#vi goes on a tangent

[tianshiisdead]

People who are accused of sinophobia for accusing random Chinese diaspora with 0 connection to China of being a gov shill (in this case despite 23049685908 evidence to the contrary), and told this rhetoric is not only racist but has caused direct violence to the Chinese person recently: stop making this about you! this is about your GOV (goes on a tangent about what the gov which has nothing to do with OP is doing) WHICH MEANS YOUR POINT IS INVALID!

like you are just proving the diaspo's point... they've provided you the proof your accusations are unjustified... and now you're doubling down and starting to talk about the gov... which proves you conflate them with the gov they have 0 connection to and do not benefit from, as are actively facing racist violence tied to this. If you didn't think all Chinese = gov, then why would you continue bringing up gov actions after this Chinese diaspo proved they were not connected to it? What do they have to do with it? Why is this relevant at all, if you don't in fact support the conflation?

Finally, you can't get out of racism charges by saying they live in America, or that their people (not them) are also racist against yours, or that their parents' country holds economic power over yours. All POC can internalize racist rhetoric, racism is not a thing more inherent to some groups, it's a structural issue based on not only international power dynamics but local power dynamics as well, and those on different rungs of that ladder under the top level can and do internalize racist rhetoric against each other, and that is not justified through being on a lower rung *in general*. Spreading racist rhetoric online, in an anglophone space, means your rhetoric is simply going to be taken the way all faceless online anglophone rhetoric is and feed into irl racism in the west. Online, you are not limited by region but by language.

This isn't getting into how diaspora face more racism in their day-to-day lives, and how for some of the people targeted, we also face islamophobia and persecution/racism both abroad as diaspora and at home as minorities, as Muslims.

In this case *we are not more privileged than you in a way that is meaningful or manifests irl where this matters*, full stop. Privilege isn't an abstract that always manifests the same way, and intersectionality must be taken into account. Class, location, and relationship to the state you are living in, all of that matters, which is why different groups/ethnicities can have WILDLY differing levels of privilege in different regions. This applies to Asians in the West VS Asians who are the majority race at home, migrant workers and rich gentrifiers who are the same race and from the same country entering the same country, etc. Both historical colonialism and economic imperialism notwithstanding.

Also, weaponizing Japanese imperialism against a Korean through framing it as Easian colonialism vs SEA colonized, therefore conflating Easians (in this case Koreans) as the perpetrators, victimizing yourself vis a vis Korea, is fucking *vile*. Korea was arguably one of the most and longest brutalized, some of the main victims, the country pieced together their freedom after decades of colonial violence and suppression.

Downplaying and even mocking/denying colonialism and racism faced by other POC is racist no matter what. It feeds into violent rhetoric that affects us as diaspora IRL.

Finally, how hard is it to accept you've said something racist and move on, or changing your angle of attack at least? Doubling down is crazy. I've absolutely said unacceptable things before because I as a part of society have also internalized many racist ideas, we ALL do, that's how racism WORKS. And sometimes those things are against people who are more privileged than me! Who's gov or people have/are perpetuating this or that against mine! And I fix my thinking, retract my comment, and move tf on, because NONE of that justifies feeding into racism that oppresses them under the white supremacist world and societal order. Do you think I'm new to this, as an ethnic minority of a racialized group?

#hater tag #vague posting bc this is ridiculous #long post #not hetalia #obviously. KJLFHDGJKLF #diary

[ouatsnark]

I'm really curious because I'm rewatching ouat and don't remember Regina mind wiping her abuse from Henry.

Did she do it when she wiped his memory of telling him her plan in... Season 2, I think is when she planned to escape with Henry. Or did it happen later on?

(Asking because retconning the many mistakes this show made is sooooo hard when I can't keep track of everything she or gold/others have done.

Also yeah poor Henry was definitely abused.

Like wtf was Regina's plan with him and with Owen.

Owen knew she wasn't his mom. Knew his dad wasn't gonna leave. If she kept him, he would have been even more screwed up than he was before.

Henry was gonna grow up too and she knew that.

She knew that the curse was gonna last for at least 28 years.

What happens when Henry is an adult? Or a teen?

Poor kid already gave up on making friends because they DON'T age with him before he even got the book.

I read a fic once about 'what if emma left the night she came' and dear god, it was a one shot and depressing. Because Henry ended his life as a teenager.

Which is realistic.

A person ending their life or running away or actually going crazy in those circumstances was guaranteed no matter the kid she adopted. Even if she hadn't adopted the savior's kid.

Even if she adopted Emma herself or August or A KID FROM THE WORLD WITHOUT MAGIC.

What RA's don't acknowledge is that her adopting a kid with full knowledge that the curse was gonna last for at least 28 years, if not more, was pure abuse and likely to end badly even if the kid wasn't resourceful like Henry.

Because she was ensuring they'd basically have a short miserable life.

They can't keep friends. They can't date. They can't have kids if the curse isn't broken.

Jefferson as a grown man went nuts because of it (though to be fair, he already had trauma of his own). Imagine being a kid who doesn't know different but KNOWS it's supposed to be different because of what everyone else thinks their lives are like/vis tv.

Like. REALLY. What was Regina's plan?

But yeah. Mind wipe. Sorry about the tangent.

Oh this is a good ask about a popular fandom saying that probably needs clarification!

Regina “mind wiped the abuse from Henry” is… in a way… MAYBE more of a head-canon than canon because canonically speaking we only know for a fact that Regina erased her plan to kidnap Henry and murder his loved ones. That is the only thing made explicitly clear since the scene is about that plot and Henry’s line after is to show that he doesn’t know anything about her plot anymore. Which when we say that we’re talking about this scene from late s2:

HOWEVER. It just makes logical sense that Regina mind-wiped ALL of the abuse since Henry goes on to act like she never emotionally damaged him which is a complete 360 to what the show portrayed and what he said prior to the “mind wipe” incident. So if this is a head canon it’s a damn good one that is heavily supported by the show’s canon and evidence of retconning.

Regina didn’t have a plan for Henry or for Owen past needing them to love her. She needed them to fill the evil hole in her heart. And like a true narcissist, she figured they should be grateful to her for the life she would give them. She never thought about anything else but herself. The show never really told us much more.

But your tangent is 100% spot on. Agreed. And yes, that fanfic sounds depressing! But true.

#fandom asks #anti regal believer

[ruleofbirds]

𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚕𝚘𝚐_𝟶𝟷.𝟷

Kia Ora, Te Ao!

Hello, World! It's official - Robbie has a tumblr now. Absolutely unfathomable. Honestly, it's mostly because it was this or Wordpress (or a more obscure indie dev forum) and this seemed the most accessible and quirky. I'm sure this won't lead to another awful endless scrolling habit. Any advice for the visual side of things is warmly received! I want this blog to be a fun part of the week, because a lot of fun will be had developing RoB. Just realised that acronym happens to be my name. Could be worse.

Okay! Now that the initial ramble into the void is out of the way, it's time to get into the c o n c e p t.

This tumblr is a devlog for my NZ ecosystem simulator currently titled "rule of birds", which I will be working on for the next 8 weeks as part of Blackbird Foundation's "Protostars" program. This means a weekly check-in with the other creatives in the program, the organizers at Blackbird, and a post for all of you here.

I'm breaking this week's post into 3 sections just to cover the bases;

01.1 -a bit about my creative practice and how it led to this project

01.2 -a discussion of "flocking" in programming (using p5.js)

01.3 -a discussion of NZ natural history

So here's the intro post, where I ramble about myself for a sec.

So! basically, I specialize in spatial design, I love working with anything nature-related, and I want to make a video game.

Lately I've been on a tangent based around art in NZ's cultural context - the design principles behind whakairo (Maori woodcarving) and how their composition conveys meaning, how histories of spirituality, tribal and colonial relations affected design, and my own art interpreting my natural surroundings with photography and charcoal drawing. I can neither confirm nor deny whether there will be an art zine compiling a wee bit of this work on the community table at the Whanganui Zinefest this Saturday.

That tangent branched off into a focus on natural history that's the keystone of rule of birds. My motivation for focusing on an ecosystem simulator is to articulate a basis for the sort of games I want to come out of Aotearoa. The sim will be the proof of concept - and I suppose this blog will be the manifesto.

I feel like there's a massive demand for games exploring NZ history - like, imagine a big-budget maori-led release set in pre-colonial time, with all the unique aspects of survival, resource management and day to day activity that involved - or an assassin's creed type action game based during the time of Te Kooti. It goes unsaid that Kupe is one of the best parts of Sid Meier's Civilization VI - iykyk.

What I think separates a good game from a great one is how alive the virtual world feels - rather than being led through an a-to-b progression of events presented in the same visual style I've seen countless times before, if the world can react in a dynamic way, and the details in the background are crafted to feel organic and immersive, I'm going to want to stop and wander off the beaten track that an objective marker may be pointing me towards.

The last game that caught my attention in this way - and coincidentally the one that made me want to put my coding knowledge to the test with gamedev - was, of course, Rain World. To everyone who knows me, I'm sure you're surprised I've made it three paragraphs without bringing this game up. I'm not going to go into too much detail here, because there is *a lot*, but key points are you are one creature among many scavenging for food in a brutal biomechanical ecosystem, hibernating between cycles of cataclysmic rain, and the game plays like basically nothing else due to how the coded behaviour of every entity in the world follows its own logic that has much more to do with its own survival than the experience of you as a player.

Here's a nice little illustration of the physics behind a movement-sensing tentacle monster, to give a sort of discrete example - but the creatures that act according to behavioural karma systems and the dynamics of how the different lizards scuffle and coordinate with each other is worth looking into too, if this is your thing.

(Source: GDC, Curious Archive)

Now, I really want to jump into some of this behavioural coding stuff, so I'm just going to move on to collecting things for the next post - hope this has been an interesting read! if you somehow found this page in your tumblr algorithm, welcome! I'll also be posting bits on the instagram page @robbiek_devlogs and you can check out my other work on my main insta @robbiek_art

Hei kōnā mai,

Robbie K

Next up: simulation in coding, natural history research post #1

Next week: Adventures in Godot Engine!

#natural history #programming #indiedev #birds #gamedev #devlog #Youtube

[elsolaer]

STELLE HEADCANON: EFFECTS OF THE STELLARON.

here's a quick roundup of headcanons on how the stellaron that was put into stelle affects her physically, mentally, & otherwise.

throughout the game, a constant issue that the player character (who will be referred to as stelle from here on out) is consistently mentioning or experiencing is headaches. there are often options to say that your head hurts and in uncontrollable dialogue & flavor text its alluded to often enough that i'm going to attribute it towards a physical side effect of the stellaron. stelle has learned to ignore it for the most part but the stronger the stellaron's influence becomes, the worse her headache becomes. this happens regularly in battle because the bulk of her power is from said stellaron, but is overridden by adrenaline. these headaches can make it difficult to sleep and think straight. although her personality is a large factor as to why she's constantly zoning out/not paying attention, the physical effects of her condition do NOT help.

another physical effect is lack of energy. stelle is often very lethargic and ready to (try to) go to sleep. as mentioned above, this is overridden often by adrenaline but it is not uncommon for her to start dozing off wh en there isn't much action going on. the specific reasoning for this is unknown, but i imagine it'd be extremely exhausting to have something like this in you at all times.

this one's just straight up canon: stelle regularly has premonitions of future events and flashbacks of past events that she had no part of. she's like the world's worst prophet. i write her as consistently saying weird, out of context things and part of why i lean so heavily on it is to make it difficult to tell if she's actually saying something important or if it's just nonsense. she herself is not aware of if what she's saying is true or not. her most vivid experiences are when she's asleep- this girl has not known a peaceful night of sleep. her dreams are consistently vivid and surreal and while they are not always prophetic, they often are. especially when she's near another stellaron that would correspond with her own.

much of stelle's odd mannerisms and "delusions" (the twins at the end of the goethe hotel hallway, the smiling man at the alley by the theatre, etc…) can also be attributed to the stellaron's influence. i'm still going back and forth on this, but im thinking that a lot of the weirder inner monologuing that goes into the poetic & overly detailed territory is from its influence as well. it may even be a voice in her head, but i'm not going to go too far into that in case we find out otherwise.

this is a smaller thing, but i imagine stelle has a lot of dumb luck that may have something to do with the stellaron. it evidently gives her premonitions and flashbacks and all of that oracle type nonsense so… it would make sense that it helps with her intuition as well.

obligatory mention: i don't think the stellaron will let stelle truly die unless something interferes or it's power wanes. in the beginning of the game when she shields march, i know that welt helps her but it's said consistently that nobody knows exactly what stellarons are or what they do. they just know that they are extremely powerful, (usually) catastrophic entities. all three of the one's we have seen so far (stelle's, jarilo-vi's, xianzhou) have been extremely different from one another. while they paint it as welt was the one who helped stelle survive, later we see stelle brings herself back to life when she's skewered by cocolia. the way that i'm interpreting it as of now is that welt stabilized her, especially since she had just recently gotten the stellaron put into her at this point. side tangent: i expect that the end of xianzhou we will see the cycle continue of stelle dying and bringing herself back to life so that she can harness another aeon's power, but i am also extremely interested in seeing welt's role in this since he had a major role in stelle's first death.

#HC: STELLE. #sue got me thinking about this earlier so i had to get the brain worm out

[dastardlydandelion]

SPOILER! SCREAM 6 REVIEW WITH SPOILERS! DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT SPOILERS ALSO I AM HIGH.

my thoughts and feelings on scream vi. i have a lot of them!

boy howdy, that was a ride! so overall I enjoyed it a lot! gonna start out with the positives before i leap into the negatives.

spoilers under the cut!!!

my favorite part was the carpenter sisters, by far. i am aware that there are plenty of people who dislike sam. that’s valid, obvi, people are entitled to their opinions. nevertheless, i do feel like a lot of the hate directed toward her is honestly unfair. hate from billy/sydney shippers who cannot conceive billy having cheated on her even tho he was like, a literal murderer. said shippers angry that their conspiracy theories about sam being sydney’s daughter are just blatantly untrue bc sam is latina, the stu/billy shippers angry that billy evidently enjoyed sex with women outside of using sex to manipulate syd, etc. these are kinda stupid reasons to hate sam, u guys.

now, others were not a fan of sam bc they didn’t care for melissa barrera’s performance in scream 5 and ykw, fair enough. HOWEVER, i would like to interject here that i am personally more forgiving toward some of her wonkier scenes bc i understand what the directors were going for. scream 2022 is a fan movie and sam is a fanfic character brought to screen. her dialogue is what u would read in a middle schooler’s fanfic and that’s…weird but nostalgic, so i get it. this movie was swaddled in nostalgia. also we have to understand sam as a character who intentionally represses her emotions bc of her internal proclivity for violence. much of her performance is restrained until act 3 and while i 100% understand why this didn’t work for some people, it didn’t bother me personally bc i’m sympathetic to the intent behind it.

i was supposed to be spilling my thoughts about scream vi and instead just went off on a tangent about 5. bc context needs context and i can never get to the point without detours and most of my detours involve giving context to the context or covering my bases, for those who potentially wish to poke holes…

ANYWAY. i genuinely enjoyed sam and tara in scream 5. some of my biggest beefs with 5 were the changes to the initial script that decreased the tension between the sisters and robbed us of their familial context. ykw, like amber and tara being romantically involved + amber and sam’s mutual dislike of each other, which would’ve layered amber’s motivations as well as added to the conflict between the sisters. the originally scripted scenes with their mother drunkenly displaying her fear of sam, particularly her fear of sam harming tara, which would’ve helped the audience understand why sam was desperate to leave woodsboro and why sam represses herself so heavily…and here i am still talking about scream 5. but my point is i already loved the sisters and i was very much looking forward to them and seeing how their relationship developed in 6.

and it did not disappoint!! oh my lordy. i love how sam just goes completely into mama bear mode over tara!!! it works so well on so many levels. she wants to protect her because for five years she wasn’t even there, because she spent the most horrible three days of her life nearly losing tara, because their mother and tara are now estranged specifically bc tara chose to allow sam back into her life, and bc she feels like she has to be hyper-vigilant bc tara coped in the opposite direction and chose not to deal with what happened at all.

i loved the push and pull between them, how tara clearly loves sam very much but is straining under her smothering and frustrated bc their coping mechanisms clash with the calamity of a car crash. adore how tara defends sam even when she’s upset with her but i think my very favorite thing was at the end when sam HAS PUT ON HER FATHER’S COSTUME LIKE I HAVE WANTED HER TO FOR FUCKING MONTHS AND STABS BAILEY TWENTY TIMES AND ONLY STOPS HERSELF FROM DELIVERING THE FATAL BLOW WHEN SHE HEARS TARA!!!! AND THEN TARA VISIBLY GIVES HER PERMISSION TO KILL HIM SO SHE UNLEASHES IT AND STABS HIM IN THE FUCKING EYEBALL OH MY GOD.

whew, lotta caps lock, but yeah. yeah, no, i was just that excited. tara didn’t even have to say the words, it was the look in her eyes and the soft tilt of the head and sam knew it would be okay. that was so touching. hands down, my favorite scene. <3 <3 <3

also the storyline surrounding sam? perhaps a tad exaggerated in this horror movie context but not at all unlikely or untrue to life.

a woman who only resorted to violence in retaliation to her more dangerous boyfriend’s violence being DARVO-ed by social media? a woman being turned into the monster of the story while internet fans fawn over and infantilize the man who victimized her? a woman who chose violence only to survive vilified while terminally online fans edit flower crowns onto her actually evil boyfriend’s pics and proclaim his innocence in cutesy fonts??

yeah, that’s pretty fucking familiar. this probably would’ve happened to sam even if billy loomis wasn’t her father, her heritage just makes it 10x easier for people to manipulate the story against her.

this is where the social commentary of the movie is a little ambiguous and i actually prefer it that way. are they calling out scream fans? true crime fans? media misogyny? could be any of the above, take ur pick. i personality interpreted it as a combination of all three.

the subtlety on that front was a breath of fresh air considering so much was…not subtle at all. i greatly enjoyed this film and i adore mindy BUT her explaining the new rules of a “franchise,” was a little bit too much. it’s a scream film so there has to be a scene like that, ofc, but it could’ve been shorter and it didn’t have to spoon-feed us that hard.

speaking of subtly? uh, yeah. i mean, unfortunately bc of unmarked spoilers i knew detective bailey and ethan were ghostfaces. i did not, however, know any of the ghostfaces other than these two, nor did I have any idea what their motive was. but between quinn mentioning the death of a brother and sam getting called from richie’s phone? yeaaaaah, that clicked into place pretty damn fast. soo not subtle, but amusing. amusing so i’m not complaining yet, i actually had a laugh.

now i feel like i’m rambling without direction but my goal was to tackle positives first, so more positives?

the core four. love them. the way their relationship developed in this film was warming and believable to me, even if the character interactions were perhaps more abridged than they should’ve been give the rapid-fire pace of the film. mindy and chad are great, easy to love, and mindy especially is so relatable to me. kirby is back and she got screen time!!!

the minor characters? not too many, but the ones that were here somewhat fleshed out the setting. i would love a fanfic where sam kills date rape frankie. also the owner of the bodega, shoutout to that guy. a kind stranger in a city famous for rudeness, he dead ass lost his life trying to help our leading ladies. he looked away from ghostface to get his keys so they could unlock the door. r.i.p bodega owner.

the kills! everyone is raving about the kills and i am also a fan. not without my nitpicks, i wish maybe a couple would’ve been more creative BUT mostly i am pleased. i love gore and there was more gore. the ladder scene delivered on the suspense that was promised to us, oh my. my heart was pounding the entire time and altho were barely got to know anika, i truly felt for her. bleeding, scared, doing her best to hold on, gazing at mindy through a blur of tears and panic as she moans, “I don’t want to die, i don’t want to die.” 😢

that said i was hoping the kills might be a tad more creative? it was mostly just a lot of stabbing. which. yes, ghostface stabs. the franchise is famous for the buck 120, which i can attest is a very sharp knife— i have used it to stab through frozen meat and not only did it go right through the package, the tip of the knife got embedded in the table. which is okay bc it’s an old table with a ton of stains and it’s already beat to hell, but that’s not the point. THE POINT, lmao. unintentional pun, I swear! but idk, i was hoping for some variety especially bc the trailers kept emphasizing that this ghostface was “different.”

many of my predictions were correct but where they did manage to surprise me, they really surprised me! like the first killer unmasking himself right after her killed laura?? i gasped! the choreography of the fights in the shrine, dude! i loved the carpenter sisters + chad taking on the ghostface how they did it as a pack. that was awesome! and then chad is gonna finish ‘I’m off and BOOM, the second one pops out! the way the ghostfaces take chad down was brutal but also, like they’re twinning?? the dual knife swipe was spooky and this is genius when we find out that these two are actually twins. or…I think they are? they’re siblings at least, i wanna think twins bc I’m pretty sure the characters are supposed to be the same age even tho the actress who plays quinn is a few years older irl.

misc fun things: jason watching jason takes manhattan in his apartment. mindy’s fashion sense. kirby eating. ethan is not dressed in blue plaid like the ghostfaces before him, but he is wearing red plaid over a blue shirt, so close enough. nancy loomis finally being acknowledged as sam’s murderous grandma. gale dodging sam’s punch just to get hit by tara, pffft. last but not least, ALL THE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES. 😍

those were all the positives. but balance is balance so as much as i loved this film, i still have to touch on the negatives.

the killers? i was right about the anti-dewey angle, but i’d pegged the wrong pig. kirby reed, i formally apologize for ever suspecting u. i appreciate the anti-dewey angle with detective bailey and that being a cop gives him power and authority that ghostfaces before him did not have. but the motive reveal complicates things and it’s pretty convoluted and too convenient the way these ghostfaces were able to worm into our cautious protagonists’ lives. i know let some things slide because of bailey’s aforementioned social power by virtue of being a cop, but this is over the top. i have so many questions. did the siblings go to college just to follow the survivors? they all have fake names?? how did they find out about jason and greg? how is the *whole* family like this?

ur telling me richie’s entire fam indulged his stab obsession to the point of them not only accepting his being a serial killer, but becoming ghostfaces to honor him in their vengeance driven kill spree??

umm…yeah, this is all a little too kookaburra for me. but i will say i liked their style. i like that they actually seemed to be bringing the costume to life. the ghostface costume was originally packaged in-universe as the “father death” costume, it’s the grim reaper by another name. and these ghost faces were actually kind of swooping around like a reaper, an angel of death. cannot emphasize enough how much i loved the twinning with the knife wipe and just like, having multiple ghostfaces onscreen in general. i am too high right now to look up the actress’s name who played quinn but kudos to her for chewing the scenery once she unmasked. but some of their choices didn’t make sense to me. why did ethan help mindy after quinn wounded her? why was a target put on anika’s back at all??

so…more negatives?

um…let’s talk about suspension of disbelief for a moment. we all have to have some of that when watching slasher films and movies wouldn’t be movies if we expected them to be exactly like real life. i like to think that as long as a movie follows its own logic, i have a pretty healthy suspension of disbelief. i can accept the improbable in the scream ‘verse…but not the impossible.

u know what’s impossible?? chad surviving that. fml. yeah, no, that guy’s internal organs are soup. it’s even a stretch that he survived scream 5 since amber clearly slashed open his femoral artery even before she stabbed his guts, but this???? chad was being carved up by two ghostfaces and blood was dead ass gushing from his mouth like a waterfall. i love chad, truly, i do, but his survival was insane, i can’t accept that.

on that note, i found it frustrating that the injuries in this movie were seemingly only as severe as the storyline wanted them to be. again, it’s a movie so we have to have a level of suspension of disbelief and that’s fair! i can accept people being more durable on the screen than in real life but where they lose me is when they’re keeping semi close to reality in one scene and totally ignoring it in the next. anika loses a lot of blood and is in great pain, which hinders her ability to escape (so she doesn’t). i buy it. gale is stabbed in the abdomen twice, deeply, and loses so much blood she entrusts the carpenter sisters’ with last words, passes out from blood loss, and is in bad shape when paramedics arrive. i buy that. mindy is similarly stabbed in the abdomen multiple times, survives because ethan helps her for some mysterious reason, which I buy…I don’t buy her RUNNING TO THE SHRINE MERE HOURS AFTER.

we have a throwaway line about her being on drugs, but no, i still don’t buy it. story time. my work mom, okay, so she was in a really bad car accident once. running on pure adrenaline, she raced out of the car with broken bones and punched the driver of the other car that hit her. immediately after, she collapsed and guess what? she’d injured herself further by punching this lady. so even if mindy wasn’t feeling her wounds because of the drugs (which i could buy easily enough), no responsible hospital would allow her to run wild like that.

at the shrine tara is stabbed UP TO THE HANDLE IN THE BACK and it doesn’t?? effect her like at all? okay, okay, i could possibly buy this with the adrenaline excuse, cause I mean, again, that is a thing. my work mom paid the price for it. but after being stabbed in the back, tara is also stabbed in the torso after being dropped from quite the height and that wound similarly has no tangible impact beyond a few pained pants while she was struggling against a larger, more physically powerful ghostface…and adrenaline wears off? at the very least, after they’re finished off the ghostfaces, tara should’ve been shock-y and sam should’ve been trying to get her medical attention ASAP. at this point the movie wasn’t following its own logic in regards to injuries that’d previously occurred in the movie.

i find it so hard to believe laura’s character at all, that she would go into a dark alley searching for a strange male she had never, ever met in person before dead ass a blind internet date. no girl or woman would ever do that, let alone a supposedly a highly educated New York newcomer.

the pacing in this movie was almost a little too fast. i feel like there wasn’t much room to breathe? i didn’t want it to be slow or anything, but it was almost dizzyingly speedy. i LOVE the chase scene with gale but what the fuck. they made a point to talk about how they weren’t safe in broad daylight, then they cut to gale’s apartment and it’s like nighttime? huh?? how many days did i just watch???

the secret celebrity cameo was jack quaid? boo, letdown, boooooo.

neutral stuff: i feel like sam’s bf only existed in this movie so they could do ladder scene LMFAO. but i didn’t want to see romance so that’s perfectly fine with me.

…possibly have more to add, but idk? i’m high af. overall i really enjoyed this film though. especially the carpenter sisters. sam put billy’s costume on in the best way. it was a monkey paw wish for detective bailey that backfired on him majorly, she looked fucking great in it, she literally stayed in it and then at the end, she let go of the mask. because sam isn’t a murderer. she may have internal violent desires but she keeps that part of her in check cause she’s a good person and only acts on those impulses when real danger is afoot. she isn’t her father and the wants to leave that mask behind its past behind, and follow her sister into the future.

#scream 6 #scream 6 spoilers #scream vi spoilers #scream #sam carpenter #tara carpenter #apologies for typos i am stoned

[marvelatthismess]

Reasons Caitlyn Kiramman is Autistic

A small note before I begin; I'm autistic, this is my interpretation of the character, it's okay if you don't agree but please don't bash me for my interpretation of one of my favourite characters

Begins below the cut

Strap in, this is going to be a long one

Stimming

Caitlyn doesn't stay still, especially when she's on her own with no other input. We see her spinning the pistol around her finger while she's focusing or rubbing her thumb and finger together, small things that are easy sensory inputs without being distracting.

Fixations

Caitlyn is set on figuring out what is going on in the Undercity; she has seemingly been focused on it for a long time as we see in the council archives that she was looking into Grayson’s death, that was probably the event that caused her interest in the Undercity and its criminal workings.

Excitement

Caitlyn gets excited when she figures something out, she doesn't want small talk when Jayce comes to see her, she wants to tell her closest friend about this thing she's found and she's genuinely excited about it.

Processing Times

Some things take Caitlyn a minute to understand; there’s a pause before she goes along with what Vi’s doing in the brothel, you can see her brain ticking away to figure out what's going on and, when she starts going along with it, she looks back at Vi in a way that seems to be asking for help and checking she's doing the right thing in the same expression.

Accidental Rudeness

Some of Caitlyn's questions are tone-deaf, not intentionally though, she's curious and doesn't understand but she wants to understand, some of her questions just miss their mark slightly. We can see that she's not trying to be rude, she's trying to understand someone in a different situation to her but doesn't understand how her questions sound rude since she's being straightforward instead of dragging it out and she feels genuinely bad when she realises that she was being rude.

Friends

In the times that we see younger Caitlyn, we never see her with someone her own age, all her friends seem to be adults - they're also adults that share her interests. These are people Caitlyn understands how to hold a conversation with, they have a common interest that makes talking to them easier, they're people that could probably keep up with her if she went off on a tangent about something that she found interesting, they're people that have passed the age of judging other people.

Anxiety in Social Situations

Caitlyn is pretty confident in herself, she's proud of her abilities, but we still see her getting nervous about talking to new people or addressing more than one person. Her mother and her best friend are on the council but we can still see her panicking underneath - especially when she's trying to figure out if she's allowed to share something or not - as she tries to push through it to make her point because she desperately wants to be able to help.

Social Cues

Caitlyn, for the most part, has an alright grip on social cues but that's probably because of her age, she's learnt what she needs to do. She still struggles though, especially in new situations; we see her look to her mother for help when Vi walks out, not knowing whether she's supposed to follow her or if she's even allowed to leave yet.

Masking

This one isn't as obvious but it's there, we see her "stuck up" air when she's in situations with people she's not comfortable around or situations she's just generally not completely comfortable in, she acts like the person people expect her to be, but we see she's actually not like that underneath, she's an expressive person that cares more than people think she does.

--

If you read all the way to the end, thank you, it's appreciated

The gifs took so long to gather the clips for and make but I wanted to include visual examples of what I was referencing.

#arcane #caitlyn kiramman #caitlyn arcane #toph's caitlyn rambling #toph's arcane rambling

[marzipanandminutiae]

Beware Of Massive Nightgowns, Part II: Lucille and Comparison

Part 1

So, I've already done a bit of analysis on Lucille's robe and nightgown vis a vis the Aesthetic Dress/Artistic Reform movement of the 1890s-early 1900s. Here is that post for background. But in summary: her robe in particular reflects a niche trend at the time for loose, unstructured tea gowns that drew inspiration from elements of Italian Renaissance clothing.

(Lucille's robe and nightgown. Finding good full-length still shots of this costume is HARD. But I think this one gives a decent impression of what's going on.)

(Tea gown c. 1890. Kerry Taylor Auctions. I wanted to pick an image I hadn't shared before, and the split sleeves seemed very Murder Robe-esque. This one doesn't have the watteau back, but the ones I shared in the previous post did.)

Once again, there's very little resemblance to anything really worn for sleeping or lounging in the actual eras of her adulthood. Or her mother's, for that matter. Like Edith's nightgown, it seems to be a blending of historical trends from different types of clothing to best help convey things about the character in those moments. Which...yeah, that's exactly what costuming period film is. And if done correctly, you end up with something lush and artistic that's still grounded in historical reality.

I just. I really love these costumes, guys.

Interestingly, I've found some Victwardian nightgowns that do look a bit more sheer and/or low-cut:

(Nightgown, c. 1905. Met Museum.)

(Nightgown c. 1900. FIT Museum. Elle.com says this was part of a bridal trousseau, and that was a common context for more revealing nightwear. I'm not sure I trust their research standards, but that does fit with my theory that the Murder Nightgown is Lucille's sexy lingerie if it's true. Warrants further investigation.)

Which goes along with the idea that the robe/nightgown set is the most "modern" outfit we ever see Lucille in. All the historical callbacks are from the 1890s-early 1900s, decades after her usual Natural Form day gowns. And yet, as I said before, they're revival styles from those eras. Simultaneously the newest looks we've seen on the character, and the oldest clothing influences in the entire movie.

As the costumer said repeatedly, this outfit represents the gloves- or rather, corset -coming off for Lucille. She's not holding anything back, and the full depth of her...Whole Deal is on display. It also reflects the Gothic Revival architecture of the house even more completely than her daywear. There's very little of the 19th or early 20th century left in her visually at this point- she IS the house, and they are both creatures of the past. If Edith's nightgown represents her leaving her familiar world behind, Lucille's shows that she's completely in her element.

I also feel like Edith's nightgown makes her look younger and more vulnerable, while Lucille's doesn't really have that effect. Kate Hawley mentioned that they had multiple versions of Edith's nightgown with different sleeve sizes, to make her look smaller and more overwhelmed as the plot takes its toll on her.

(Probably helped by the fact that you see her wear an almost identical nightgown as a child, and then a much more subdued one as an adult in Buffalo.)

Lucille, on the other hand, has all the volume lower down on her sleeves and the hems of her nightgown and robe, which to me makes her look even more imposing. They're also relatively sleek-looking garments, especially when they're not in motion- streamlined volume to Edith's huge puffed sleeves and ruffles.

(GIF by @anneboleyns. Seriously, stills of this ensemble full-view are impossible to find.)

Also note that her hair, while more Down than we've ever seen it before, is still at least braided in these scenes while Edith's is completely unbound. Which I feel sort of adds to the visual of her as predator and Edith as prey.

Tangent: This movie uses women's hairstyles for storytelling in a really effective way- note that Edith's hair is even up during the sex scene, underscoring that as a moment of confidence, maturity, and control for her. You can do cool things like that when you're not allergic to hairpins, Hollywood! WHAT A CONCEPT.

In conclusion, both nightgowns are fascinating to explore vis a vis actual history, and do a wonderful job of combining period reality with artistic storytelling. But that's true of basically all the costumes in this movie, so. Yeah.

Which one do you like better? They're both gorgeous, but I'd love to hear how many people are Team Butterfly vs. Team Murder Sleeves!

#crimson peak #gifs #long post #costumes #costuming #historical costuming #movie costuming #lucille sharpe #edith cushing

[um-cadin-of-brazil]

Brazilian cuisine: Arroz e Feijão (Rice and Beans) 

Picture from Freepik

This surprisingly simple dish, familiar to the daily life of so many Brazilians, has a much older track record than we would assume and an incredibly Brazilian flavor. While both rice and beans are not exclusive to South America, nowhere else the combination is so popular. Rice and beans are very rich in iron, B vitamins and calcium, often eaten in bulk by manual workers, usually along salad and beef. Since it’s also easy to cook and particularly cheap, this combination of cereals is the perfect option for the working class of Brazil. According to nutritionist Lilia Zago, of the Campinas State University (Unicamp): “While rice is rich in methionine and lacks lysine, the bean is rich in lysine and lacks methionine”

Arroz e Feijão is also sometimes called Arroz com Feijão, Feijão e Arroz, and Feijão com Arroz. All of those names are just a description of the dish in different orders. Also, Arroz e Feijão has become a synonym for routine or something that you’ve got used to. As an example, see: “Esse carro dando defeito já virou arroz e feijão” (”This car malfunctioning has become routine”).

History

Nobody is quite sure when the mix of rice and beans, cooked separately and then eaten together, became so popular in Brazil. The hypothesis of Brazilian historian Luís da Câmara Cascudo (1898-1986), in his book História da Alimentação no Brasil, is that rice and beans started to be consumed in 1808 when Dom João VI (1785-1826), King of Portugal, introduced rice to soldiers in Brazil. It might also have been a mix of rice with the dish known as Feijoada — made in different ways by many lusophone nations —, which is recognized in Brazil as a black or brown bean stew mixed with pork and beef.

In any case, it is known that beans were already part of the diet of indigenous populations in the current territory of Brazil, along with some flour, pepper, and meat. Of course, rice as we know it, Oryza-sativa, was brought from Asia by the Portuguese, but a previous type already existed in South America. Named abati-uaupé (water-corn), this kind of rice was cultivated by indigenous populations long before the Portuguese arrived.

Quick tangent: Baião de Dois 

Since Brazil is such a big and diverse country, many variations of Arroz e Feijão have been seen in different regions, even sprawling new dishes. Such is Baião de Dois, common in the Northeast and North regions of Brazil, in which the rice and beans are stewed together and commonly eaten with rennet cheese. Its name is a reference to a typical style of dance in the Northeast named Baião, while the de Dois (translated to “of two”) is a reference to having only two main ingredients.

Would you like to experiment?

Wanna appreciate the taste of Brazilian cuisine? Here goes one simple recipe for feijão com arroz, along with recommended side dishes!

Picture from Freepik

You’ll need:

3 teacups of raw rice

2 ladles of stewed beans, usually black, with broth

Garlic, onion, salt and oil (to taste) 

2 glasses of water (250ml)

As much pepperoni and bacon as you wish

A pressure cooker

Any other pan

Then, for the rice, you just:

Fry the garlic, onion, and oil, all on the second pan

Braise the rice

As for the beans:

Pick and clean the beans. Keep them in a large bowl with water in the day before (if you’re in a hurry, boil one liter of water and leave the beans in it for about 2 hours).

Put the beans in the pressure cooker and fill half of it with water.

Cover the pressure cooker and cook on high heat for 20 minutes, counting after the pressure sets in.

Wait 10 minutes before uncovering the pressure cooker.

(Optional) Fry pepperoni and bacon, both cut in small pieces, for a few minutes. You can add garlic and onion too. Then mix it all with the beans.

Add salt to taste (if you added pepperoni and/or bacon, be careful — those are already pretty salty).

(Optional) To better its consistency, cook the beans on a high heat and mix the broth is more creamy.

Done! You may now serve them to your friends and family. It’s an ongoing and heated (mostly ironic) debate on if the rice should be put above, under, or at the side of the beans. Serving the rice first then the beans above makes it so the rice absorves the broth of the beans, ensuring control over the taste and a separation between it and other side dishes; both other options keep the beans out of control, but ensures the purity of the rice. Choose wisely. Your decision will shape Brazil’s foreign policy. Peace or war in the world is at your hands. Brazil will come for you.

You can also serve with meat, salad, and other great side dishes!

Sources:

BARBOSA, Lívia (2007) -  Feijão com arroz e arroz com feijão: o Brasil no prato dos brasileiros

ESCALEIRA, Bruna; SOARES, Wellington; CASSIMIRO, Patrick (2015) - Nova Escola: Arroz, feijão e muita história

AIRES, Lidiane (2019) - Aventuras na História - DE ONDE SURGIU A COMBINAÇÃO DE ARROZ COM FEIJÃO?

Redação Mundo Estranho (2018) - Super Interessante: Por que arroz e feijão são a base da dieta brasileira?

#Um Cadín of Brazil #Brazilian #Brazil #brazilian cuisine #Brazilian culture #Brazilian food #Latine food

[melrosing]

I'm like you that I'm more critical of Dad!Jaime and I don't agree with the idea that he deserves to be a father as if he didn't let down his existing kids. I agree if he ends up forgetting about Myrcella and Tommen, he doesn't deserve to be a father (but I don't think he will forget.) I never thought him and Brienne would end up having a child but people started bringing up the weirwood dream. There are many analyses of the weirwood dream but one of them is that Brienne will carry Jaime's legacy or something. And then there's the "she had a more womanly shape" or something. What does it mean? What's your interpretation of the weirwood dream?

I feel like dad!Jaime conversations often lean too far either way, like it's either 'he's adored them the whole time he's just never been allowed to show it' or 'Jaime does not and will not care for his kids, it's all about Cersei and only ever will be'. both be missinggg the pointtt, like this is a dude who, from literally the first moment he asked to hold his child, was basically told 'nope that's not for you, you don't get to do that, if you did it means death for them and death for you, and they're going to call another man father for the rest of their lives so don't get stupid about it'.

and being someone who 'goes away inside' when something's difficult/traumatic to confront, it seems pretty clear to me that he's 'gone away inside' on the entire matter of his children, to the extent that when he finally emerges from that state he can't work out if he has any feelings for these kids or what those feelings are. and then in the confusion of whether he's allowed to tell them, or if they'd love him if he did, he's clearly still maintaining significant restraint in what he's allowing himself to feel for them - all alongside a storyline that's rammed with a number of other significant themes and relationships. it as not as simple as 'Jaime doesn't care' or 'Jaime's always cared', dude is a messss and isn't that more FUNNN, anyway long and short of it if Jaime's arc as a father to Myrcella and Tommen really ends here (which I seriously doubt it does), then I don't think any future fatherhood arc would be appropriate. dad!Jaime tangent over

I will pull up the line you mentioned:

She was as tall and strong as he remembered, yet it seemed to Jaime that she had more of a woman's shape now. [JAIME VI, ASOS]

I don't think it's anything to do with pregnancy (not ruling it out but my personal opinion anyway!). I think it's more like Jaime really looking at her properly for the first time, without trying to back away from his attraction or dress it up as something else. Brienne looks literally the same as ever in his dream, the only thing that seems to be any different is the way Jaime is looking at and describing her, so these things he notes tell us more about his feelings than anything re. Brienne's body

#ask #jaime lannister #jaime x brienne #edit: oops sorry forgot to come back on your wider weirwood question! #I might pick that up tomorrow but maybe also it's for a post unto itself sometime... will see...

[torntruth]

*     [ @tornfalse​​​ ]     —       your lover pinning your arms above your head, telling you to stay quiet  +  telling your lover you want all of them tonight  +  passionately making-out against a wall  +  throwing your lover over your shoulder, carrying them over to bed       //     this  meme,   always  accepting .

Caitlyn’s  pacing.    That  does  seem  like  a  very  Caitlyn  thing  when  she’s  comfortable,   in  the  moment,   and  onto  some  breakthrough.     Back  in  her  more  comfortable  spaghetti  strap  tank  and  long  shorts.    The  map  she  created  to  help  get  her  to  Silko  is  all  folded  up,   but  she’s  pacing  around  the  table  in  her  room.   Where  there’s  new  pieces  to  a  new  puzzle  ready  to  be  put  together,   hands  dance  over  a  broken  up  firefly,   other  things  she  collected.    It  would  actually  seem  kind  of  surprising  that  she’s  not  the  one  passed  out   ...    and  Vi  is.  

The  Enforcer  has  a  very  slight  fear  that  Vi  might  just  wander  out  again  and  Caitlyn  isn’t  willing  to  let  that  happen  again.    She’s  fully  ready  to  even  embarrass  herself  to  get  Vi  to  stick  around   ...   for  something.  The  end  of  this?     Peace?     Forever?    Something.    There’s  even  a  limp  when  Caitlyn  moves,   the  wound  on  her  leg  had  opened  again.   This  time  it’s  more  sore.   Let’s  not  talk  about  her  bruised  features.    Caitlyn  can  hear  Vi  waking  up  and  she  waits  until  Vi  says  something  before   ...   she  absolutely  goes  on  a  tangent.   Talks  the  world  away,   moves  to  the  side  of  the  table  closest  to  the  door. 

“   Cait  --   ”     Vi  starts,  but  Caitlyn  raises  both  her  hands,   body  perched  forward  like  she’s  braced.

“   No,  no.   Wait.  I - I  have  a  point,   I  just  have  to  build  up  to  it.   ”     Caitlyn  quickly  retorts,   body  relaxing  again.   She  rests  her  chin  on  her  knuckles,   looks  back  down  at  the  table.    First  of  all,   she  wasn’t  expecting  Vi  to  even  move.   They  had  looked  so  unbelievably  comfortable  lounging  on  her  bed  in   ...   Jayce’s  borrowed  clothes.    Which,   you  know,   took  stopping  the  whole  entire  world  to  even  get  Vi  to  wear.   Vi’s  clothes  need  a  lot  of  tender  loving  care,   though.     Second  of  all,   Caitlyn  absolutely  forgot   HOW   fast  Vi  moves.

All  of  a  sudden,   it’s  just  Caitlyn’s  back  hitting  the  wall  and  her  hands  pinned  above  her  head  --  she  doesn’t  even  struggle.   She  just  peers  at  Vi’s  face  with  her  mouth  slightly  open.   Surprised.     Then  Vi  just  quietly  whispers  a   ‘shhh’   and  Caitlyn  clicks  her  tongue.    She  doesn’t  struggle,   but  her  eyes  do  narrow.

“   Ugh,   how  dare  --   ”    The  most  shocking  thing  here  is  that  it’s  not  Vi  that  cuts  her  off,   Caitlyn  legitimately  cuts  herself  off.     She  just  looked  at  Vi’s  lips  and  didn’t  even  try  to  find  an  excuse  why  she  shouldn’t.   She  just  did.    She  just  kissed  Vi.    Caitlyn  really  only  struggles  from  Vi’s  grasp  at  that  point  so  she  could  get  her  hands  on  Vi.    Caitlyn’s  hand  don’t  stay  in  one  place,   they  grab  various  parts  of  Vi’s  shirt,   press  against  their  neck.   Constantly  shifting  until  Vi  pulls  away  slightly  and  pants  out  a  very  needy  confession.

“   Bed,   ”     was  such  a  simple  reply.    Which  meant   ...   meet  her  there,  really.     But   ...    she’s  suddenly  being  picked  up  and  slung  over  Vi’s  shoulder.   Another  gasp  of  surprise.     “   I  can  walk,   you  know.   ”        

#CAITLYN KIRAMMAN » the sheriff of piltover. #CAITLYN REL: VI » you're hot cupcake. #this was honestly the most vi and cait thing #and i just had so much fun writing it #i love how i have her voice and personality down already #tornfalse

[xiaofiaan]

u can pick b/w resi or arcane i also want to hear your Everything thoughts

ARCANE TIME i put on the soundtrack for this <3

favorite character: viktor VIKTOR i could go on forever on how much i love him but i will save myself the embarrassment

least favorite character: shuffles feet. heimerdinger. for a lot of reasons tbh because i do think jayce had a point with him being wary of hextech however the stark contrast between him in the show vs in the game is Astounding. little hypocrite. also him being an (unintentional) ass to viktor on the ledge and then trying to take away the hexcore which yes i see the problems yes i see what he sees but also viktor Trusted him trusted him with his life (the academy, his assistant) and then what does heimerdinger do? rub it in his face. and then try to take away the very thing that could a) save him and b) save people's lives. okay tangent over.

brotp: VI AND EKKO!!! also powder and ekko!! they were all such good friends and ekko was like vi's little brother... it makes me insane sometimes.

otp: Sighs. jayvik. caitvi is lower but there I just do not like cait all that much 💔

notp: uh a lot of people ship vander and silco and like. i Guess but it's not my cup of tea

favorite storyline: you know the answer to this already but it's viktor's because. GOD. god his motivation to become more than an assistant and then being seen as jayce's assistant by the rest of piltover so he just fucking!! drops it!! he is dying and he does everything in his power to stay alive, but when that comes at the cost of sky he almost goes off the ledge but then he is faced with determination again and he is Living he is Running he is doing everything in his power to live and save the lives of others and honestly i think him growing up under singed's wing influenced that majorly especially with rio. and christ i cannot wait for his glorious evolution because YES he is finally breaking away from jayce and jayce's image and i cannot wait for their divorce

least favorite storyline: coughs silco's coughs it's interesting tbh it's just. hm. i probably need to look at it again

what I wish had happened but didn’t: jayvik divorce arc. or the beginnings of the glorious evolution. or— help okay there's a lot i wish that happened however i do think a lot of it will come into play in season 2 when it comes out but that is just me <3

what happened that I wish hadn’t: bro if vi just fuckign called out ekko's name instead of cait's i do not think we would be in the complete mess that was jinx blowing up the bridge. HOWEVER i love cinema and act three was fantastic but yeah i think one different choice and act three would have gone down Very Differently

#nitya tag #mournfulpursuit #i am not going into my jyvk thoughts i will explode

[flapperdame16]

The Queen by Matthew Dennison Book Review!

(image: Head of Zeus Publishing)

Anyone who knows even a little inkling about me will know how much of a supporter I am of The Queen and the British Royal family. Since my childhood, I've been fascinated with Queen Elizabeth, even telling my Mom as young as age three (in the late 90s) I wanted to, "visit a place with a Queen".

At that age I didn't know the Queen by name, but the image I had inside my head was definitely of Elizabeth. A woman with short white hair wearing a crown was what the image of a, "Queen" , was to me. Fast forward to late 2010, just before William and Kate's engagement, and I became a full blown Royal watcher. Since I have been 14, I collect magazines, make an effort to watch video appearances, see documentaries, and follow many Monarchy devoted blogs and social media accounts to keep up with what is happening within "the fold". I watch The Crown every season on its release date (or close to its release date), and know all the latest buzz, but bizarrely, I never have sat down to read a full life biography of Queen Elizabeth. I have magazines, and coffee table books about her, but never chose out a biography. It's so difficult to choose a good one in a sea full of books, and for that, I am so thrilled I got the opportunity to read distinguished royal author Matthew Dennison's (he has written three other royal biographies) newest book simply and elegantly titled: The Queen. What makes Dennison's book stand out against the rest is firstly it's one of the first books to be published about the Queen after the death of Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh. It looks at their relationship throughout its entirety, giving a fresh examination on the longest royal marriage in history. It was comforting to be reassured how strong the bond between Philip and Elizabeth was. Sure they had their rough patches in their relationship, and nasty rumors along the way, (particularly in the late 50s), but I'd venture to say any marriage, and relationship that was established for 73 years does. It's not so much the bumps in the road they had, it was how they were able to navigate and work through them that counts. It's important to remember Philip and Elizabeth fought for their love, at the time of their marriage with anti-German sentiment, and they endured right up to Philip's death. Its inspiring, especially in the time we live in now. Secondly, I will mention this book does not deviate on tangents about others, its focus is always centered on Elizabeth. Throughout  her long reign, many players both personally and professionally have crossed paths with HM; prime ministers, daughters-in-law, members of staff, and a whole bunch of others. Rather than devoting entire paragraphs to other players such as Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Princess Diana, HM The Queen Mother, or Private Secretary Martin Charteris, Dennsion gives us info about them on a need to know basis in relation to their relation to Queen Elizabeth. This keeps the writing focused with a strong flow in regards to the star subject. At the same time, it allows you to have basis of facts of certain players you may not know much about. During my own reading, to have a background context of the Prime Ministers was certainly a highlight for me, as I personally don't know much about the British Parliament and the people in it! Moreover, I want to point out how fascinating it was to read an in depth analysis of HM's childhood and young adult life before becoming Queen, as it's really the "least" documented part of her life. As with Queen Victoria many people only see Elizabeth as, "The old lady Queen", and it's sad many  forget at one point she was a vibrant young women who reveled in being a 1950s military wife, and someone who grew up in a close knit household in a family unit of consisting of "we four" (herself, her parents, and sister, Margaret).

When she was born in 1926, Elizabeth was not in immediate line for the throne as her father Bertie (later George VI) was the second son of George V. David (later the abdicated, Edward VIII) was the oldest son and therefore, first in line. Elizabeth's childhood until the 1936 abdication (and the following Second World War) was spent as minor royalty, that only serious royal watchers in the 1920s/1930s would read about. Yet at the same time, she was the only "princess" at the time of her birth, and she was the only titled royal grandchild. Elizabeth had cousins who were daughter of her aunt, Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood, but those two sons were not HRHs. I learned just how fascinated people were with HM in her childhood, and it really drew parallels to how today people are fascinated with Princess Charlotte. From sparking name trends, to clothing trends, to making popular toys come en vogue, princess inspiration has always been in the public interest! Finally, I'd like to bring the to attention the fair criticism this book brings to Elizabeth's reign: it's no secret that no one is perfect. Elizabeth has had her fair share of political clashes, family problems and even scandals within her long reign. Its balanced in saying the longer one lives, the more events- both good and bad- you witness. The book is pretty nuanced when bringing up touchy topics such as the Princess Margaret and Group Captain Peter Townsend's romance, HM's parenting skills/ relationships with her children, the Aberfan disaster of 1966, and Princess Diana' death to name a few.

As in within the book, it's all about points of view and the facts. I'm delighted to say the book doesn't take sides when viewing these topics, rather gives enough info for the reader to form their own opinion. I must say, however, I particularly didn't care for the slightly snide remarks given towards Princess Diana- always calling her every move "revenge" towards the family. That rubbed me the wrong way, but as I said, it's all about perception.

Overall, this book was a really informative read that is not just a rehash of the same ol', same ol' you would read in any random biography of Queen Elizabeth. With the last chapter clocking in at page 506, it may seem like a long dung out read, but it goes by quickly once you start digging in. (Personally I spotted one error on page 403, it's William Arthur Philip Louis, not William Philip Arthur!)

What I personally took away from the read was The Queen is an enduring woman. She's witnessed hardships of war, family crisis, premature deaths, scandals, and even the covid-19 pandemic, yet she's always been there for her people, her family and her country. She's been able to navigate changing times and as The Crown actress Claire Foy has said in her 2017 Golden Globes acceptance speech, Elizabeth has been at "the center of the world" since 1953 when she ascended to the throne. I don't think I myself could do better if I were in her shoes, and all that's left to do now, I believe,  is to appreciate her hard work and dedication. God save the Queen!

Above: My Copy of The Queen with (some of!) my other Royal books! :)

I'd like thank Hailey and the whole team at Kaye Publicity for sending me a copy of the book to read and review. The Queen by Matthew Dennison will be available to own on September 1, 2021 in the USA and is available worldwide online and in participating stores. Links are as follows, and check out my YouTube Review video HERE)

AMAZON USA (Hardcover)

Barnes and Noble

AMAZON UK (Hardcover)

The Queen Goodreads' page

Matthew Dennison Author page

The Queen (Head of Zeus Publishing page)

#queen elizabeth ii #book review #matthew dennison #british royal family #prince philip #prime minister #world leaders #biography #royal book review

[emersonfreepress]

I love asking this question bc I love seeing the responses: How would the ROs respond/react to the mc asking them “would you still love me if I was a worm?”

"Ugh." Gabe shudders. "Do you have to be a worm of all things?"

Kile raises an eyebrow and just stares, quietly demanding further clarification.

"I... Yes?" Jack smiles, more than a little confused, then rubs a supportive hand on your back. "You feeling okay?"

Jess is like, “Sure! Worms are totally underrated. What kind of worm would you be? Oh—did you know a significant portion of North American earthworm species are invasive? You're supposed to be extra careful when traveling from one terrain to another because their eggs can travel from one area to another through car tires. There's also the topic of mulch and making sure it's—" /goes on cheerful tangent about the earthworm's impact on soil composition lol

Rain thinks for a couple seconds and says, "No."

R needs context. Do you mean if you had always been a worm? Is this a scenario where you have turned into a worm? Is this a curse? An Earthworm Jim situation? Or is it more like being the grossest Animorph ever? Are you able to communicate in worm form? Okay, but does being a worm come with any cool side effects or superpowers? No? Just slimy undulation? "Eh..." They shrug. "Worm You sounds pretty lame."

Vi rolls their eyes and won't entertain the question. Guess that's a no lol they're no fun.

Heidi needs a few seconds to compute the question. Then she asks, voice sharp, "Who called you a worm?"

Curt blinks. "Like... literally?"

#lovely anon #answered #react #what level of geeky do you need to be to know this shit about earthworms lol #i legit didn't even know that shit until yesterday so weird ass timing anon xD #ROs

[cattles-bians]

damie vibecca exes au pt 9

post directory

obsetress: ready ok ot4 hc incoming

em: ot4! ot4! ot4

obsetress: after dani breaks up with her viola cuts all her hair off n it's the first impulsive thing she's ever allowed herself to do in her whole life (which should also tell you exactly how fucked up she was by it) n so then we have

obsetress: short curly hair viola

em: what is wrong with you

em: oh i love a dramatic haircut as a motif

obsetress: by the time she and rebecca start hooking up it's grown into a long bob and she keeps that for a while tbh because like

obsetress: viola has impulses all the time but she either: suppresses them, or thinks about them and then does them to the point where they can no longer be considered impulsive

obsetress: vs um

obsetress: dani has impulses all the time and used to suppress them but then fully leaned into

obsetress: charging headfirst into whatever the fuck (vp speech ref sheds a tear)

em: OTP: dont you wanna go apeshitt

obsetress: and thinking about how people change u and rub off on u for the better even after they leave

obsetress: viola: wants to go apeshitt

obsetress: viola: thinks about going apeshitt, thinks about all the ways it would benefit her, thinks about how she would enjoy it even if it did not in any way benefit her

obsetress: viola: yes ok don't you wanna go apeshitt

em: no but i am i am thinking abt like. dani and viola as both sort of? dragged into being housewives and homemakers because Women n viola didn’t really have the power to change her situation (even if she got isabel out of it!) and dani actually managed to call it off

obsetress: YEAH

obsetress: grits teeth

obsetress: once again crying over very intentional very deliberate danvi parallels that no one else wants to talk about and i think even in this au right

obsetress: viola is socialized in such a specific space that this can very much still be true

obsetress: and i think like part of what draws her to dani is exactly that––that dani had the freedom to do that much sooner––but also she resents dani for exactly that too

obsetress: even when they're together, and that's the possession piece too

obsetress: i think a part of her thinks if she can't do it for herself she can have it for herself and that's close enough

obsetress: like she v much covets dani

em: ah the unique way that lesbians fuck each other up bc of living in a homophobic and misogynistic society

em:i mean who doesn’t covet danis ass

obsetress: literally and metaphorically

obsetress: and part of dani definitely knows that but part of dani (at least until she doesn't) likes it

obsetress: (also this is kinda what i was getting at w my insane lil pwp alfjadslf but i think it tracks here too)

obsetress: because she's like "well this is what it's supposed to be but it didn't work with eddie because i don't like men but now i'm with a woman and this is how it's supposed to be"

obsetress: "and i like being wanted it's nice to be wanted by someone i want for once"

obsetress: but yeah thinking a lot about the danvi dynamic once again

obsetress: viola short curly hair to viola long bob

obsetress: YEAH I JSUT

obsetress: WENT TO HER INSTA TO FIND

obsetress: AND THEN GOT

obsetress: SO DISTRACTD

[em note: edited out a 30 minute tangent going through pictures from kates instagram]

obsetress: so anyway the whole point of this. long bob viola

obsetress: rebecca loves long bob viola she rly loves um. sitting on her lap and running her fingers back through her hair

obsetress: when she and dani see each other again for the first time dani's all "oh. you cut your... hair" and vi's like "i did" and dani's like "it, um. looks... it looks... good?"

em: i think it’s nice when viola does something for herself :)

obsetress: it's nice :)

obsetress: i'm happy for her :)

obsetress: wish she didn't have to look so much hotter though :)

obsetress: don't make that face, babe, it's fine :)

obsetress: you know i love you :)

em: WAIT

em: dani had a fucking moment. she’s like

obsetress: oh dani likes her girls w curly hair huh

em: counting on her fingers. how many ppl has she dated w

em: YEAH

obsetress: YEAHDLKFJSLDFDFJSLDFj

em: CURLY BROWN HAIR

obsetress: OH MGOD EDDIE TOO

obsetress: NOT JUST GIRLS

obsetress: aw baby has a type

em: so actually it is DANI who ends up w the strongest routine

em: just short bob hair viola sitting next to jamie and dani has a fuckjng. out of body experience. perceives herself a little too hard

obsetress: she's just. staring

obsetress: mouth def hanging open

obsetress: then someone's like "dani? dani?" and she's blinking like five times in a row and sitting up straight

obsetress: but she does def have that moment at brunch

em: jamie doesn’t twig it

em: violas like. violas got a keen eye for anyone ‘copying’ her style. raises one devastating eyebrow

obsetress: dani and vi devastating eyebrow partners n crime

obsetress: later that night, in bed: jamie?

jamie: wot?

dani: do i have a type?

obsetress: jamie immediately wants to jump to no because how could she have anything in common w––

obsetress: oh. oh

em: jamie’s lil wispy premature greys set her apart

em: ‘jamie HATES it when she has things in common w viola’ is my favourite bit sjddkhd

obsetress: jamie "not sure how viola has no greys n she's how much older than me again" taylor

em: dani realises she actually has. no idea how old viola is

em: barely even knows a birthday

em: maybe viola even has like. a decoy birthday

em: queen of being mysterious for the drama of it all

obsetress: "she's just too stubborn to grey is all" "i'm stubborn!" "mm" "wossat supposed to mean" "you're..." "i'm what" "you like to... pretend? you're stubborn" "pretend i'm–– i am!" "jamie, i asked you to repark the car because i didn't want to get out of bed and it's street cleaning day and you immediately jumped up to do it even though you can barely parallel park"

em: WHIPPED

obsetress: jamie's quiet for a long time then, softly: "can parallel park just fine"

obsetress: "mm"

obsetress: whipped as hell

obsetress: this led me to everyone making dani or viola parallel park all the time when they go anywhere

obsetress: hc dani is a Very Good driver. idk why but it tickles me

em: i think um. dani is v independent and wants to be able to do things herself

em: and i think she probably got her license before eddie, but as soon as eddie got his....

obsetress: and dani's better than him n got a better score than him, and yet

em: and yet!

em: they swap out being deso driver if they’re gonna be drinking. or jsut call a taxi lmao

em: i’m so endeared by Extremely Good Driver Dani

em: dani does a reverse park without thinking

obsetress: viola loves her martinis n dani is drunk off of half a glass of sangria

obsetress: same!!!!!!!

obsetress: also just like. imagining

obsetress: dani checking all her mirrors

em: no

em: HANNAH

obsetress: and adjusting everything so fastidious

obsetress: OH GOD

obsetress: i didn't––

em: i jumped

em: phew it’s actually cute

obsetress: yeah! dw i'm not sick

em: well

obsetress: she just goes through her whole lil checklist and is so meticulous and precise

em: jamies like ‘we’re the same height’ and danis like ‘well.’

obsetress: oh god the four of them driving to the seaside for a vacation together (lots of content to mine here, will have to put a pin in most of it because i am getting sleepy) but they end up taking the truck much to vi’s chagrin just because it can hold the most

obsetress: (like viola doesn’t have a range rover but listen it needs to be dani n jamie’s car for this to work)

obsetress: and vi and rebecca are sitting in the back and then rebecca’s frowning and blinking and digging a headband out of the seat between them and viola immediately just. knows

obsetress: she’s like “dani?” “mm?” “you and jamie... have cleaned your car recently, right?” (jamie’s chiming in: “i’m right here, vi, you can address me too,” viola pointedly ignores her) “um... maybe a couple months ago? why?” “well,” and vi pokes her disdainfully with the headband, “can you at least tell me you’ve had it cleaned between whenever this got stuck between the seats and rebecca and me sitting here now?”

obsetress: dani just GRINS sheepishly

obsetress: “i could tell you that, but...” “but?” dani mumbles “it would be a lie”

obsetress: anyway dunno why vi’s that upset about having to sit in the backseat where dani n jamie hooked up, like, last week when it’s not like she and rebecca haven’t been inside the two of them respectively but it’s absolutely the kind of contrarian shit she’d choose to be pressed about and it makes me laugh so

#the dani jamie viola rebecca exes au #yeah

[cto10121]

Why Does the Nurse Prefer Paris to Romeo?

After she returns from meeting Romeo, and Juliet desperately asks her what he said about their marriage, the Nurse goes into this humorous but very telling speech:

Nurse. Well, you have made a simple choice. You know not how to choose a man. Romeo? No, not he. Though his face be better than any man’s, yet his leg excels all men’s, and for a hand and a foot, and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare. He is not the flower of courtesy, but I’ll warrant him as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench. Serve God.

I find this fascinating.

Notice how the Nurse doesn’t really say why Romeo is the dumb choice, or what her problem with him is, but goes into another one of her comic desultory ramblings, this time on Romeo’s hotness that seems to undermine her assertion. The only true criticism or justification she offers is merely that “He is not the flower of courtesy,” and even that is mitigated by a compliment to Romeo’s character (“as gentle as a lamb”). While this is obvious foreshadowing for the Nurse’s betrayal of Juliet and her “Romeo is a dishclout to [Paris]” line, she never offers a good explanation as to why she thinks Romeo isn’t good enough for Juliet, and that she could do better. By contrast, she praises Paris and tells Juliet no less than three times in that same speech that he is better than Romeo.

It’s particularly noteworthy since in the Act 2, Scene 4 scene when they meet, it’s clear that the Nurse likes Romeo. She laughs at and appreciates his roasting Mercutio (“Marry, well said!”). Despite the fact that he is clearly friends with Mercutio et al. who mock her shamelessly, she is unfailingly polite (“Pray you, sir, a word”) and nice, as if she considers him different from the rest. Her warning to him not to toy with Juliet’s feelings is clearly a pre-made speech she would have given anyway. She feels comfortable enough to go on her ramblings—even telling him about Paris and how Juliet hates him and how she ~mysteriously blanches when she tells her Paris is better! So what’s with the sudden Team Paris stuff?

Well, I have my theories, and they may even shed some light not only as to the purpose of this little speech, but what it reveals about the Nurse’s character and her role, ultimately, as Juliet’s foil, in similar ways Mercutio acts as Romeo’s. So let’s speculate.

Theory 1: The Nurse Thinks Romeo Is Too Callow/Immature

While the Nurse clearly doesn’t hold the mockery of hi Romeo’s wily friends against him, she still caught Romeo in his male camaraderie and may have concluded that Romeo, while better than those “scurvy knaves,” is still a callow youth, wet behind the ears. That would explain the use of “simple” (meaning dumb) instead of just “wrong.” She is shocked that he was capable of killing Tybalt (although to her view she would have assumed it had been in cold blood). She isn’t all surprised to see him weeping disconsolately on the floor of the Friar’s cell (although that is because Juliet is doing the exact same thing, and she says so). She also—tellingly—tells him to stand up and “be a man,” so she obviously has bought into the cultural notion of masculinity that does not allow the free expression of excessive emotion from men. Paris is much more self-possessed and composed, even while he’s mourning Juliet, and older besides; that may be enough to prefer him for Juliet, especially if the Nurse thinks a mature man can help Juliet adjust through the trials of marriage and motherhood better.

Against this, however, is the Nurse’s description of Romeo as a dishclout (dishrag) to Paris’ “eagle.” If Romeo’s supposed immaturity was her main objection to him, then she would have said a baby eagle or some equivalent animal or object associated with youth—small, weak, and mewling. Also, Juliet may be smart, but she is still 13. The Nurse no doubt lowkey sees her as still a little girl herself, one she personally raised, so thinking Romeo is too immature for her makes little sense. They both behave in similar ways. Romeo also consistently reads older by at least 3-4 years and his behavior in his play does not mark him as any less mature than his friends or Tybalt—or, frankly, most of the adults in this play.

Theory 2: The Nurse Prefers Paris Because He Is of a Higher Social Rank/Wealthier Than Romeo

Paris is kinsman to the Prince, and Romeo is the heir of Montague; it’s a no-brainer which one has the higher rank. Paris also reads as an older man, though he too dies with the rest of the youths of the play (there is some ambiguity definitely re: his age). The Nurse seems to have some materialistic leanings, as when she rather gleefully tells Romeo at the Capulet ball: “I tell you, he that can lay a hold of her / Shall have the chinks” and social climbing tendencies as when she gives herself airs in front of Mercutio et al. and tells Peter to hand over her fan. She makes only a token resistance to Romeo’s coin offer and accepts it immediately at his mild insistence. There are definite classist vibes in her “Romeo’s a dishclout compared to [Paris]” line. A rag is a low, plain/ugly, used, faded, common item; an eagle is a noble animal that soars the skies. It may emphasize the Nurse’s belief that Romeo is dime-a-dozen in terms of youths go, and that Paris is “rare.”

Against this, however, is the fact that the Nurse doesn’t bring up materialistic or mercenary considerations in her marry-Paris speech even though it would have been apropos. Also, the social difference between Romeo and Paris is probably not even significant; Romeo was able to be friends with Mercutio, also PE’s kinsman, with no trouble, after all. Romeo is the heir of Montague, a family of the same social class with Juliet’s; while the family’s fortunes would not drastically improve, there would be no social shame in a match, and in fact the Friar counts on it in his plans. Paris would be a much nicer match, of course, but not one to overthrow all consideration of Juliet’s feelings. If the Nurse did have class considerations, they must have been unconscious ones. This is an English play, after all, by an English writer writing a lower class character; class is never far behind.

Theory 3: The Nurse Thinks Paris Is Hotter Than Romeo (and Hotter=Better)

The first half at least is definitely canon. The Nurse consistently raises up the question of Romeo’s hotness vis-à-vis Paris. On one side, Paris is consistently her favorite, the one that “excels” Romeo, the one she has stated more than once that she prefers. “An eagle” doesn’t have “so fair an eye” as Paris, and Romeo’s the “dishclout.” Paris is the flower of Verona, Paris is a man of wax, etc. The very first thing she says after telling Juliet that she thinks it’s best to marry Paris is that he is a “lovely gentleman” (although that could also easily refer to his personality).

On the other hand, the Nurse explicitly says that Romeo’s face “be better than any man’s.” (Even better than Paris’? ~Surely not). It is the Nurse, not Juliet, who lewdly blazons Romeo’s body parts; Juliet, even at her most horny in “Gallop apace,” never talks about Romeo in this way. It’s as if the Nurse views the Romeo-Juliet-Paris drama as a YA novel and she is the fangirl resolutely on #TeamParis, writing steadily long meta rants on Tumblr about how Paris is the sophisticated/more mature/nicer option and Romeo is the mediocre/basic/nice guy—all the while writing R/J fanfic because hey, Romeo is super hot too.

Considering the Nurse’s obsession with these men’s looks and physical beauty, she would prefer the one who is most handsome for Juliet or who she thinks is the most handsome. How she eventually did settle firmly on the Team Paris camp is uncertain, since a furious Juliet rages on how she hypocritically trashed Romeo even when she had “praised him with above compare / So many thousand times?” Juliet may have been exaggerating the number in her hurt and betrayal, but we literally do see the Nurse liking Romeo physically—explicitly so in ways she doesn’t do with Paris—and personally. Perhaps her likening Romeo to a dishclout compared to Paris was an exaggerated, blunt way to persuade Juliet to drop him. Conversely, she could have just been humoring Juliet when she praised Romeo “with above compare,” just as she might have been hastily placating Juliet when, in her marry-Paris speech, she says, “O he [Paris] is a lovely gentleman!”

In any case, the Nurse’s valuing physical beauty shows her shallowness, which is part-and-parcel to her role as Juliet’s foil. Notice how Juliet doesn’t go into detail as to Romeo’s appearance and neither does Romeo for Juliet. This is partially logistical, as Shakespeare, being trained for the theater, learned to avoid specifying character appearance. But the absence also indicates that R&J’s love are not based on trivial details such as hair or eye color, much less body type. They obviously find each other physically attractive, but it’s more what they mean to each other. The Nurse doesn’t understand that, and Juliet’s irritation and impatience when she goes on a tangent on Romeo’s excelling leg: “But all of this I have known before.” Yes, my Romeo is hot and the sky is blue, can we move on?

Which Theory?

Barring more information from the text, I feel Theory 3 is the most supported and the most likely, although 1 and 2 have their strong points. A little bit of all three wouldn’t be out of the question. The main problem is that the Nurse doesn’t bring up potential valid objections, like Romeo’s killing Tybalt (!!), which Presgurvic’s RetJ did, only the logistical difficulty of Romeo being in Mantua and Juliet in Verona “and [her] no use of him” in the sense that Juliet can’t enjoy Romeo sexually. The emotional callousness the Nurse displays here is part-and-parcel with the Capulets’ overall emotional callousness and shallowness, especially towards Tybalt’s death (see Capulet’s “Well, we are all born to die”—compare that to Romeo’s genuinely regretful, “Forgive me, cousin” speech to Tybalt’s tomb).

In that sense the Nurse’s emotional shallowness is obviously meant to contrast with Juliet’s love and commitment to Romeo and even her lewd praise of him contrast with Juliet’s rapturous praise.

In sum: While the Nurse is much more supportive of R&J than the Friar, she prefers Paris and not only doesn’t hesitate to tell Juliet of it, it also informs her advising Juliet to marry Paris. This creates a bit of a mystery since she never goes into any explanation as to why she prefers Paris or even why Romeo would make a poor choice. Most likely she is just playing YA love triangle games and going back and forth as to which one is hotter/which one Juliet should date (the verdict? Team Paris).

(P.S. Another, slightly nerdy addition—on the Nurse’s “He is not the flower of courtesy, but I’ll warrant him as a gentle as a lamb.” Gentle in Shakespeare is almost always used in the sense of being well-regarded, honorable, virtuous, or simply having the qualities of a gentleman. The Nurse’s use of it to mean “soft or sweet” is the first time I’ve seen Shakespeare employ the word in the modern sense. To make absolutely sure, I checked David and Ben Crystal’s Shakespeare’s Words: A Glossary and Language Companion, and sure enough there was no definition close to “soft/kind/sweet” under the gentle entries (noun, verb, adjective). It could be that this was a small oversight and the dictionary has been updated since then, but the entries looked comprehensive enough. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Shakespeare employed a word in what we would recognize as its modern sense. (Any Shakespearean nut remembers any other time Shakespeare uses gentle in the modern sense? Hit me up if you find anything.)

Anyway, my personal headcanon is that the modern sense of the word could have been extant, if not widely used, a sort of slang that a lower-class character like the Nurse, when she is not putting on airs, would employ. If so, perhaps Shakespeare could have intended a small malapropism (the Nurse commits many of them) his mainstream audience would find amusing. Because of course, if Romeo were gentle, lamblike or not, then he would de facto be courteous—a key part of gentility is courtesy! So it would seem, to Elizabethan audiences, that the Nurse, in employing some peasant slang, accidentally employs a ridiculous contradiction. Cue laughter—oh that Nurse!

As for “gentle as a lamb”…Romeo is indeed lovely and sweet to Juliet and even his Mercutio roasts are more fond than cutting, but while he is patient and considerate with the Nurse—he insists on giving her some coin for her trouble—he reads mostly bemused by her. Not so much “gentle” in the modern sense of the word. But the Nurse herself is not very observant nor very emotionally perceptive, so it lends a little more credence to Theory 1 in that she thinks of Romeo as just a kid, nothing more.)

#romeo and juliet #rj meta #r&j meta #cristina metas #i just can’t help thinking about juliet listening to her nurse thirsting after romeo #only for the nurse to say she should marry paris and that paris is better #the top ten anime betrayals for sure

[rayllumkissing]

Day 2 of Ducktober! Pumpkins!

@ducktober2020

One lazy morning in the house,while the kids were watching another Ottoman Empire marathon, Della suggested that her and the kids go pumpkin hunting and carving.

"I read up on halloween traditions and one of the more famous is carving Halloween Jack-O-Lantern!" 

"I thought Uncle Scrooge didn't want anything Halloween-related?" Huey asked.

"Didn't he say the same thing about Christmas and it turned out that he goes time travelling with spirits to Christmas parties in the past?" Louie replied.

"Wait he did what?" Della asked.

"Oh it's this whole story, we'll tell you on the way there mom!" Dewey said.

"Oh! Can we invite Lena and Violet too? Violet did mention that the Saberwings would start decorating soon!" Webby excitedly asked.

"Sure thing kiddo!" Della said, ruffling the duckling's feathers. "Why don't you tell them that we'll meet them there?" 

"Okay!" Webby replied, immediately getting on her phone to text Lena.

"Alright kiddos, get ready in ten minutes and we'll head over there!"

"Can I least finish this one episode?" Louie half-heartedly whined.

"Louie you already watched this episode! It's a rerun marathon!" 

"For the last time! I like knowing how it ends!"

"Louie!"

"Okay okay fine I'm coming!"

Half an hour later, they met up with Lena and Violet at the nearest pumpkin patch.

"Oh Lena! Did you do something with your hair?" Webby asked, noticing how the end of Lena's feathers were now orange instead of the normal pink.

"Oh, yeah!" Lena replied, subconsciously reaching up her hand to touch the coloured feathers. "I wanted to try out my magic more since the whole Phantom Blot incident"

"I've been helping her out, she is progressing at a very promising rate" Violet added.

"Aw shucks, Vi" Lena blushed.

"Oh my gosh Lena that's so cool! You have to try that on me sometime!" 

"Eh, why not ask Mrs. B first, okay Pink? I don't know if she'll be okay with me changing your feather colours without a warning"

"Oh I will! I hope she says yes! I'm gonna ask for every colour of the rainbow on my head! How cool would that be?!" Webby excitedly exclaimed.

"Alright Pink, we can work on that later, but first we gotta get those pumpkins, remember?" Lena reminded her, knowing that she would soon go on a very cute and excitable tangent on multi-coloured feathers.

"Oh yeah! Sorry! Let's go get those pumpkins!"

"My Pumpkin Expert Badge will be able to help us determine the best pumpkins to get, since our dads are quite serious when it comes to holidays. They'll decorate for any holiday, even for the ones they don't celebrate." Violet said as the kids and Della made their way into the patch, inspecting each pumpkin.

"Yeah Uncle Donald is also a really big sap for the holidays, especially Christmas." Dewey said, remembering the one Christmas Donald barged into the room singing way off-key.

Once the Ducks and the Saberwings selected their pumpkins, and Indy and Ty came to pick up the girls a while later, the Ducks made their way back home to cut up the pumpkins.

Once they were back inside, Della got the table and knives ready (nothing too sharp for the kids, or Mrs Beakley might threaten to use one of those on her). They hollowed out the pumpkins and began to draw the faces.

Huey drew the classic standard Jack-O-Lantern face on his, Webby did the same, but she added eyelashes and two small diagonal lines at the 'cheeks' for a blushing effect. Dewey made his look as silly as possible, drawing a tongue sticking out and a hairstyle that was similar to Champ Popular's. Louie, however, only drew three straight lines: two for the eyes and one for the mouth.

"Oh, Louie are you sure you don't want to add anything else?" Della asked after seeing his pumpkin.

"Eh, no thanks, I like keeping it simple, you know? Less effort and all stabbing at the pumpkins."

"Well, if you're sure." Louie nodded.

"Alright then kids, let's get carving!"

"Woooo!"

The rest of the day went by with Della and the triplets (mostly Della) gawking at Webby's crafting skills, and trying to hide the evidence of newspaper and bowls of seeds and pulp from Scrooge once they heard the front door open and sneaking them up to their rooms.

Huey, Dewey and Louie laid their pumpkins side by side on their bedside table, where they will light them up on Halloween night.

Della already gave them the LED lights, one red, one blue, and one green.

#ducktales #ducktales 2017 #ducktober2020