you do have just to keep up.

This is why most people are stuck voting democrat or Republican even if we don't want to. And it's why we're told they're the more "realistic" choices.

That said, tere are several Really Decent 3rd parties running and I intend to vote for Jasmine Sherman if she's on my ballot in November. She is an AMAZING candidate if you ask me. Not perfect, but leagues ahead of our other options.

HOWEVER. Do to more bullshit, my vote won't matter as the state I'm in sends their delegates to whoever the majority of the state votes for... Which will likely be Biden.

Also Biden is only the nominee of democrats at the moment. He is not the only democrat running. The Democratic party does hold a Primary Vote to determine who will be the official nominee. Democrats have Very Shitty options this year. None are as shitty and violent as Biden, but- actually idk why they don't just vote for someone else. They could absolutely vote for a different democratic nominee.

The primaries are happening right now though, and it doesn't seem like that will happen.

Republicans do the same thing. Trump is running as Republican and like Biden, is expected to win the primary.

The winners of the primary are who people have a choice to elect for president in November.

Hence why our options are Biden v Trump.

Other 3rd party candidates will hold their own primaries (if the party they're in has more than one person running).

Again tho, there is no guarantee that they will be on the ballot in every state.

I personally don't know if annulating a vote is even possible.

Voting is not compulsory & there is no fee for not voting.

It's also not entirely accessible and every year democrats and Republicans fuck with voter boundaries and cut more polling places which makes voting take like ALL DAY if there's only one poll near you that needs to serve your region. God forbid you're disabled or elderly and want to cast a vote in a place like that..

TLDR: Our entire voting system is absolute trash and intentionally complicated to keep the capitalist two main parties in power.

#asked #answered #god the USA fucking sucks #vote #voting

[fairytoge]

dating headcanons ; k.choso, z.naoya

notes!!

this only took me like,,, four months to complete this 😭 but i hope you enjoy!!

other parts ; n.kento, g.satoru, g.suguruㅤi.yuuji, f.megumiㅤi.toge, o.yuuta

m.list

k.choso

the loml choso (not including all the other lomls)!!

but anyway!!! choso is an absolute sweetheart, as long as you're not fighting against him in a battle or anything

he 10000% would do pretty much anything and everything to make you happy or to just make you smile

he loves you sm it makes other people cringe... you two are definitelyyy the couple people see in public and slightly grimace at because they're so in love

he'd probably do subtle pda but if you don't like that sort of stuff, he wouldn't do it!! he loves you too much to make you uncomfortable and push your boundaries

he's basically like a typical gentleman?? like when people say that men aren't like how they used to be, choso is their ideal man!!!

summary: he's so in love and whipped for you

but it's vvvvv endearing!!!

i think, as soon as you two begin officially seeing each other, he'll want to introduce you to his brothers and get their opinion on you too

they mean the world to him and he would probably love nothing more than for the people he loves most to also be friends!!

someone help me the older brother issues are realll

but yeah, he's just a sweetheart and would worship you like a god if you asked him to <3 (he does that without you asking 🤭)

choso would also go along with whatever you say 99% of the time!! the 1% off is when it endangers you lmao

if you call him some dumb nickname or do the trend where you call a s/o the most random things, he will genuinely take it as a compliment so seriously that it makes your heart hurt

he's a bitttt naive, but you love him!! and he definitely loves you omg

z.naoya

i hate his personality but he's hot 😔 so!! this is gonna be kind of ooc for him icl

dating naoya issss.... interesting? he's got a unique character for sure

realistically, you probably wouldn't see him that often assuming that he's a full-time sorcerer and you are a housewife (or househusband!!)

but, the times that you do see him, you are both so sappy and touchy with each other, no matter who or what is around

naoya is spoiled, so it doesn't come as a surprise to know that he has always been able to get what he wants, and that nothing has changed since he was a child

with this in mind, he would definitely not be shy about pda, unless you're both in a proper environment like a clan meeting i guess...

he probably wouldn't even let you in there though 😭 his superiority complex is off the charts

pleaseee start training him to not act like a creep

leading on from this!! naoya would treat you like a princess if you're both truly in love, and would stop at nothing to get you what you want!

you mentioned that you would like the garden to be redesigned so that you can plant more flowers? done! the kitchen isn't to your standards? it's gone before you can look at it for another second!

suddenly you understand why he is the way he is, because if this is the life he's been living, it's 100% worth it lmao

i also feel like naoya has tunnel vision for you!!

like, let's say that he's come home from exorcising a curse, or from a particularly hard mission, and being more impolite to the servants than normal as he literally hunts you down in your own home

he lowkey scares you but not in a bad way?? he's just kind of intimidating sometimes, without meaning to be!

overall, naoya would probably be a good s/o to have!! as long as he loves you 😭

© fairytogeㅤ ꔫㅤ please do not copy, repost, translate, etc without my permission

#jjk #jjk x reader #jjk x y/n #jjk x you #jujutsu kaisen x you #jujutsu kaisen x y/n #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen headcanons #choso #choso kamo #kamo choso #choso x reader #choso kamo x reader #choso x you #choso kamo x you #choso fluff #choso x female reader #choso x y/n #naoya zenin #naoya x reader #naoya x you #naoya x y/n #zenin naoya #naoya zen'in x reader #naoya zen'in x you #choso jjk #jjk fluff #jjk naoya #jjk fanfic

[thelongesttumble]

I had the urge to talk about my love for Hal Jordan so I'm gonna go over a few panels from "Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #23"

Before I get into it, I'd like y'all to know that I've not done anything like this on here before so if it's formatted weirdly, I sincerely apologize!

With that out of the way, allow me to ramble:

First things first, I relate to Hal's fear in nearly every scenario. His fear is depicted so realistically and there have been moments where I've been afraid of letting people down and not being good enough. I've also always had a fear of failing even when I try the absolute hardest I can. The panel with Hal's hand on his face is genuinely one of the most emotional for me since I'm seeing one of my favorite heroes almost give up. At what seems like the 11th hour, Hal hears the voice of someone he loves and looks up to most...

In case you don't know, Hal Jordan lost his dad at a very young age due to a test pilot accident. This isn't even really the same thing but I've also grown up without a father figure in my life. My father isn't dead by any means but he was never there, so in a weird way I can relate to not having a father figure for the majority of my life. Now the person I love most is different from who I look up to most but it's all basically the same. The way Hal just instantly feels better when he hears his father's voice and sees a figment of his dad is something that reminds me of myself. Not too long ago I was having a rough time and I decided to just call my mom so I could hear her voice, and I sometimes scroll through images I have of my girlfriend to make myself feel better too.

I just love how feel-good this page is. The lighthearted tone in a stressful situation is something I think nearly everyone enjoys.

And then having that moment where you have to collect yourself and process everything while so much is going on is peak relatability (I'm sometimes not okay lmao)

As mentioned previously, there are two people who I love most, and they are constantly on my mind, the same way Hal says his dad is always on his mind. The sentimentality in this page gets me every time. I have these moments where I close my eyes and think about things my mom would say to calm me down and it always works. I just love their relationship as father and son.

And this page is just the most emotional overall. Hal telling himself that he's basically going to overcome his fear is powerful. I've not done that myself until like 3 years ago after getting into Green Lantern. It's honestly one of the healthiest habits that I've gained and I have Hal Jordan to thank for that. Afterwards, Hal feels confident in himself again and it all boils down to being a second wind.

The motivation that his dad gives is similar to the motivation I get from not just my mom or my girlfriend, but all of my friends. I've always felt really good after having some sense smacked into me so having a character who gets that is really endearing to me.

I could dive into so much more about why I love Hal Jordan but it comes down to how amazing his ability to overcome great fear is. There's a reason he's considered the "greatest Green Lantern of all time". His ability to overcome great fear gives me the motivation to overcome my fears. His willpower has found its way into my mental health and it has honestly helped me get through some really dark times.

I don't think I'd be where I'm at today if not for Hal Jordan, and I'm really grateful for that.

#green lantern #green lantern corps #hal jordon #hal jordan and the green lantern corps

[abloomingsunflower]

Unpopular opinions.. :,)

[TW!! Mentions of pedophilia, abuse and rape]

1- Honestly? I absolutely despise Crescent x Palette. This is the one thing I really hate about Crest, him showing romantic love towards a FUCKING MINOR- Otherwise he's a pretty great guy, but did he really have to catch feelings for Palette? He's freaking 25 for fucks sake.

"God did say, love is love.."

"And jail is jail."

I fucking ADORE Lux for saying that! <3 Though she is the villain in this story, she did the right thing for once and stood up against this. What in the world would possibly make pedophilia okay?!

The fact Palette reciprocates though..And even ended up dating him in another timeline.

I'm sorry, it's just- ew.. I'm glad he stops hanging out with Crescent but I hate the fact he still does like the priest. Crescent should honestly put his morals before his desires and get rid of his feelings for Palette.

I know I made this ship happen in the Good Ending of Sunflower AU, but it was only for lore purposes for this ending's future arc. Imagine it like a choice in a videogame, that leads to a certain route: Palette chooses Crescent, thus Arti becomes queen and ends up catching the Hanahaki disease, out of her love for Palette. And now Crescent has left too and she can't handle all the stress of being all by herself. And this is where Neon steps in to save Artemis.

Other than that, I absolutely hate this ship and it makes me super uncomfortable. Also one of the reasons why the Good Ending isn't canon.

I feel terrible for making it canon in the good ending but I need that future arc lore man- Or, yk, might change stuff. That seems like the better option.

2-Believe it or not, I actually started to like Killer.

She's portrayed pretty well, and her reactions to trauma seem very realistic to me.

I would react that way if I was tricked that my son was a monster that killed my other son. I would be in shambles mentally and always on guard if I experienced the same traumas Killer did.

While indeed, I don't find her mean comments pleasant, can I really blame her? She never asked to be put in this situation and she was already mentally unstable before Cor.Nightmare suddenly fell for her and forced his way into her.

She's trying to be a good mother to kids that remind her too much of her abuser. (-Merciless I guess.)

Like..damn. This woman has gone through a lot already, she deserves some peace and hope.

Hehe..get it?

:,)

3-Sometimes I wish Cross and Cor.Nightmare didn't do such huge fuck-ups.

I..honestly don't know what to think of them. I shouldn't like them. They've both done the most unforgiving stuff ever and I fucking hate them for that.

I feel bad for Cor.Nightmare due to what he endured in the past, he reminds me so much of Mateo from that Homesick webtoon. I just- have mixed feelings towards Corrupted. I HATE ITTTT..-

And Cross? If it weren't for the fact that he genuinely seems like that one uncle who's fucked up BADLY and was kicked out of the family but somewhat does regret everything he's done, and that in The Sunflower AU I ship him with Albedo/Wicked, he'd be dead to me-

I feel like a horrible person for SORT OF tolerating these two..UGHHH-

4- This isn't really an opinion, more like a question- I've always wondered, WHY is Lux so mad at Palette that she wants him dead? Like- what is going on, what did he do that did so much damage?

Passive definitely has part in this mess, that's for sure. And I know Palette was a bratty kid at the time who always spouted bad words unknowingly, because that's how small his brain was back then- Was the situation THAT bad..?- Like- Damn-

5-And finally, I want to express my genuine opinion on Drop's crush on Merciless..

WHO IS TEACHING HER THESE STUFF- Istfg if it is Goth encouraging her I won't be surprised- I am sending the nuclear bombs on that white-haired Karen-looking bitch

I am in my silly goofy mood right now and I feel like DESTROYING-

Someone, anyone, for the love of god, please, she's precious, but fucking get these stuff out of the 10 year old's brain-

Merciless, Ink, Dream, Hope, PALETTE, I am looking at you, tell her this is wrong- Don't let her become like her future self in E.L.A's good ending- Please- SOBS-

Anywho, yes I wish Drop didn't like Merciless romantically and try to get his attention like that..- But she's just a kid, maybe she'll learn in the Surprise Ending..-

E.L.A and all it's characters belong to @anotherrosesthatfell

I was in my silly goofy mood, Rose- I don't mean to insult, just pointing out some stuff I don't like in E.L.A. Other than these, I think the AU and characters are pretty well-written.

#a sunflower in full bloom au #evil lux au #too lazy to put other tags. #unpopular opinions?

[lucienne-thee-librarian]

Best and Worst sandman spinoffs 👀

Ooh okay, thanks!! Now I kind of feel awkward because in compiling this list I realize I might have to walk back what I said in that tag a little. I mean I did mention "obvious stuff like Overture and the Death comics" but putting all the stuff I think is good out there it really makes me realize how many good Sandman spinoffs and side issues there are. So...sorry if the Worst list is a lot shorter than the best *shrug*. I kinda wrote those tags without thinking too hard, and still bitter off reading the one thing that topped my Worst section. But if you just want whatever my opinions are anyway, then I figured why not?

So, in this list, I'm counting anything that isn't the original Sandman series that ended with the Wake as spinoff. That includes things written by the original author. This obviously contains spoilers for everything I'm gonna mention.

Best:

Sandman Overture (slight spoilers incoming): Obsessed with absolutely everything about this book. The story: immaculate and ties up a lot of loose ends about how our sad wet cat of an anthropomorphic personification got weakened enough to be imprisoned in the first place. Desire and Dream have to work together to literally save the cosmos and the group project goes off so well it makes their constant rivalry feel all the more tragic, because it shows what a massive cosmic goddamn waste it all was. What was it all for? What could they accomplish together if these characters were different enough to be capable of putting their pride and grudges aside more than once in a blue moon? What could their world look like? We find out the origin of Dream's Hope, a thing we thought we understood but this gives that moment a whole new meaning. And the art - good lord, sometimes I just like to stare at a panel, because every artist who worked on this comic apparently snapped and it is glorious.

Death: The Time of Your Life. I mean: this is a story written by the series original author and it shows. It has two dysfunctional lesbians at the center whose love for each other and their son still manages to be powerful enough to be the core of the story and catch the attention of an Endless. Also: Death is here and wonderful as always. And it's beautifully written and I'm never going to stop being weak over it. It means so much to me.

Endless Nights: again, written by the same author as Sandman and the illustrations in almost every section are either gorgeous or fucking haunting: and each one is a story where the other Endless get to shine. How can I not stan.

Death, the High Cost of Living: It features Death really heavily so right there...yeah. And the male protagonist, while he seems annoyingly broody at times, feels like a really realistically written teenager who's gone through some serious stuff in his life. I just love this story, it's short but wonderful.

Dream Hunters: this feels like a simple fairytale at first where Dream barely features at the end, but it sucks you in and the art style is unique and very well done. This book to me is proof that a story doesn't even need to be cosmic in scope to be a compelling tale that even still feels like one small story in that same world. It's not like, my favorite but I stand by what I said that it is a solid story with lovely art to bring it to life.

Worst:

Simon Spurrier's run of the Dreaming. If this is a favorite of yours, please just skip the bulleted sections lol, I'm sorry.

Honestly it's not all bad, some people hate it a LOT more than I do, but it just frustrates me so much. Because to me, it could easily have been salvaged, with heavy editing or some things being better fleshed out. In the end, it just SCREAMS wasted potential to me. It started off being decently written, and there were some not-terrible ideas in theory such as Dora's backstory, or the greatest threat to the realm of human dreams being an AI made up by someone who wants more control over the world and thinks he could run it better. In theory I even like the idea that Daniel makes some poor life choices and it causes consequences for his realm as he has to learn the responsibility of a ruler.

I like those elements in theory...but in execution?? God. It all felt SO half baked and several people (Lucien and Mervyn) got pulled pretty far out of character. And in the end, Daniel and Dora both left me utterly cold. I honestly feel like the writer couldn't make up his mind what he wants Daniel to be as a character, and Dora just...ehh. She was clearly meant to be sympathetic and there were moments I WANTED to sympathize: but idk, I just couldn't connect with her. She kind of had the vibe, to me, of someone's first OC they wrote when they were 13 who's bitchy in a kind of cringey #Girlboss way, but it's supposed to be charming solely because she has a tragic backstory.

Then you take the fact that the Walker clan gets brought back - and yet with no real resolution, no more than the Wake left?? This could've made the frankly baffling plot Rose got in Kindly Ones be the start of something more, maybe Desire's actions could have been given some purpose or explanation. But...nope.

Miranda Walker is half Endless yet she manages to die of cancer - even if she was half human, I find it a little difficult to believe that she would be able to die the exact same way a normal human would given what we know of Orpheus' fate in the original series. She's in pain but it doesn't feel like there's any real struggle in the end. But that's a pretty minor nitpick...my real beef is, she gets next to no lines and nothing to do, she contributes nothing to the plot. We learn little to nothing of her relationships with Rose and Jed, or Ivy. This woman is the child of Desire and I have ALWAYS thought she deserved to be more fleshed out. But we get even less than Neil Gaiman ever gave us, her character is quietly poofed out of things without so much as a whimper, and we never learn anything more about who she was. Jed fares little better, I don't think he even appeared.

Rose does get more to do, thank God. But in the end she gets no resolution, even a tragic one, no answers, she isn't allowed to grow. She even gets to interact with her grandfather but the possibilities for serious drama and tragedy dealing with the fallout of that are all swept to the side in favor of plot drama from characters like Dora Daniel and Ivy, who...existed, I guess.

If you're wondering why I'm not talking about Waking Hours, Kiernan's Dreaming or the Season of Mists manga at all, its simple: I haven't actually read any of them all the way through. I've only seen some panels of the manga in passing online and the descriptions of the premises. I REALLY want to see if I can get my hands on copies or find them online and read them for myself. I've heard that the Season of Mists manga and Kiernan's Dreaming are kind of cracked out and weird, but that only feeds my curiosity tbh. I've also heard Waking Hours is good.

Sorry this list was so incomplete, but thanks!! I appreciate the chance to ramble lol

#sandman #sandman overture #death: the time of your life #endless nights #dream hunters #despairoftheendless

[alovelyburn]

This became ranting halfway through so feel free to delete/ignore.

Related to recent discussion but not necessarily confined to Berserk. Lately I've just disliked calling antagonists or characters I write 'evil' at all. I tried introducing a new OC of mine to an acquaintance once and their immediate question was 'are they good or evil'?

What does it matter! Are you banned from liking them if they're evil? What if their morality and actions are too complex to sum up in a good-or-evil dichotomy? What if they begin as a hero and undergo a corruption arc? What if they begin as a villain and undergo an atonement arc? What if I just made them for a cutesy slice-of-life comic where the stakes are so low there don't need to be heroes and villains? What if they're super ambiguous and there are no right answers about their morality? And again, even if they were evil, does that somehow prevent you from liking them?

I just feel like labelling my characters as 'evil' makes them more boring, or misleads certain audiences into thinking the story will go a certain direction when it won't. I like putting my villains through redemption arcs and my heroes through corruption arcs. Not to mention how... I am a weird writer who has to understand my villain and what they desire and why they do what they do completely before I can make them do anything. I can't just have them kicking puppies for funsies, that just causes my brain to stutter to a halt and go 'but... what's the point of this????? to what end???'

I dunno. Maybe I'm too idealistic?

But overall I just. Find evil-for-the-sake-of-evil villains so unbelievably boring. They feel more plot device than character, and the longer they spend on-screen, the more I start to get bored by them. They can catalyze fun situations but they just... don't feel interesting. Griffith, and other villains and ambiguous characters who fandom tends to flatten, is more fun and interesting as a deeply flawed person than as Secretly Satan Incarnate All Along.

So one of the conversations I used to get into a lot during my days with the DC Fandom was this idea of Evil Villains, right like... people complaining that all the villains these days have tragic pasts and aren't just evil for the sake of being evil anymore.

This is also a complaint a friend of mine had when Aizen's motivations came out in Bleach back in the day - she was disappointed that he wasn't just a power hungry bastard. And then Gin's motivations came out and she was even more unhappy about that.

And this is one of those things that I'm never going to understand, I think. In part just because I think in most cases, characters who can be easily labeled as "evil" are kind of, you know, boring just like you said. They're flat. This isn't definitely all the time absolutely true, but it is I think true as a general rule, at least to me. It's also not realistic. Even the most evil people in history weren't sitting around like, yes today I will grease and twist my mustache and go out there and be Evil.

Fiction being fiction sometimes you can sometimes get away with it, I think, but that's the other thing: IMO when you do have a character who can be described as evil by nature, just evil - a Joker, or a Darkseid, that kind of thing - their absolute pointless malevolence pops more when they are a rarity. If you consider every character being plotted somewhere on a hypothetical graph where their point is placed at the intersection of the reasonableness of their goal and the tactics they use to get those things done, I feel like very few characters should be like... at the all-for-nothing extremes right like, if you have a character that's at 0 on reasonableness and 100 on extremity of tactics you've created an Absolute Monster, which may or may not be what you're going for but something that extreme should really stand out in my personal opinion. It shouldn't be just like one heartless monster in a crowd of thousands, that makes them less memorable and honestly it makes the story less memorable because one absolute monster can be chilling but a crowd is so over the top as to be unbelievable.

All of which is a long long winded way of getting around to, yeah I agree with you. I don't really think it's too idealistic - I mean I think the same thing and I'm a cynical realist so. Rather, I think the tendency to imagine that people who do awful things do those things because it's just fun to cause pain or even "because they're evil" is a little reductive. Everyone has motivations - some are better than others, but everyone has them.

On the subject of whether a character being evil means you can't like them, though, I think to some people the answer to that is "Yes..." but the thing is, I'm not really sure if I believe them. Is that actually a thing? Because in my experience when I actually talked to them a lot of the time I ended up feeling like that's not true, they just frame "liking" the character differently because Morals.

It's like all the people who are like, "I don't understand how anyone could like Griffith, I mean sure maybe if you like him as an interesting character and a well-constructed villain but how do you LIKE HIM?" Because I'm not sure what they think Griffith fans actually mean when they say they like Griffith, but it's usually something like "what a well-constructed and fascinating character." Speaking for myself, anyway, I just don't feel obligated to put up "BUT ONLY AS A VILLAIN YOU GUYS" disclaimer up when I say it.

#ask #stainedglassthreads #thoughts on writing #and stories #and stuff

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

hi! may i request a romantic matchup for star rail, tears of themis, and bungou stray dogs please?

my name is twyla, i go by she/any pronouns, i’m acespec but im ok being matched with any gender. my mbti is intp or istp

appearance: i dye my hair pretty often throughout the year but right now it’s black with magenta pink highlights, exactly like draculaura but with a wolf/butterfly haircut and short/baby bangs. i have brown eyes and i’m quite curvy. i usually dress in a bold alternative style and occasionally academia, my style is really all over the place and depends on how im feeling but i’d say im pretty fashionable and often go out looking like a mall goth HAHA.

personality: im super chill and laid back, nothing really bothers me nor do i show it. im very patient with other people even when im annoyed by them. i come off as very monotone and stoic and i have really dry and sometimes offensive humor that would honestly get me cancelled by twitter in a matter of seconds. i joke around a lot and i usually have trouble taking things seriously. im kind of scatterbrained and get bored easily, and am always seeking some form of entertainment or mental stimulation. i’m definitely a realist too and i don’t expect much out of anything nor do i hold strong opinions or beliefs. im autistic+suspected adhd and that sometimes affects how i interact with others.

likes and dislikes: im honestly super nerdy and really interested in science and math like astrophysics, i love learning how things and the world works. im an astronomy nerd (not astrology/zodiacs im so sorry i kinda hate it with a burning passion) and i love astrophotography and stargazing. i read a lot of encyclopedias and watch documentaries about things i find interesting. im not really sure about the rest of my dislikes honestly, maybe just crowded spaces and rollercoasters

hobbies: a lot of things but i like to read and draw, research stuff, and sometimes cosplay. ive mentioned i liked stargazing and astrophotography too, and photo and video editing. i also play a lot of VN or rhythm games.

thank you!!

Hi Twyla! Your current hair sound awesome! I was a big Monster High kid so it's good to hear there are still fans out there. Thank you for your request! I hope you like your matchups!

In Honkai Star Rail, I match you with...

I'm not super familiar with Arlan's personality yet so hopefully this isn't too out of character!

Arlan's not super into science stuff but he does pick up on a few things working on the Herta Space Station. He'll also try his best to keep up with whatever you're telling him about whatever scientific field has caught you interest.

Would enjoy stargazing with you. The space station is the perfect place to do that anyway and Arlan knows all of the best spots to stargaze from.

His favourite part of stargazing with you though is watching you while you explain everything you know about each constellation. He can't help it. He just thinks your pretty while talking about things you're passionate in. Don't mention the soft smile or the blush on his face...

Your sense of humour balances out Arlan's more serious nature. He likes your jokes but often won't visibly react to them. Later, when he's alone in his room, he'll think back on what you've said thought the day and have a bit of a chuckle to himself.

In Tears of Themis, I match you with...

Marius pays close attention to your interests so he can make you artwork based on them. From paintings of your favourite constellations to sculptures of your favourite cosplays, there's a new art piece being gifted to you every couple of months.

Loves your sense of humour. He can't really make those sort of jokes due to his position (no need to make more scandal than there already is) but he loves it when you make them.

Marius absolutely plays rhythm games with you. He's fairly good at them so he might give you a run for your money. He will let you win on purpose sometimes...

Already has a fairly large collection of books so he's sure there are some on astronomy in there but he'll also buy you astronomy books and encyclopedias whenever he sees on you don't have when he's out.

Marius is definitely the type of person who has hired a observatory for the evening. With just the two of you there, it's nice and quiet and you have access to all of the telescopes.

You can look at the stars and he can watch you. He's happy when you're happy so seeing you enjoy yourself as a result of something he's done means a lot to him.

In Bungo Stray Dogs, I match you with...

Junichiro is another one who will listen to everything you have to say about your interests! He's hanging on every word.

He often feels like one of the less interesting members of the Armed Detective Agency so he's always on the look out for new hobbies and interests to pick up.

Stargazing dates! He'll pack a picnic with your favourite food and drinks and will take some blankets and pillows so you stay warm and comfortable for as long as you want to stay there.

I also see Junichiro as someone who would take you on carnival or arcade dates (avoiding the rollercoasters and the majority of the crowds of course). He'd try to win you some prizes but he'd also love to play the rhythm games with you.

Time spent with Junichiro is always guaranteed to be fun and mentally stimulating.

#writing #fanfic #matchup #matchup request #request #honkai star rail #arlan #tears of themis #marius von hagen #bungo stray dogs #tanizaki junichirou

[izzyspussy]

Happy STS! What books or other media have shaped the way you think about writing the most? What did they teach you?

Okay, not gonna list books/media, but authors/directors instead. Louis Sachar, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, David Fincher, Guillermo del Toro, Jordan Peele.

Sachar in particular is absolutely the pinnacle, in my opinion, of weaving together an intricate and unweavable narrative. Every time I read or watch HOLES it sends me into fits of divine inspiration NOT joking. It also is like- You know when you see a work of art that is So Good in a very particular type of way that feels unreachable? Sachar's work is the opposite of that. It's the GOAT, but in a way that makes it clear that mastery like this can be achieved with practice and diligence to the work.

Fincher I also like for intricate storytelling, as well as his skill with building suspense (something I am currently struggling with in Curse The Messenger).

I love and aspire to Gaiman's mastery of build-up pay-off, especially how he can build an entire book (or 30 minute cold open) into a single, succinct line that simultaneously means half a dozen things and also one precise thing, all shining a spotlight on the themes of the piece and also sometimes being a pun. I 100% do this, I go into every work looking to do it, and I do it because of him. Entirely.

Pratchett and Adams I admire and try to emulate for their particular flavor of satire, as well as their zany metaphors. I don't really write comedy - I don't think I'm built for it - but I think sardonics and absurdism can both have an effective place in any genre. I really like to utilize comedic tools in tragedy, I think it's incredibly effective and also makes the material more readable, and those in particular happen to be my favorite and in my opinion are the most versatile without being trite or quickly dated.

I love the way del Toro's genre fiction is also - kind of inescapably - High Art TM. He takes the campiest and/or grittiest possible concepts or subjects and depicts them with Elegance. I'm also always a slut for a story that is dark not from the absence of light, but from the smallness of it. Metaphorically speaking. He's just really great at tragedy that isn't a bummer. Peak.

Peele. How does he do it. Everything he makes is at once impeccably subtle and completely blatant. Everything he makes is at once terrifying and hilarious. (I think much horror-comedy either swings wildly back and forth between the two, or else is not actually scary at all.) His storytelling is also really tight like Sachar and Fincher, but imo has a more natural and realistic feeling to it. I also just really vibe with his concepts. I didn't really get Us (judging from its reception, that's absolutely a me problem), but Get Out and NOPE both have a message/allegory that I really believe in or identify with or however you'd describe that kaskfls. I hope one day my work will communicate its ideas just as well.

Honorable mentions to AJ White, Chuck Tingle, Joy Demorra, RoAnna Sylver, Harley LaRoux, Alice Scott, Magen Cubed, Rebecca Sugar, Joseph Fink, and the McElroy brothers for showing me I really can make whatever the hell I fucking want to and no matter what it is it can still be Good TM and I can still Make It TM - as well as that Making It TM can mean whatever kind/level of success is right for me.

Wonderful question, Marigold! Thank you!

#jack facts #jack chats #writing process #reading process #sts #what a group of people huh

[sneezysinclown]

!!TSAT SPOILERS!!

So I read it. And I really don’t overall feel too strongly about it. I mean it’s not my favorite book in the world, but I don’t hate it. That being said there were a couple things that no one wants me to but I feel the need to rant about. Just a quick warning if you loved the book and don’t want to hear any criticism that's totally fine, this post isn't for you :)) I don’t want to bash anyone’s enjoyment there are just somethings that I think need to be talked about. And listen, I get that it’s a kid's book, and I know that some of the criticisms are completely unwarranted, but I still think that it deserves some regardless. (And i’ve seen the argument that this book is getting more criticism/hate bc it’s centered around a gay couple and not a hetero one which is valid in some respects but is also used to discredit a lot of legitimate criticism) So that being in mind here’s my two cents on a few things.

First of all, the relationship dynamic. I have always liked the ship (or the idea of it) fairly well. And I really tried to be completely open to however it would be presented in the book seeing as so much of it that I know was created by the fandom. I have to say overall it wasn't bad. There are many genuinely sweet moments and for the most part their dynamic makes sense considering their age and experience. But while reading both perspectives something I couldn't shake at times was how one-sided it felt. This ties into something I see pretty much everyone talking about which is the off-putting way Will's character was written at times. I felt like Nico was always talking about how beautiful Will was, how sweet and kind and good he was (which don't get me wrong was nice), but I felt like I saw barely any of that from Will. It felt kind of uncomfortable at times, especially with the whole point of their relationship being that Will accepts Nico and reciprocates his feelings. I don't really have anything else to say on that but I will mention how I did genuinely enjoy how the relationship wasn't as developed and close as could have been made out to be. They were flawed and were developing and learning how to support each other which was what made some parts so lovely. I feel like that was realistic.

Alright now the Persephone’s Garden scene and the framing of Will’s character. From what I've seen people either absolutely hate or totally love this scene. Again, I'm somewhat neutral on it as a whole I think in theory it could have been nice but with the weird way the authors went about writing Will it again just fell sort of flat. The conversation Will has with Persephone where (to my understanding) he asks her how he is supposed to love Nico felt very odd to me. It, along with a few other scenes, made it feel like Will's purpose with Nico was to "fix" him. Which I mean??? Again, the is the whole thing about their relationship not that Will accepts Nico as he is?? I feel like this line of thinking from Will could have been an interesting subject to talk about to develop his character and his and Nico's relationship, but it was never acknowledged. Sometimes it felt like the writing was trying to make you like Will or sympathize with him but it just didn't work and instead did the opposite. (also the whole thing with him calling his boyfriend's stepmom the "most gorgeous person he'd ever seen" right to his face didn't sit well with me but that's just kinda a personal thing).

So can most of us agree that the coming out thing was weird? I'm not going to say too much on it bc honestly I'm just kind of baffled. The whole thing felt very uncharacteristic and was framed as Nico like "taking back his power" or something but just kinda left me like :/. After everything Nico struggled with (and was still struggling with) it felt very disrespectful to his character. But yeah, again, :/?

Finally, what was that first kiss? Seriously? I’m sorry but it really didn't sit right with me. Nico’s breaking down bc his best friend is DEAD and Will chooses that moment to kiss him or the first time? And it’s made to seem all romantic and sweet? What would have been sweet would have been Will being there (which he admittedly was) and helping Nico work through his grief however Nico needed him to. After all Nico’s been through surrounding his sexuality the fact that he’d be okay with that makes no sense. This really made it feel like they were throwing all of Nico’s previous baggage out of the window for this scene (or book lol). It should have been treated with more respect. I feel like Nico should have initiated it. The way it was done didn't really feel meaningful it felt disrespectful to BOTH their characters. And I’ve seen people saying that Nico kissed Will when he was upset plenty of times throughout the book and people criticizing the first kiss scene are just doing it to villainize Will. Ya’ll. That. is. Not. the. Same. thing. Kissing someone FOR THE FIRST TIME while they're going through tremendous grief and in distress to comfort them and kissing someone who you’ve been dating for a while and kiss casually all the time while their upset to comfort them are VERY different situations. I’m not trying to say Will is horrible, I honestly think that a great deal of backlash for his character is undeserved, I’m just confused to why anyone would think that was a good decision. In the end, I think the scene really just boils down to a complete misunderstanding of a character on EITHER author's end. 

So yeah in conclusion:

#posting is nerve wracking #this is a lot #but what do i know lol #tsats #the sun and the star #tsats spoilers #the sun and the star spoilers #solangelo #will solace #nico di angelo

[actualbird]

No need to apologise for the late chapter, stuff happens! Besides, it sounds like work got really busy so it's good you took care of that and yourself first. Now onto more fic related things, my streak of catching the chapters of this fic as they update is now broken, guess I'm back to reading your fics like a morning newspaper!

So I didn't know about Marius going overseas for Giann and his dad until this fic and this was a hell of a way to find out ouch,,,only sixteen and he's making decisions like that...

The cooler lawyer dfxtuxtu sorry Artem Marius plays favourites.

Oh. Oh no. The argument was bound to happen sooner or later but. That was. That was really bad oh god you were not kidding about going full throttle with the angst. The worst part is Marius isn't even wrong but Giann couldn't really do anything about it either so in the end there's really no one to blame.

Oh thank god Ria my beloved. What a scene to walk into though how is she taking charge of the situation so well? Absolutely adore her, I wouldn't know what to do if I were in that situation.

Wasn't Ria giving orders during the rescue too? She's definitely the leader of the polycule.

So as someone who used to adore the textbook grand declarations of romance and probably still loves them even now (of course I do, my favourite is Vyn and his eagle spiel in personal story 3 is about as dramatic a speech as you can get), I really like the more realistic take on it that Ria's giving here. Because it's true, no one can be expected to never hurt someone ever, that's just not realistic. And not all the ways people hurt each other have to blow up in a huge fight like what happened in this fic, sometimes it's an unintentionally insensitive statement that you let your partner know hurt you and they apologise and try their best not to say it again, but that doesn't change the fact that hurt was dealt. So as much as grand declarations of love are romantic and heartwarming, I think keeping in mind they can't always be kept is also important, and I adore this fic for it.

Leave it to Ria to give the best love advice ever. And by extension you because how in the world did you put this into words??? Years of getting love advice of all kinds from fanfics to school talks to parents and this fic put into words the best advice I could possibly get and always thought of on some level but could never make sense of. I adore this fic and your writing so, so much.

Okay moving away from the heaps of praise I give you what feels like every time I write a comment, YES THE MEETING WITH MARIUS AHAHA. It was so wild???? I look back on it now with all I know about Marius and I laugh fondly and I love him so much for it but back when I first started playing I was so annoyed by it dgkxgkf I was giving live reactions to a friend via text and I was cursing Marius out his entire introduction. Truly the dumbest thing in this entire polycule.

As always, thank you so much for writing this chapter I absolutely adored it. Giving the Artem chapter some stiff competition but it's alright they can fight it out, my favourite chapter will probably change every day between these two now. I look forward to the next chapter and the resolution with Marius!!

🌌

gmorning milkyway :DDD thank u reading the morning paper but breaking news is replaced with chapter 5 of "standard operating procedure (x4 speedrun)"

and now my comments to ur comments cuz this ask made me happy clap like a SEAL

GOD YEA THE OVERSEAS THING…..i only recently watched the card that was mentioned in and i was like hey, what the fuck? hey what the Fuck. like i was planning on writing something similar as simply an angsty tidbit i made up but then Nope, canon beat me TO IT!!!

artem isnt even offended that ria is the cooler lawyer, he Agrees uwu. marius does pick fun at ria though, marius calls artem “lawyer with better cooking skills”

funfact about the argument!: it didnt exist at all until i was halfway thru writing artem’s chapter cuz that was when i realized (rather belatedly HAHA) that giann’s worries are intrinsically wound up with protecting and helping marius

and marius…well, we havent heard his part of the story just yet and thatll come in the last chapter. but he is right. and you are also right. theres no one to blame but people in pain do all sorts of things when pushed enough

ria: awww yisss got some oranges for giann to make a Great Impression and i can also make marius go the fuck to sleep ria when she enters: ok. recalibrate. conflict de-escalation time

SHE IS THE LEADER OF THE POLYCULE!!!! THE HILL I WILL DIE ON!!! i didnt get to put it in the chapter cuz it didnt fit, but my perspective of mc be it in fanfic or canon, in platonic team dynamic or polycule, is that shes a catalyst for the grp to come together and also the glue that Keeps them together

i shake ur hand. i love love love grand declarations of romance because i love drama and also love. but also yea, love is messy as hell.

thats basically my entire thesis for this fic: love is messy and imperfect and theres no way to love anybody in any way without fucking up sometimes. but being perfect isnt what love is about, is it? it’s about working through it to become a better person for others and for yourself

jhsvfJHVJKH IM GLAD U ENJOYED THE LOVE ADVICE and that it was put into words well enough!! ria’s spiel here truly truly was one of the things i was most excited to write out, it was something i had planned from the very beginning, and it’s something i believe in a lot that i see her—a stubbornly hopeful person—to believe in as well

marius’ intro in game is the Funniest intro in the Entire Game. the absolute AUDACITY!!! I CANNOT STAND HIM (LIES. I ADORE HIM)

thank u so so SO much for this comment milkway :(((( it rlly made my whole morning :’)

#milkyway!anon #one last chapter to go!! but b4 that im gonna crosspost some fic from tumb to ao3 aaand maybe do a oneshot jhvjkhfjkGVK #asks #commints

[thisismycorneroftheinternet]

cw: mental health discussion, mentions of suicidality

It still feels so relevant to me the fact that one of the deciding factors for the psychologist to choose to actually write me a prescription for ritalin was the fact that I have violent and disturbing intrusive thoughts. Like, I never tell anyone that matters or could do decisions for me about this, because like, I feel like too many people would think I'm too far gone, or am too scary or have something absolutely wrong with me, and would want to institutionalize me. Even my parents have said as much, when not talking about me but about others, they treat it like you're two steps from being a serial killer or murderer because to think, even if involuntarily, about violent things makes you a violent person and that's wrong and evil. I still remember clearly when I confided in what I thought was safety and privacy with a long gone online friend about these impulses that I get and how it scared me that I could think of such awful things because I did not want to do those things, he told me it was the fault of my lack of faith, that I had let the devil in, and he was tempting me and testing me and I had to pray these thoughts away or else I'd fall into temptation. I had heard before of people getting dragged way into psychiatric hospital for such thoughts, and that scared me that it could happen to me, if I told anyone, so I just stopped telling people about it altogether, save for internet strangers at most. But the thoughts never ceased, and they get worse when I feel worse, to the point I've had to prohibit myself from doing certain things in my life for a while when it felt like it was really bad, and those intrusive thoughts came almost like with physical impulses to do such awful things, like I'd jolt, or my hand would move for a split second, before I caught myself and stopped it. And they terrify me at times, like, I've had panic attacks over such thoughts before, because they sometimes come in so strong and catch me off guard. And worse, they don't go away easily, they taunt me, and no matter what technique of what meditation or focus shifting or acknowledging and trying to let it go or whatever thing people tell you to use to try to reign your thoughts doesn't work as well with me, because like, I can be like "nah this isn't happening" and not even five seconds later my brain will be like "but what if??? whatcha gonna do huh??? would you like to do that????" and it's really, REALLY hard to move on from such things.

In the same vein, but a bit different, and also another factor the psychologist took in consideration, is the fact that I get a lot of thoughts and memories just stuck in my mind, mainly negative ones. I told her it's like in horror movies, when a person has an apparition that is always haunting and hovering over them, and they can try to ignore it and try to live life but when they look in a reflection the ghost is right behind them at all times. Like, it's so difficult at times to try to even feel normal when it's like your mind decides you're going to play over and over a situation you passed that made you feel miserable, or scared, or grossed out, or horrified, and it lingers, and you are trying to do that thing of like, bubbling away the memory and popping the bubble, or whatever other visualization one does to try to clear one's mind, and firstly the memory refuses to get bubbled, and even if you manage to confine it you can't make it pop at all and it's still there and it returns in full force. Or your mind will think of some scenario or thought that makes you upset and you're trying to argue with it like "nah that's not relevant nor realistic" and you're trying to just move past that thought, but once again, your mind just decides to double down on it, like a schoolyard bully trying to get a rise out of you. Like, it's really, really difficult to find peace of mind when your brain feels like it's constantly trying to get a rise out of you, and it's very, VERY insistent on it as well.

But like, once again, it's difficult to even talk about those things to people, because when you manage to actually get them to listen, they're like "why are you obsessing over those things? just move on!" and like I can't! I really can't ignore it! I know it's stupid, I feel stupid because my mind keeps on bringing up things, making up scenarios, and just creating vivid morbid fantasies, and I legit can't seem to ignore any of it! And when you argue with people about that, and argue that no meditation method really helps because your own brain will just cut in and interject with more obsession, they act like you're doing it on purpose, that you're not trying hard enough to clear your mind. It's so fucking annoying because I really don't know who to even talk to, because like, the conversation goes in circles, or the others get frustrated, or scared, or horrified, or angry at you. So of course I stopped talking about any of this, because at best I will get yelled at and be labelled "self-victimizing" or "searching for a reason to be upset", and at worst I could get institutionalized by others who think there's something really wrong with me. And, well, I did not tell any medical professionals about this, ever... I only confided on the psychologist this time because she didn't call the cops on me last time for telling her that I felt suicidal.

And like... All I just needed after all was one more fucking pill. Jeez.

#the worst is that I can't even take ritalin on a daily I know it's one of those drugs that you build a tolerance to #but goddammit today was so peaceful like I legit haven't felt this much peace of mind ever I finally had my own head for myself #no intrusive thoughts no background noise no constant dictation of everything happening around me no noises from outside pissing me off #I literally could think clearly #and that effect wears off after 12 hours... and you can't take it at night because it gives you insomnia #I would give anything in my life to have my mind be as clear as it was earlier today for the entire fucking time #siiiighhhhh #personal #mental health

[ontologicalsynaesthesia]

For the book ask: 2, 10, and 19!

ask meme here

2: top 5 books of all time

Oh nooo that's very hard. I'm at least gonna cheat and do my top 5 series, since I usually read in series.

Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb

Ship of Magic was the first adult book I ever read, when I was 11. My love for this series might be a case of "the golden age of science fiction is 12", but I've reread the whole series several times since and I do think they're just really, really good. Medieval fantasy but with some of the most well-drawn, realistic characters of anything I have ever read. FitzChivalry Farseer will forever be My Most Blorbo Of All Time, and I loved getting to follow him over the course of his entire life as he suffered endlessly as I grew up.

The Magicians Trilogy by Lev Grossman

Sometimes a book stares directly into your soul and then punches you in the face. I think The Magicians is the only book I can truly say changed me as a person, and healed me, in a way. Lev Grossman has said he wrote this series to cope with the knowledge that he would never get to go to Narnia - and oh boy are we on the same page. I'm a depressed fantasy fan who grew up figuratively escaping into portal fantasies and desperately wishing I could escape into them literally, who has always struggled with the question, "is this all there is?" And The Magicians is about a depressed portal fantasy fan who gets his heart's desire - who gets to go to Hogwarts and then also Narnia - and still finds that he's the same person on the other side, and that life just keeps going and you never stop having to learn to live with the person you are.

Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones

This wasn't an obvious addition to the list for me, but I think it's one of my most-reread series and it's never gotten old. This is mostly just a fun kids' fantasy adventure series, but it's just as fun to read as an adult - like most of DWJ's books - which I've come to really value as I've found that there are some kids' series I can't go back to now that I've grown up. Multiple worlds, DWJ's signature weird twisty puzzle plots that come together in a revelatory flash at the end of the book, weird lovable kid protagonists struggling to get by in a world they don't understand populated by adults who aren't going to help them. I like the whole series but my heart is mostly with Cat and Christopher in the first two books.

The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold

Space Opera covering a wide array of genres, with every single book a well-constructed standalone story with great dialogue, plot, themes, and character development, but also (mostly) contributing to the overarching story of Miles Vorkosigan, who is probably my Second Most Blorbo Of All Time, after Fitz. Like Fitz, we get to see him grow up from childhood through middle age, from an absolutely madcap teenager who simply will not stop both causing and solving problems constantly despite the best efforts of everyone around him, to an only slightly less madcap 40-something-year-old who... still both causes and solves a lot of problems but has also undergone a lot of character development along the way.

I'm actually having trouble coming up with a fifth series on quite the same tier as these - these are all series I've loved for 10 years minimum - so I'm going to throw out some honorable mentions: the Aubrey-Maturin Series by Patrick O'Brian (love to hang out with my friends Jack and Stephen), The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir (might make this list someday but it isn't finished yet), The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez (a standalone book that made me Feel Things more than pretty much any other book not written by Robin Hobb, but I haven't yet dared to reread it and see if it holds up a second time).

Other 2 questions going under a cut for length:

10: do you have a guilty fav?

I really wracked my brains here but I think the answer is... no? There really aren't any books I feel guilty about liking. I don't actually tend to like the sort of content that books usually considered "trashy" focus on (namely romance and action), but even when I do, I don't feel any guilt over it. I dunno, every book is there to fulfill a different artistic purpose and I don't think any of those purposes are inherently more artistic or more embarrassing or whatever than any others.

Actually no - I think I did feel kinda guilty about really enjoying the Fruits Basket manga when I was in high school. I hearby absolve my teenage self of that guilt.

19: most disliked popular books?

Haha, thank u for giving me an Excuse (though I'm also gonna tumblr-censor these because they are all popular or at least well-loved on here and also at least two of these authors are active on tumblr). These aren't necessarily popular popular books - I feel like James Patterson is too easy a target - but they're books that are popular in my book sphere, i.e. adult speculative fiction. Since tumblr has a tendency to moralize taste, I want to clarify that I absolutely do not judge anyone who does like these books - I just personally do not.

Every He/art a Do/orway by Se/anan McG/uire

Such a good premise, such bad execution. The author tried to force a novel's worth of plot into a novella and the result somehow made a series of murders feel simultaneously rushed and tedious. The characters all felt like cardboard cutouts and I didn't care about any of them enough to care that they were dying one by one, and the book just did not dig into the reactions of the children post-portal fantasy in any truly interesting ways. This book should have either been a full length novel, where the murders didn't start until the halfway point, or it should have ditched the murder plot entirely and just been a character piece. As is, it's kind of the worst of both worlds. I love the idea of examining and deconstructing the portal fantasy and looking at what would happen to portal-fantasy-d children as they grow up - see The Magicians above - and this book was so frustrating because it did not actually examine or deconstruct anything.

Mistb/orn by Brand/on San/derson

So it's now been a while since I've read this book, and I've forgotten a lot of the details, but it was so mediocre given that the author is literally one of the most popular fantasy authors in the world. Sure, the magic system was cool, but the characters were the flattest of flat archetypes and I found them so boring and annoying that I kept hoping they would get killed off so I wouldn't have to keep reading about them. This made me confidently never want to read another Brand/on Sander/son book.

A Mem/ory Called Em/pire by Ark/ady Mar/tine

I don't think it was bad, just super overhyped. I just do not get what everyone else sees in it and I wound up giving up halfway through the sequel. I see people attribute a lot of like... exploration of complicated relationships with empire and imperial cultural hegemony to it that I just did not find there - it just felt like a kinda shallow adventure with meh court intrigue that wasn't nearly as cutthroat as I was hoping it would be (this might have been an issue with my own expectations - I just really like cutthroat court intrigue.) I kept thinking about how like, the Baru Cormorant series or the Craft Sequence just do a much better job with the themes I was hoping to find here.

Ame/rican G/ods by Ne/il Gaima/n

So, I wanna clarify that I don't actually dislike this book - I've read it twice - but I think it's massively overhyped. It has a few great scenes and sections, like the thing with the car on the lake, but on the whole I think it's an incoherent mess that's all style and no substance. Neil Gaiman is great at atmosphere, but I often feel like when you... clear away the atmosphere? There's just nothing going on underneath.

#ask meme #specialagentartemis

[toujoursmiraculous]

Thoughts and Reaction to Guiltrip!

Alright, so this one is a bit more of a serious one for me. But I'll be going in order of the episode so the more serious talk will be a bit further down! First thing we get is this lovely moment:

I've already addressed it in a post, but I'll say it again here. Guiltrip is episode 11, several episodes take place before Guiltrip that we haven't seen yet, so this is awhile after Marinette and Luka broke up. We also know that Marinette has always had feelings for Adrien, even when she was with Luka. Luka always knew that fact too. None of this is new and is to be expected, obviously, when Love Square is endgame. But! I also want to point out here that this is just a soft look. Very gentle, very common. I see people looking at each other both in real life and in other shows all the time. A look that says "I adore you". And I think it's sweet! Very subtle, but enough. Something's wrong with Rose. We never get told (in this episode anyway) what it is, but it's a chronic illness that's a worry in Rose's life, ever since she was young. I feel really bad for Juleka, knowing that her friend's been struggling with an illness, and whenever something happens she has to worry about it alone. Also that really sucks when you try to cheer somebody up and make a joke, that because you were mislead about a situation you end up making things worse. Poor Marinette. :c Adrien when he realizes he's bumped into someone (and the pink bubbles to remind us of Marinette's feelings for him):

Adrien when he realizes just who it was he bumped into!:

Scroll up now and look at how Marinette was looking at Adrien earlier that day. It's the exact same look. Yet, something feels different from usual to me, idk. But continuing on. Marinette gets slightly jumbled with her words, but manages to give herself a kick and says nope not now! Good for her! You can't expect to change overnight, but she's working on it.

She looks to the side, gathering her surroundings for a split second and she misses the top step. I'd like to say that this is just a joke for the show but well, this kind of thing has happened to me a lot because I'm that much of a klutz so I feel for her here. (On Halloween I forgot that there was another step as I was walking down as I wasn't paying attention. I couldn't walk on my foot for 2 weeks. It's a serious problem, guys. Really. xDD) Marinette had told Adrien she's concerned it was something she said that upset Juleka and Adrien tells her while sometimes she doesn't make sense, what she says is never mean. This scene reminds me of when Ladybug's worried about something and Chat Noir's there to keep her grounded and remind her of how things really are. I very much appreciate seeing such a scene with Adrienette! Makes the Love Square much more rounded. Also the way he stops her and says let him go talk to her to try to help the situation and any possible misunderstandings from taking place. ;-;

Can I just say... oh my gosh. He went from determined, to hearing Marinette trying to comfort her, to looking with confidence "This girl is amazing." and the whole Ladynoir vibe I'm getting from this scene makes me happy. The thing that's unrealistic about this scene though is you expect to tell me that 8 kids went down those stairs and came up behind them and Marinette, Adrien, and Juleka didn't hear? XD Now here's where the serious comes in. Rose is hospitalized with an illness we don't know about, but has been a long-term thing that has Juleka really worried a lot. That must be so stressful :c I'm going to be honest and say I never really saw Julerose romantically. Like I can see how people do, but to me, I could see that their bond was really unique. It didn't really fit completely in the "BFF" category either. But if felt like there was more to them that I didn't really understand. I think the best example off the top of my head was during Zombizou, when Rose was going to help Chloe after she slid down Chat's stick and she went too fast for him to catch her. Juleka seemed especially worried and concerned for her. Rose never seemed to get concerned about Juleka in the same way Juleka was about Rose. Juleka's always been more protective and worried and it was always one of those things that made me go "hmm, interesting". Now this episode finally explains why and I'm honestly super glad for it. Because this kind of a relationship is not a common one in media, especially kids media. Partially because having such serious illnesses in young people is not particularly common, and having someone who's so caring and protective of that person is even less common. And most people probably don't realize how amazing it is to have health problems and then have someone in their life who acts like Juleka does for Rose. I had a life-threatening illness as a kid, one that still affects me greatly today. When in school, my friends knew about it without me having to say anything unfortunately, and while they didn't usually treat me differently, sometimes they were pretty ignorant and didn't understand why I wasn't "normal" like them. They asked questions that were harder ones to answer, and tended to forget my answers. I got a lot of "I know you have X problem but I still don't see why you can't..." as well as thinking I was lying if I said I wasn't well and couldn't go to a party, and that was hard to deal with, being limited in what you can do which makes you different and being judged for things out of your control. So seeing these kids who only know something's wrong with her, but are willing to do so much to make her life better and happier, not judging her at all, wanting to take care of her no questions asked was really heart-warming for me. I only had one friend during that time that was anything close to this. I never had to explain anything to him if I didn't want to. He never asked me personal questions I didn't want to answer. And he seemed to know what he could do to make things for me easier if I was having a hard time without me ever saying so. And this is another reminder to me that this show is aimed at kids. To show kids that they'll likely encounter someone around their age that's going through something serious like a health problem, and what that kid needs most is kindness and not to be made to feel like they're even more different from the other kids than they already feel. The way they handled that aspect of it for such a short, limited intro to it, I think they did good. I discussed this next bit with a friend. She mentioned it first, the trope where those with chronic or serious illnesses are usually an "inspiration". With this episode, you kind of get the feeling that because Rose's been through so much, she's therefore a really positive and bubbly person and it kind of gives off the vibe that if you don't view things the way she does, then you're not doing it right. "What matters isn't the problem, but how you handle it." While I agree with this, and that when you come out of or regularly deal with

such hard times, automatically trying to see the world better and brighter can easily happen, but it's not exactly realistic either, at least not to the extent Rose and other people the media has portrayed. For one, I think you have to have always been more of that kind of person from the start to realistically be so positive. As my friend said and I agree, positivity is just who Rose is, she's not who she is just for the sake of a trope. But honestly, when you've gone through something so difficult, and if life continues to throw you more difficulties on top of it, being positive so much can sometimes turn into a negative and be harmful too. When you've been through a lot, it's important to allow yourself to feel the negative too because it's part of dealing with such problems. And if you've been through a lot in life and you haven't come out of it being all sunshine and rainbows, always looking on the brighter side of things, that's perfectly okay. Life's hard and tends not to work out how we'd like, or even for the better sometimes. If being positive and hopeful after struggling is hard to do, you're not bad or wrong for feeling that way, everybody handles things differently. c: ANYWAY, moving on to the rest of the episode! Juleka being all irritated and worried that the class was going to expose her spilling Rose's secret xD While the situation isn't ideal, it's nice that this is the most involved she's seemed with everyone in the entire duration of the show. But Rose knows something's up, and I love that she talks to her about it and realizes that she should've told everyone herself instead of Juleka being the only one who knew. Which has been such a burden on her. (Oh no, what if this is a reflection of Alya knowing Marinette's Ladybug later on? I'm hoping not.) Ugh these children and how much they care about Rose! These kids are the absolute best. But then they kind of ruin it a little with going overboard. Which, frankly, I think is just ignorance of her situation really. I mean, we don't know what exactly is wrong with Rose. Just that she ends up in the hospital. If they knew about her condition, what causes her to get sick, what to look out for, etc, they'd be much more informed and much less likely to be frantic whenever something's not perfectly "normal" with her. All of these kids are going to be overprotective parents someday, aren't they?

Okay so like... are Adrien and Marinette going to question at all how Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up immediately after Juleka was akumatized, and no damage had happened outside of the school for it to be known to the public? Literally the only ones that could've possibly known were the class to have shown up that fast. ??? I am confusion. "I can't help my best friend face his father." "No, Nino..." Two things: The fact that THIS is what he's feeling guilty about? My poor Nino! Dx I just love him, he really doesn't get enough love and appreciation imo. Also, um, isn't Ladybug like right by Chat? Didn't she hear that? What? Idk but I feel like we're really missing something here. Usually we get things that are kind of hints, that make us wonder if they know right, but this? This is a bit too blaring-in-your-face, and there's two major things so close together. Really strange. Chat about to use Cataclysm on himself. Good grief that was not expected. Chat Blanc threatened to destroy himself along with everything else. Now Chat Noir while affected with negative emotions from an akuma almost Cataclysmed himself. This show really is getting deep and dark isn't it. o.o Also is there something Adrien needs to work out with someone...? Daizzi and Rose saying the other's so cute, ugh they're both so cute! And Pigella's costume and transformation is so adorable omg. Okay so Pigella's power allows people to see their biggest wish, the thing that'd make them the most happy and feel positive emotions. I know some people probably think "That's it?" Considering that Shadow Moth preys on people's negative emotions, such a power is actually extremely useful facing Shadow Moth. (And let's not forget, that while that's her power, she has the ability to fight and make a difference just from being transformed too) BUT AWWW Juleka's wish! And her face when Pigella said it aloud. ;-; Am I the only one wondering if Pigella may someday use her power on Shadow Moth and that's how they learn his motive? I'm so impressed with how Rose knew how to handle everything. She knew she can't slip up with Juleka. She knew to sneak away to detransform and come back as Rose. She knew to subtly give the Miraculous back so nobody would ever know she had it. Even Chat Noir had no idea! I don't know why, I'm just so very proud of that. "She doesn't need a Miraculous to be a superhero." She really has the characteristics of one, and I can't wait to see more of Pigella. Also I'm really wondering. This scene here:

All the kids that are part of that friend group are there...except Marinette and Adrien, of course. Alya knows why Marinette isn't there. But is she wondering about why Adrien isn't there too? LOL Marinette being like "I'm taking your pillow back, sorry! Gotta wait for it like everyone else." and the boys being like LE GASP. Marinette's right, she's not fragile! The fact Rose jokes with her and makes everyone laugh, and Chloe saying "Hey, why doesn't everyone laugh when I say something like that?!" Adrien: Because in your case, it's never a joke. Chloe: Hm, that's true. Which is super funny, especially how he just so casually says it. But also it really shows again how Chloe wants to be liked. She wishes the kids would laugh when she makes comments, but it's because they're said in a serious/obnoxious way, instead of making light of something like in Rose's case here, that they don't. I know she talked about it with Ladybug in an episode, but it again shows that that's what she'd like. All that needs to happen is someone helping her get there. Maybe Zoe and Luka will somehow help with that later on. Anyway, this was a really great episode! I feel like some things might not make quite as much sense as they should if we got it in order, but what can you do when Gloob has to air them? Even a friend of mine who's been doing what she can to avoid spoilers, still got spoiled. She's having to delete tumblr to avoid future spoilers because people can't help themselves and tag things properly. So thanks Gloob. :P All we wanted was the episodes in order. We've waited this long for S4, we can wait a bit longer. But they gotta make money I guess. I'm glad other countries are trying their best to keep it in order anyway. c: Guiltrip also has some really great Adrienette moments, and covered a more serious topic which was really interesting and shows how much the show's changing. Especially with some of the choice of camera angles and movements! Like the zoom-in on the door with Adrien and Marinette, the boys LE GASP scene. Very cool artistic choices! Looking forward to the episodes that come before this one to try to help fill in some of the gaps! And apologies to those that frequently read these posts from me, I started writing it up late and couldn't finish so you get it the day after instead. xD

#ml #miraculous ladybug #ml spoilers #ml season 4 spoilers #guiltrip spoilers #adrienette #juleka couffaine #rose lavillant #adrien agreste #marinette dupain-cheng #thoughts and reaction to guiltrip #miraculous tales of ladybug and chat noir #miraculous ladybug spoilers

[chronicalchaos]

Wick modern AU: Explained +Some fun facts

Uhm, i was gonna wait until i finish this AU's synopsis and new book cover, but both will be taking a while until they get ready...

And i wanted to post this "overview" for a while now, anyways, here's some fun facts and a summary of the story:

Old book cover:

I'm really proud of Sam's shading, but the twins look weird and Tom looks old...I won't use this cover, 'cus Travis and Duncan are main characters as well and i want to include them on the cover. +My art style changed!

Story summary:

Just a quick thing! I changed quite a few things to fit the narrative and the modern days setting, i hope you understand!

The story of this AU happens in September 2014, a little less than a month until Sam’s birthday, where the Weavers aren't dead– Well, most of them aren't...

The narrative is centered on a curse, that was based on the audio that plays when you pick up Benny's bible, where 7 people are affected by it: Tim, Tom, John, Sam, John's brother/Sam's dad(I won't name him), Mary and James.

Sam's, Travis' and Duncan's side of the story will be more on the investigative side maybe with a bit of comedy(I'm not good with writing that, so it will most likely be just investigation), while Tim and Tom's side will be the more angst and unusual/horror side. Sam will have a bit of horror as well, since he's linked with them by the curse, but the twins will definitely have the spotlight when it comes to horror/unusual stuff.

Fun Facts:

General:

The story happens a week, maybe a bit more, after summer break

Even tho one of the first chapters is set on school, them going to school will probably just be mentioned or implied, Example: Them leaving a school bus

For some reason, i saw a few stories where everyone knew what polio is and how it works, which i felt it wouldn't be realistic, so that won't happen here

It has a lot of paranormal stuff

The summer camp by the Weaver's property is closed and has been like that for a few years now

Just Mary and James call the twins Changelings, the rest of the city knows there are "changelings" walking around, just, not that the twins are them

There's no changelings, they think there is, but in reality it's just a curse(like that's something lighter than a demon switched with a child at birth)

The song that helps me get in the mood of this story when I'm writing is "Far too young to die" by Panic! At the disco

Timas Weaver:

Tim is 12, he'll be 13 in...approximately 3 months

He was born December 30th 2001 and is the oldest between him and Tom

He's almost an inch shorter than Tom

He has a huge burn scar! It goes from a bit more than half of his chest, both his arms, his palms and his whole neck, he got that scar when he was 3 years old

He's does not have asthma, but he does have extreme pyrophobia on it's place

He has flat affect, his face doesn't match his emotions/he looks serious most of the time(I'm so sorry if I don't portrait it right! Please give me constructive criticism if I do something wrong here!)

He's a theater kid and would be quoting a lot of musicals if Mary didn't isolate him and Tom from the world(The theater part only exists because of his and Tom's masks)

The whittling thing exists here, but like, it won't be of much importance to the story, the knife will! But not the whittle part

He despises spiders and it's Tom's fault!

He climbs trees (there's not much I can say here to be honest)

He has this...i don't know if you can call it a quirk, but, he tends to tilt his head to the left, it's kinda random

He's ambidextrous, was left handed, but Mary forced him to learn to use his right hand

He teached himself how to throw knifes...don't mess with him

Paranoia!

Needs therapy

Tomathy Weaver:

Tom is 12 and will be 13 in approximately 3 months

He was born December 30th 2001 and is the youngest between him and Tim

He's almost an inch taller than Tim

He doesn't have Polio now, he did when he was...around 5 years old

His left leg is bigger than his right one, his right feet reaches his left ankle

His left ankle is paralyzed, that's why he uses a leg brace

He's claustrophobic, he developed that on the same day Tim got his scar and pyrophobia

He won first place on a spelling bee before he got Polio and he used to spell when he got anxious, but after John's disappearence he started shuddering, shaking and cracking his joints instead, very similar to how he shudders on the game

He loves spiders!

He is really flexible, but, because of his polio, he can't play around with it anymore

He likes to draw

He has pretty bad scoliosis

Paranoia #2!

Socially awkward baby

Went to therapy when little, needs to go back

Caleb Weaver:

Caleb is 9 years old

He was born August 19th 2005

He's almost the same height as Timas

He was a year old when Tom had polio

He's actually James' kid, not John's

He won first place in 2014's(the year the story happens) county track meet

He dislikes Tim

Lillian Weaver:

Lillian is 5 years old

She was born February 28th 2009

She's a bit tall for her age

She's notorious for making little deals between her and her siblings, like helping them get away with something in exchange of something(getting her out of class during their recess, buying a new plushy, etc.)

She's a really curious and affectionate kid, loves hugs, kisses and especially being picked on someone's lap

She loves bunnies(even tho this isn't a surprise)

Benjamin Weaver:

Benjamin is 14 years old and will be 15 in less then a month

He was born October 24th 1999

He's just really tall compared to the twins (it's kinda funny, Tim and Tom are 4 years older than Caleb, but they are just an inch taller than him)

He's really religious and prays a lot for his siblings' health and safety

He's been trying to take care of Tom after John's disappearence, since Mary doesn't do it, much the opposite, she hides Tom's medicines on purpose

Mary Weaver:

I didn't give her neither an age nor a birthday...i probably need to do that

She had an affair with James, when the twins were 4 and Benny was 6, Caleb was born from this affair

She doesn't hit any of her kids, but she does neglect most of them

On the nights between Saturday and Sunday, she doesn't sleep, she spends this time praying with a candle, then, before they go to church, she writes everything that happened that night on her diary

She has a lot of diaries, she keeps them in the attic

She's a little bitch(i don't know what else to say about her)

Pastor James McAlroy:

James also doesn't have an age nor birthday (i only have the Weaver kids and Sam's birthdays)

He won't appear much, but he does have a big role on the story

He's Caleb's biological dad(i mentioned that like 3 times already)

He tried doing a "honest-to-god exorcism" on the twins, it was just a cover for an attempt of murder

He's a toxic little shit(there's not much I can say about him)

Samuel Burton:

Sam is 12 years old and will be 13 in less than a month

He was born in October 2nd 2001

Him and Travis are Brothers on their mom's part

He's cousin with the Weavers, minus Caleb, they just don't know each other

He can be just as smug as Travis sometimes

He absolutely hates going on ghost hunting, he thinks it's dumb

He has long hair and freckles all over his body

He's just too lazy to tie his own shoes

He's the only one that remembers to bring a backpack when ghost hunting

While Travis is the camera man, he's the flashlight guy

Travis Burton:

Travis is 15 years old and i don't have a birthday for him, well, he would be born in 1999 just like Benny

He doesn't like wearing glasses, but doesn't have other choice, he either doesn't take proper care of his lenses and gets his eyes irritated or he just lost them

He's the face of his and Duncan's channel

He tries to drag Sam to be part of the channel, but he doesn't really want to be part of it

He cusses way too much

He's brave, only because he goes face first into danger without thinking

Duncan:

Duncan is 15 and would also be born in 1999

Big ass coward, sends Travis and Sam to go investigate on his place every fucking time

Entitled as fuck

The "brain" behind his and Travis' channel

He's suspiciously good on researching, he'll find the most unexpected things about you

He's a little shit as well

...i think that's it! Now i can go continue the first chapter and maybe finish it soon

#wick (2015) #travis burton #wick hellbent games #tom weaver #tim weaver #caleb Weaver #lillian weaver #benny weaver #mary weaver #sam #duncan #wick #modern au #wick au

[asktheheirofslytherin]

I wondered because our Voldemort mentioned finding a new toy every year or so, and that's not how I imagine him. Now if your (head)canon is that (your) Voldemort would never take a woman more than once, except Bella, why would he not tire of flirting anon already and would consider having them again? Next, does that mean this blog is between what you as an individual/fan consider canon and fanon, and headcanon no matter it is something firmly stated and emphasized throughout the books Voldemort would never do (OC you ship him with. I can never imagine them being in a room together without him trying to kill them, not to mention be vulnerable like that in front of someone who doesn’t have magical blood in them)? This is definitely not a negative criticism, I'm just really curious to see how you balance and switch between canon and headcanon and fanon and give us such a realistic portrayal. I won't bother you anymore. I love and agree mostly with everything you've written so far on this blog. I like the way you write Voldemort, I forget this isn't him.

[ooc: these are all good questions!!.

Some of these choices are purely logistical. Flirting anon is an excellent writer and super fun to collaborate with. If Voldemort stayed true to character I wouldn't be able to write with her again, and that would make us sad.

I make a lot of these logical choices when I answer advice asks as well. Suspension of disbelief that Voldemort has a blog and answers questions aside, staying in character while giving advice can be challenging. Would Voldemort say some of the things I've had him say? Probably not. Definitely not, in some cases. He'd recommend some courses of action, esp re: handling conflict, that would be manipulative and even abusive or illegal, haha. So I have to make some choices and let my own self bleed through a lot more.

This is true in some other non shit post scenarios where someone sets a scene and my first reaction is that if I stayed entirely true to character he either would not care/not engage, remove himself from the situation (I do let him do this sometimes), or kill the person. But that ends the interaction and defeats the entire point of a writing blog. So in some cases I use the improv rule of "don't let your character say no." No ends the scene. "Maybe," or "let's do it this way," or even "I would, but" convey reluctance but also move the scene forward.

As for my soft spot for certain OC's - haha one of the main ones I was thinking of was actually my own pure blood death eater OC. But yeah, eagle would in theory be completely out of the question typically, right? But luckily the interactions on this blog (where he couldn't have killed her to sight because that would have ended the story before it began - luckily he was curious about her so he asked her some questions) led to his decision to keep an eye on her, which evolved to their present dynamic of respected colleagues in the dark arts, perhaps even "friends."

Still, I assume if the choice were to save the life of either eagle or flirting anon, he'd choose his marked death eater even though he personally enjoys the company of eagle perhaps a bit more. So I purposely had him interpret the question to be just a question of personality preference so I could choose her, lmao. You got me there.

I probably/absolutely have done this with other ambiguous questions before - interpreting them the way which suits my own preference, haha.

Finally, I don't have any hard and fast rule on where the line is. I go by gut feeling. Sometimes I'll write something and be like no he'd*never* and rewrite. I'm not sure how I make that distinction- I just feel it in my soul, haha. I wish i was more able to explain it for you!?

#Voldemort #ooc #admin #voldemort meta #writing #character portrayal #ocs #character dynamics #writing style #these are great dont feel weird for sending!