#what I don't like is when someone makes a wild theory with wild jumps in logic and claims it's the truth and pushes it onto other people

[angeloflightandsunshine]

The more I hear Christians talk about the Bible and their thoughts on it and God, the more it sounds like fans coming up with fan theories on one of their favorite works.

#or like conspiracy theories #help #look I understand if you're Christian and you like to come up with your own thoughts on God and the Bible because you like it so much #that's completely fine #what I don't like is when someone makes a wild theory with wild jumps in logic and claims it's the truth and pushes it onto other people #or when I'm forced to hear the rambles because I can't get away #... it basically is a fan theory but I don't like the feeling when they pretend it's bigger than it actually is #I know that last bit is probably insulting to Christians I'm sorry #it's just that I personally have been disillusioned with it and don't like the feeling of others pushing it on me #christianity #fan theory

[dantheserialkillerman]

Hiroki Dan X GN!Teacher (one shot)

Contains: Gender Neutral Reader and Age Difference General warning: Medium-length post (1,461 words) TW: Possessiveness/Yandere vibes Characters: Hiroki Dan and You

– There is a theory called The Green World by Northrop Fry. It's actually quite simple. Shakespeare's comedies follow a structure: in spring, the fertility month, the characters transition from the everyday world, faced with societal bondage, to the wild, where everything becomes topsy turvy, back to the ordinary world renewed and unbound. As you skimmed your class, you couldn't help but wonder if the same theory also applied to your life. This moment did feel wild.

– The semester is your first as a teacher at one of Toyko's most highly regarded private high schools, and according to the curious stares from your students, they don't know what to make of you. It sets you on edge. Yet, there is also great excitement as you finally have fulfilled your dream of educating the next generation after years of studying. Is there a word for both terror and elation? Perhaps euphoria? It did once mean to be removed from one's body. However, frisson seems to settle in your mind. Your hair does feel on end.

– One..two...three...breath...one...two...three...breath. You repeat this phrase over and over again as you start your lesson. This subject is your favourite, and not to brag, but you are an expert in this field; the school would have never hired you otherwise, and the parents would have you fired, flayed, and put out front as a warning for everyone else. Even some universities would pale in comparison. These are households of politicians, millionaires, and businessmen. The top of the top and greatness ensures they only produce greatness, or at least the image of it.

– Everything seems to be going well; to your surprise, the kids are actively engaged, yet you cannot help but sense an uneasiness. You feel dissected, like a butterfly being prepped for a display case. When turning around, an intensity makes you pause over a word to prevent a stutter. You swear unseen hands are rushing over your body as if to hold you and say, "Stay still; I deserve to look," for what reason you don't know. It's nerves, you tell yourself, focus on the lesson; you can't mess up the first class.

– But it happens again during the next lesson. Then, the one after that. Again and again until finally, when handing back the first assignment, you meet the cause after class.

– It was Autumn when the weather couldn't decide if it wished to be hot or cold, the leaves turning into a violent swarm of reds and oranges as if the trees were on fire. It had been a long day; you had to send someone to the head office for interrupting class, forgot your lunch, and were stuck grading papers. The only people still here were after-school clubs and occasionally teachers you heard walking in the halls.

– You were so absorbed in your work that you couldn't help but jump when you felt a tap on your shoulder and a soft "Excuse me" in your ear. Looking up in shock, you are surprised to see a man...well, a teenager. Handsome for his age, most likely eighteen and in his final year, with a shock of dark hair and eyes against pale skin, a warm smile breaks the otherwise monochrome facade. An image of Adder Snake flashes in your mind when he tilts his head and beams...it is as if he enjoyed scaring you.

– "Oh, I'm sorry, professor," he places a hand over his heart and straightens, "I merely wanted to get your attention." His eyes are so black that you can see your own startled reflection, and despite being in a more senior position, how small you look compared to this boy. You hate it.

– "It's fine," you look at the clock, "it's past five; shouldn't you be heading home, or is there something I can help you with?" You attempt to clean your desk to make it look moderately presentable. In reality, you wanted to seem busy so you didn't have to look him in the eye again. There was something profoundly unnerving about how he could pin you down with merely a look.

– His hand moves gracefully into his bag and pulls out a piece of paper; you recognize it as the recently returned assignment from your afternoon class. He places it delicately on your desk, atop the other essays you were grading. Pompous little shit, you couldn't help but think. You tilt over and see the grade, a ninety-five, the highest score you gave out recently.

– Picking up the paper, you hold it out for the student to take back, "It was very well-written and researched, particularly the second paragraph. Congratulations..." You quickly glance at the paper, hopefully discreetly, "Hiroki-kun." The name settled in your mouth like honey, sticking to your throat unpleasantly despite how sweet it sounded.

– He leans against the desk, the same plain smile upon his face and a light chuckle escaping his upturned lips. There is an uneasiness in the air, that pressure you felt during the day in increments, dilating in this very moment.

– "Thank you," he moves closer, and you realize the door is closed; who shut it? "But I wanted to ask," Closer, "what could I have done to have gained that extra five percent?"

– "I..." You feel speechless, your face hot from panic, "Well...you could've shortened it, perhaps?" Say anything to get him to leave.

– "That's it?"

– "It was written very well; I wouldn't worry about your grade."

– He takes the paper and folds it absent-mindedly, "I will take it to heart," as if to prove it, he holds the essay to his chest, "You are my favourite teacher here, and any advice you give me is a great help." To your horror, he looks somewhat bashful. Yet, it would be a lie to say it didn't stroke your ego.

– You clear your throat, "Thank you, but it is getting late-"

– "Let me walk you to your bike." You wonder how he knew you biked to school? "My father is the police superintendent General, and I am also heading out; I don't want someone so..." He looks down to where you are sitting, "vulnerable to walk outside by themselves."

– You weighed the options in your head. Saying no could hurt your reputation; this was the kid of a high-ranking official, and if you pissed off Daddy, you would be fired on the spot. Was it unnerving and inappropriate? Yes. But you couldn't think of a way to worm your way out of this dilemma. It was a true dichotomy.

– "I wouldn't want to burden a young man like yourself...."

– His smile stretched wider, so vast you could count each pearly white tooth. What big teeth you have..." It would be my pleasure."

– Hiroki demanded to carry your briefcase and, while you walked, asked miscellaneous questions about your life. How old are you? Do you live alone? Are you Married? How far do you live from campus? You tried to answer him subtly, attempting to dodge the questions with little skill. You cursed the school for being so big and your pupil for being such a slow walker.

– Ten minutes later, you reach your bike. Or where it should have been. Nothing but the chain was attached to the fence. You look around and quickly conclude that someone has stolen it. Man, I'm a fucking genius, you thought sarcastically, but you had to Act professionally. Act bloody professional. Oh, God, how in the living hell would you get back to your dingy little apartment?

– "People these days," Hiroki shook his head, "my father has been trying to tamper down the rise in petty crime such as this," he slung your case over his shoulder, "but it seems he has a long way to go."

– You pushed your forehead in stress, "It's fine, I'll just take public transport." And it would be awful in that crowded cart filled with annoyed people.

– "Nonsense," He turned and started to walk towards the parking lot; in confusion, you began to follow him, "I own a car, and someone like yourself wouldn't be safe on public transport." He looked over his shoulder, and you felt your stomach sink, "I'll drive you home." Shit.

– "It's fine, really. Plus, you're a student-"

– "My father would never forgive me if I left you in such a state. Alone. Defenceless. I mean," He stopped and turned. Suddenly, you recognized how tall and broad he was as he towered over you. "I could attack you right now, and you would have no way to defend yourself." His left eye twitched softly like he trying to keep a particular thought at bay, and you felt your lungs freeze, "But you're lucky," He chuckled, "I would never harm my favourite teacher." The air seemed to stop momentarily as if the sky held its breath for what he would say next. "I only want to do a good deed," Another laugh, "They make me feel blessed," and softly grabbing your hand and bringing it to his cheek, he tilted his head into your palm, whispering, "Won't you bless me, teacher?"

– You wondered if Northrop Fry had a theory on Shakespearian tragedy. What dark world were you being brought into by those eyes?

#Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated #I just went into stress hibernation for a year #brutal: confessions of a homicide investigator #hiroki dan #brutal manga #brutal: satsujin kansatsukan no kokuhaku #manga #brutal hiroki dan #brutal satsujin kansatsukan no kokuhaku #brutal: hiroki dan #dan hiroki #hiroki dan x reader #gender neutral y/n #brutal x reader #brutal fanfic #SFW #but is dan ever really safe 😂 #horror #yandere #long post warning #long post sorry #teacher x student #teacher x reader

[withahappyrefrain]

I wish you would write a fic where...Bob leaves Reader flowers at her work but due to a miscommunication, she thinks they are from Hangman or Rooster (much to her disappointment since she only has eyes for a certain WSO). 😘

AHHHHHHH MY HEART!!!!

Bob would be so damn nervous, his hands are visibly shaking when he walks into the training room, whispering to Phoenix that he finally did it.

"Are you serious?" Natasha asks, eyes wide because Bob has chickened out on this like three previous times.

And Mickey, who was only trying to help, tells you that they're from "someone you know but wouldn't expect." Because in his defense, most wouldn't expect Bob to be the type to leave someone flowers at their work place.

And in most cases, Mickey would be right!

But for you, it's obvious Bob likes you. He has no business to stop by your office EVERY DAY, especially as it's on the opposite side of the base. Also no reason to bring you coffee either. Every day.

So if it's not someone you'd expect, it had to be Hangman, right? Because he doesn't strike anyone as the "romantic" type (more like the use em and lose em type). So when Bob brings it up, you try to shrug it off, to let him know it means nothing.

"It was just an ordinary day yesterday. Besides this weird thing that happened this morning. Like, it was nice in theory but in reality was just like, odd. Someone left me flowers on my desk, I gave them to my coworker."

Bob would be so heartbroken!!! He can't bring himself to bring you coffee (the first day, Mickey agrees to drop off the coffee to you, the 2nd day he cuts off Bob). So he just stops coming by.

And you notice immediately!! You miss your bespectacled WSO who always remembered you prefer oatmilk and asks how you're doing in your latest playthrough of Stardew Valley!

It's those darn flowers! He thinks you like someone else, which couldn't be the furthest from the truth!

So the next time you hear someone talk about dropping off some papers over by where the aviators debrief, you jump at the chance. Do you go through some doors you weren't supposed to? Maybe. What Uncle Sam won't know can't hurt him.

You run into Bob while he's still in his flight suit, the smell of gasoline and sage driving you wild.

"I....hadn't seen you. Wanted to make sure you were okay," you tell him, nervously wringing your hands.

"Oh, I figured you....would prefer that after what happened," he says softly, wishing a black hole would swallow him.

"Are you talking about the flowers? Bobby, I told you they didn't mean anything!"

"And that's exactly the problem! If it doesn't mean anything, what's the point? Why torture myself knowing you don't feel the same way?"

And that's when your eyes go bug-wide as you softly ask Bob to explain what the fuck he's talking about.

#ask #ooooos this one got away from me #Bob Floyd

[tirkdi]

I don't know why but I've been imagining this a lot for some weird reason. If somehow darklina do end up together just SOMEHOW do you think at one point they'll get bored of each other? Will darkling's obsession with Alina eventually wear out? maybe Alina will want to try something else with someone else. How would darkling react to that? He's possessive as fuck but sometimes I wonder he would understand that unlike him, Alina never really got to be truly free and explore things for herself. I mean I don't think he'll let Alina go lol but do you think aat some point in centuries they might open their relationship?

This is such a hard question because when we're talking about immortals, I tend to believe that almost everything is possible, so this is where metas trying to answer the question (as opposed to fics) get tricky. Is it possible? Totally. Is it likely? Hard to say. I think the question we're getting at is – what are the conditions under which it might happen?

I'm taking the premise of this question to be that somehow, probably during R&R, they get together and rule Ravka (why not?). So we're dealing with not-quite-end-of-R&R Darkling & Alina. It will take them a while to work themselves into a relationship in the first place, and there are a lot of ways that could shake out. But assuming they get there, to a place that is respectful and reciprocal (if not gentle and loving), how long would that feel like 'enough' for Alina, and in what ways?

There are a few things going on here that I'll call out. One thing, to your point of he wouldn't let Alina go, is that we have an example of what an extremely long-lived relationship looks like for him already: Baghra. When the trilogy starts, he's like 800 years old and still living with his mom! Whenever we see them together they're fighting, but they don't leave each other, and right up until the second before she did it, he couldn't fathom that Baghra would jump off a mountain rather than just coming home with him. Similarly, I think it's unlikely that he'd stop needing Alina at any point. At the same time, Alina is different than him – but I do think it's reasonable/probably correct to envision an Alina who never needs him as much as he needs her, even a gazillion years later.

Another question then would be, at what point will Alina feel like she wants (and, importantly, deserves) happiness/something more? There's some character work that has to shake out there, because I'm having a hard time envisioning an Alina that ended up with Aleks at the end of R&R doing anything but being really hard on both of them for many, many years. How does she develop from there? Depending on the setup, I could see his and Alina's relationship getting to a point where they fight like he did with Baghra, but also similarly neither of them has any intention of ever leaving the other. Balance sounds nice in theory, but can be tricky to implement! Their relationship might end up less like a balance and more like a seesaw.

So then, there's the question of – is Alina looking for someone other than him to make her happy or to piss him off? The pissing him off seems pretty straightforward (and I think we have some fics like that that I've seen?). Assuming she isn't doing it to upset him, that she genuinely wants more than him, then I think there's the question of are we talking about sex or are we talking about a relationship with someone else? I do think you could come up with a setup where eventually he'd come to terms with sex, reassuring himself about how the Zoya lookalikes he sees leaving Alina's room in the morning are going to die in like a minute anyway, he doesn't even have to do anything.

I could also see a setup where you could make a power dynamic like that that he'd even enjoy, if he let himself. I think a lot about the Oscar Wilde quote: "Everything in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power." If he allowed himself to acknowledge that he liked the ... humiliation? one area of his life where he was not in control? ... then I could also see him being into it, as long as he felt secure enough in the relationship between the two of them. And that right there is the whole reason we (or at least I) love this ship – their power dynamic is endlessly fascinating and there are so many different ways it could go

#i almost never say never for our tgt immortals #darklina #grishaverse #an ask #aleksander morozova #alina starkov #this was a fun ask to think through!

[prem-ium]

I've seen a lot of discussion and break downs of characters and motivations. But there are things about Top and Boston that keep jumping out at me but no one seems to be bringing up so these are my Only Friends thoughts:

Top:

From where I sit, he's giving off some serious abuse survivor vibes. When Boston talks about wanting him, Top has the clear ability to state he isn't interested. But when Boston gets physical at any point, Top freezes and lets it happen to a point where he either has to start actively participating or make a show of force to end things. And while he's a bit bigger and probably stronger than Ton, he picks the more passive option. Generally a sign that he was either abused as a child or by a partner that he was with long enough to feel like he couldn't escape (conditioned into going along with the situation to ensure his safety). So I can't help but ask.... Was the house fire another sign of his parents neglect or was it a way for a parent to try and get rid of the damaged goods in the form of a child? Let's be real, Thai dramas do not shy away from truly fucked up parental abuse. We know Top still works for his father and takes his job seriously. Given what I've seen from dramas in the past and knowing that this show is wanting to push the boundaries I would not be surprised if the father had been abusing Top and the mother set a house fire to try to end Top's life in some fucked up attempt to put an end to the abuse.

I don't think he really likes Mew as a person. I think he likes the idea of someone who doesn't prioritise a physical relationship. Someone Top could be with and hold a bit of the control. Someone who might actually see Top as a person.

Boston:

He tops everyone else, bottoms only for Top. (This is not really relevant I just felt the need to say it)

So in ep 3 we find out Boston's dad is a politician and Boston can't so much as take a photo with a lover for fear of scandal. This explains a lot about his commitment issues. He is locked in the closet by his father's aspirations. Previous partners have probably been paid off to leave. If your first love hit the road for a cheque, you'd give up on love pretty quickly too. So again, I feel like it's a parental cause.

His obsession with Top may be a parent approval situation. It looks like Top and Boston's families are both rich and powerful and probably running in the same circles. Boston brings Top in from outside the uni. They very likely grew up as family friends. (That photo booth from the flash back is in Top's hotel) Top seems like a very obedient son and Boston has probably been given the "why can't you be more like him" speech at some point. Boston has a clear list of reasons why Top is "top-tier". Maybe he figures if he gets the best boyfriend going his parents might finally approve and let him keep a relationship. (Yes I know Ray's family is also rich and probably prestigious in some way but Ray is an alcoholic and Ray's mother also had addiction issues and a scandalous death so he's clearly not appropriate for dating a politician's son).

And I'm going to end this with a wild, definitely incorrect, theory that I'm sure will be defunct within an episode or so but I still want to put it out in the universe:

Sand is also a rich kid who got disowned for being bi/pan. Sand's ex is Boston. He would have been the partner that couldn't be bought but then Boston cheated on him with Top and everything went to shit. I know it's not an accurate head cannon but just imagine what it would mean for next week's interruption scene in the SandNick apartment.

#only friends the series #head cannon #character theories #this is just the ramblings of a crazy woman #only friends boston #only friends top #tw: child abuse

[friedwizardwhispers]

List of questions we have so far

Who gave Lu Guang the photo and wrote "save my good brother" in childish letters ?

It's either Li Tianchen or Li Tianxi, I think after episode 8, we are supposed to think it was Li Tianxi but I don't know actually.

How does Red eye's power work ? Is there more than one person being Red eyes ?

We know Li Tianchen is the one controlling them but we don't really know how, we thought it was by photo in the beginning of the season but Li Tianchen didn't have a photo of Cheng Xiaoshi when he controlled him but he had physical contact with him so maybe touch ? but then again he wasn't touching Emma or Chen Bin to make them jump or Qiao Ling to make her stab Lu Guang.

So maybe he has a partner who can do something with photos like LG and CXS and both of them are actually foils to or main duo.

Does Li Tianxi has powers ?

...Maybe ?

Who killed Liu Lan, who was possessing her when she finally defended herself and what happened before the end of the night ?

Here is what we know at the end of the night so far: We know that both the dad and the mom are dead and the two kids are still very much alive. We know That asshole was probably killed by Liu Lan with the hammer and we know that she died because she was stabbed by someone but we don't even know where the knife come from because there is no knife during the scene we watched.

We know that Cheng Xiaoshi accidentally possessed her but didn't really seem to be in control, he just was watching the scene through her eyes and that he seems to have been losing contact wit Lu Guang when Li Tianchen touched him several times before that.

We know that when she started defending herself,she kicked his ankle with her foot, which to me, seemed to be beyond her physical capabilities at that moment (considering how much of a beating she took) so is she already someone else there ?

What is the end of the fox story and what is the significance of said fox story for the plot ?

No idea, we'll see next week I think.

What happened during the investigation of his wife's murder to make Qian Jin so resentful and so okay with killing his ex-colleagues ?

I really feels like we are missing something here, he is not just angry with the guy who they let escape and the justice system, he seems furious at the group of policemen who were with him.

Also his actual reaction to the kidnapping of Lu Guang is that he doesn't really want him dead which is wild compared to how he react every time he kills one of his ex-colleague.

Who is the unnamed friend ?

Three options I think

Baby Cheng Xiaoshi: but I don't really believe it's him, his voice actor is incredibly different from adult!CSX and child!CSX and what he is saying to Li Tianchen is completely out of character and way too cynical for him as a child and as an adult.

Baby Lu Guang: We don't really know what he was like as a child and we don't have his baby voice (yet) so I think it's bit more likely ? But I also don't think it's him either.

Hat guy, I think he is the more likely one.

Which leads me to who is hat guy ?

The only theory I've seen is that he is Liu Min's younger brother. I think that's pretty likely.We have no motive for him (yet) and we don't even know what he looks like.

What was the vision of Cheng Xiaoshi dying in Lu Guang's arms ?

I have three options here:

Lu Guang actually had a vision of the future even if he doesn't realize it while dying.

Lu Guang is from the future and is actively trying to change it and that was his memories.

Lu Guang is from the future and is actively trying to change it and that was his memories but this isn't his first time (timeloop theory)

All of this options means another question, what are Lu Guang's power actually ?

Can he actually jump back in time ? can he sees things that hasn't happened yet without the need of a photo or a camera ?

And does that mean we haven't seen all of what Cheng Xiaoshi can do with his ?

What else is he hiding from us and Cheng Xiaoshi ?

What are your secrets Lu Guang ? How do you know so much about time travel ? What do you know ???????

Who saved Cheng Xiaoshi the first time ?

Cheng Xiaoshi and Qiao Ling seems to think it was CXS from the future but there are inconsistencies. If it was, nothing would have changed. The kettle would not have been used for exemple.

Was the phone and the photo for Cheng Xiaoshi or was it a way for Lu Guang to see what happen in the next 12 hours (or both) ?

I honestly think it's both. I think Lu Guang let himself be captured knowing Cheng Xiaoshi would try this specifically but does that mean he is counting on Cheng Xiaoshi changing the future ?

We don't really know if Lu Guang knows Cheng Xiaoshi knows his code but he left it in view instead of taking it with him and didn't delete the photo ? That's sus. even if he doesn't know that Cheng Xiaoshi knows his code, he has to assume the police would have a way to open his phone.

Are the numbers of the code significant ?

They emphasized this so much not to be, right ? right ? Is it a date ? (I checked and according to google the date in mandarin is Years/months/days which would make those numbers not a date considering the middle one is 13).

What are the significance of the other objects in the opening ?

We have the gun, the diary and the photos (also the Gameboy but I'm less sure about that one). We think the gun is linked to the vision, maybe. That would be the weapon that injures/kills Cheng Xiaoshi in said vision but we have no clue about the diary/book.

What is the significance of the entire opening actually ?

No idea.

Leftover question from season 1 (which will probably not be answered this season, or it'll be part of the cliffhanger).

What happened to Cheng Xiaoshi's parents ?

Did they went to buy cigarettes and never came back or is it another time travelly thing. Are we going back to that time with Cheng Xiaoshi at some point (Yes) ? I want to know. Also it would be great for character development.

What happened during that summer vacation ? Can we have more information on this ?

Okay this one is less theory based and more, I would like to know for reasons (tm) but also it feels like another chekov gun. It's a set up that has to pay off somewhere. Is this where they got theirs powers ? or is this the moment where they both realised the other had powers and they could do something with it ? or maybe I just want to know because shenanigans (also I want to see Cheng Xiaoshi recieving the call from Shanshan and Qiao Ling asking him if they came back from overseas earlier because they just saw him in front of them).

I think I covered all the questions, if you think of something else, please add it to that post.

#link click #shiguang daili ren #shi guang dai li ren #time agents #qiao ling #li tianxi #li tianchen #qian jin #hat guy #cheng xiaoshi #lu guang #liu lan

[blubushie]

whats the worst thing youve ever done?

I've been staring at this question for just under an hour now.

There's a few things. No one here (or anyone, even) will ever hear a word of them. They're between me and my conscience.

But a story I will tell you...

This is a dingo. Notice his body shape. The long muzzle, the small eyes that are built for the desert sun, the straight back, the slim head, the wide ears, the white tail tip and white toes that hint of a purebred. I shoot these.

This is not a dingo. Don't mind the pelt--there's black dingos too, especially further south. No, look at his body shape. His muzzle is too short, his eyes are too big, his skull is too wide, he has a dip in his back. This isn't a dingo, but it's not a dog either. This is a hybrid. I shoot these.

This is a dog. Not at dingo at all. Through-and-through, a domestic dog. Not a hint of wild ancenstry.

I shoot those too.

I don't like it, but money is money, and meat is meat, and I can't have favourites.

This was about an hour’s drive from the nearest town. All of these animals got out here over generations of domestic breeds mating with the dingos. These are wild animals at this point, not pets. A pet would never get this far from town on his own.

I spoke to a stationhand and he’d said he’d seen cars out here, on rare occasions, and that he thinks someone was dumping dogs. I figured it was bullshit, figured no one would be that big of an arsehole to leave a dog out there to die, but I decided that I’d test that theory. I didn’t do any long-range shooting that day. I’d spot a dog, get as close as I could, and I’d whistle. Most stopped, looked at me with confusion, and I’d shoot them. Wild animals.

But the last hour of light in the day, I see this dog in the distance, and this one didn’t look like a dingo. Thick tail like Misty’s, flopped ears, some kinda bitzer but definitely a dog. For those of you that don’t know: erect ears is a dominant trait in dogs. Floppy ears is recessive. That means both parents have to have the gene. That means it’s almost a certainty this dog didn’t have dingo blood.

Which means this dog didn’t have wild ancestors. He wasn’t feral, and there’s only one way he could’ve gotten all the way out here.

I got this sick feeling in my stomach and repeated what I’d been doing. I whistle. His head shoots up, tail raised, and my stomach plummets when he wags his tail. I whistle again, he looks at me, and I raise my rifle the second he comes running toward me. Just in case.

He was a sweetheart. Rushing to me, head lowered and tail wagging, whining like I was some angel sent from the heavens to deliver him from this hellish place. He licked my boots, he didn’t jump up. Well-behaved. I lay my rifle against the rocks and he starts licking my hands, my arms, whining all the while, wheezing and sneezing and I’ve never seen a dog so happy except when I brought Misty back to Australia and picked her up after she spent ten days alone in a M*lbourne quarantine facility.

He rolls over. Neutered male. “Good boy,” I praised, and I rubbed his stomach. He never stopped wagging. “Good boy.”

I grab my rifle, shoulder it, and make the walk back to Matilda. The dog follows me all the while. We finally get back after maybe a half-hour of walking, and I go about making dinner. I’ve got some pork. I cook it for us, we have dinner outside, I let him lick my plate. I figure I’ve just got myself a new pet. I call him Bitz, because us Aussies aren’t very creative, and he’s a bitzer. I bring out my swag, I lie down for bed, and the dog lies next to me.

The next morning I wake up to a pain in my left foot, and there’s Bitz with a fire in his eyes, currently trying to eat my foot. I don’t mean this in a funny “haha nibble” way, I mean he had his jaws locked around my ankle, he’s thrashing and snarling, and he’s trying to maul me. I kick him away with my right foot, he stares at me for a second, bares his teeth, and then he lunges at me. We’re wrestling in the dirt, he’s biting my legs and if I weren’t wearing jeans his teeth would’ve ripped right through. I’m yelling at him to stop, he’s not stopping, and finally I kick him with the heel of my boot and he jumps back and starts whimpering.

We both catch our breath.

When he approaches me again, I’ve got my knife ready. This time he doesn’t bite. He keeps his head low, ears back, haunches dropped and tail thumping, and he licks my arms. His behaviour says he’s sorry, that he doesn’t know what got into him, that the bush changed him the same way it changed me.

It hits me like a brick.

Someone loved this dog, once. At one point in his life, this dog knew the touch of his person. He knew the flavour of good food he didn’t have to fight for, he knew the comfort of his human stroking his ears. He might’ve played fetch, or tug of war, and someone loved him enough to teach him how to walk at my side, keeping pace with me, and not leave it. His lead manners were better than Misty’s.

Someone loved this dog once, and then one day they just… didn’t.

So they brought him out here, to the middle of fucking nowhere, and condemned him to death. Snakebite, or disease, or the elements, or starvation, or dogger’s bullet. They brought him here, and took off his collar, and they left him somewhere on the track, and they got back in their car, and they drove off and never looked back. Did he chase the car? Pursue it until his paws bled? Did he just stand there and watch, certain that they’d return for him? How long did he sit on the track and wait for them to come back? How long did it take him to realise they never would?

And here he was now, walking at my side as if he hadn’t just attacked me and tried to rip my foot off. Tongue out, tail wagging, looking at me like I’m the one what raises the sun. But he’d bitten me, and I can’t trust him not to do it again. I can’t trust him not to attack me in my sleep. If he attacks someone else, they’ll kill him. And they probably won’t be as merciful about it as I would.

So I led him over to a tree, and I sat down on the log, and he sat next to me. I put my rifle down, and when the tears came he licked them away because that’s just what dogs do. They’re always so fucking trusting. You can leave them to die in the middle of the bush, and they’ll trust the first person they see because dogs have too much love in their hearts to hold grudges.

I stopped crying, and he laid back down, facing away from me because he trusted me, more than I trusted him. We watched the sunrise together, and his ears swivelled to me when he heard me load my rifle, but he didn’t turn to look at me. He leant his weight on my foot, and he laid down, and he closed his eyes, and I stroked his ears because he’s a good boy.

The worst thing I ever did was put a bullet in a dog that trusted me.

#blu whos #blu slew #blu a fuse

[paperlovesadness]

Ah... I feel a bit strange doing this. Might just stay in the drafts forever. We'll see. But my hands itch to do it every single time I listen to the song so... So here's a lyric analysis of "Star Treatment" and how... it might?... be? A song... About... Miles Kane?? Maybe??? 🫣 (no executions please. I'm really not trying to push this narrative. These things just kind of jumped out at me & I felt an urge to write it down somewhere. And perhaps see if anyone agrees? Comments encouraged! If anyone ever stumbles upon this silly thing) This will get long... Cause that's who I am. And also it references other songs.

Disclaimer 1: I did see someone attempt this on reddit. It was a bit out there though... And maybe ironic? I do share a thought or two with them though.

Disclaimer 2, an Important one: this does rely on an implication that there was something more between the two sometime around/ between 2015-2017ish? I don't want to put any labels and try to stay away from any too specific guesses. But well, I suppose I do kind of personally believe there was something there. If you're not a fan of theories about private lives of real people... I'm sorry. This one's not for you. I really do try to do it as respectfully as possible though. At the end of the day - it's just a theory. And not a mean one. I understand it's all just something that fits together in my head and may be very far from any truth. Disclaimer 3: I know this album is a concept album centered around characters. But I'm analyzing the second, potential autobiogrophical hidden layer beneath the obvious first meaning

Okay, let us have a whack at it now:

I just wanted to be one of The Strokes Now look at the mess you made me make Hitchhiking with a monogrammed suitcase Miles away from any half-useful imaginary highway

This one is very on the nose. But quite literally sneaking in his name in the lyrics -- maybe? we know Alex loves playing with many meanings/hidden messages & double entendres. + the being away from any half-useful imaginary highway makes me think of when he spoke about the fact that he couldn't write any more love-related matarial after EYCTE. And someone encouraged him to just go a different route. That's how TBHC was born. But also implies some trouble in the love-related ascpects of his life around the time. Could've just been trouble around Taylor - who he broke up with soon after the album's release. There's theories about how that happened [current girlfriend invloved] - but maybe there was even more confusion & heartbreak in the mix (ending a tour with someone with whom the lovey-dovey jokes may have gone a bit too far/serious?)

I'm a big name in deep space, ask your mates But golden boy's in bad shape

this is just implying any sort of broken-heartedness.

I found out the hard way that Here ain't no place for dolls like you and me Everybody's on a barge Floating down the endless stream of great TV 1984, 2019

dolls = puppets. And how the industry / society isn't a good place for relationships like this. (People wouldn't understand the type of bond they share?)

Maybe I was a little too wild in the '70s Rocket-ship grease down the cracks of my knuckles Karate bandana, warp speed chic Hair down to there, impressive moustache

Miles and Alex have spoken many times about how their first album was heavily 60s inspired - Scott Walker, The Beatles, 60s Morricone.

What may be less obvious and spoken about is how EYCTE was sort of meant to take their work into the 70s. He spoke about it in an interview when asked about the album cover. It's a 1969 photo of Tina Turner - which Alex commented on by saying: "The idea was to move the artwork on from the ’60s feel of the first Last Shadow Puppets album artwork, so here is Tina on the very cusp of the 1970s" (They also chose to sing covers like Moonage Daydream and Is This What You Wanted during that tour. Both 70s songs from artists that defined the era). So this could be him reflecting on the EYCTE era and how things may have gotten a bit too far during the time. Going in to deep, crossing some boundries and definitions?

Love came in a bottle with a twist-off cap Let's all have a swig and do a hot lap

alcohol? pills? alcohol & or drugs clouding some judgement/helping loosen up and causing the crossing of certain [friendship] boundries?

So who you gonna call? The Martini Police Baby, that isn't how they look tonight, oh no It took the light forever to get to your eyes

It's not a particularly meaningful line in terms of this narrative - but I wanted to talk about it because I find it so beautiful but also so fuck*ng sad. Like - one of he saddest lines I've read. It just hit me in the heart straight away when I heard it. I feel like my personal interpretation is dead wrong. But still choose to see it that way. I also know of the story of how it's inspired by Alex's dad telling him about how we see the light of the stars the way it was in the past bc of how long it takes to reach us. The way I hear this line though is: seeing the bottomless sadness in the eyes of someone who had their heart broken. Someone whose eyes used to be full of happiness - and now it takes forever for any touch of happiness to show up in their gaze. Now a possible interpratation for a second meaning to this whole section could be: calling the martini police = grabbing a drink to help with hearbreak, when there's no other solutions left. Miles has sang in his breakup album Coup de Grace about how he drowned the sadness after hearbreak in alcohol and pills. Mixing stuff together like a mad scientist etc. (Also if you ever saw the interview he did with [the one and only] Martin on his CDG album... Oof... Yeah. There was no light in that man's eyes. Even Martin saw that pain and commented on it. It's a tough one to watch)

I just wanted to be one of those ghosts You thought that you could forget And then I haunt you via the rear view mirror On a long drive from the back seat

This is one of these sections that hits me the most. Cause to me it can be seens as: Alex being aware of how much pain he caused - all he could wish is that he was just another lover whom the hearbroken person [Miles?] could forget. But alas - he still haunts him. Here it gets interesting (or batshit crazy. Cause I might be). Beacause the use of "ghost" just absolutely sends me to Miles' song "Shavambacu" - where he describes the eyes/thoughts of an ex lover still being focused on him after the breakup (this song though could have a whole seperate post of it's own) While "haunting via a rear view mirror" made me jump up and recall lyrics from Miles' song "Dont let it get you down". I saw your reflection, in The backseat of a Chevrolet from Hollywood to East LA NOW - don't shout at me. I know timelines are important. Because Shavambacu and Star Treatment came out around a similar time period. But Shavambacu came out a little bit later. While DLIGYD came out completely after all of hits - this year. So first off - I'm considering the fact that Miles and Alex are clearly still friends and in contact. So could have shown each other songs earlier. But more plausible theory: if these songs are perhaps maybe inspired by one another - they clearly are gonna recall events and/or inside lingo and jokes they both used. Possible situation: post Miles-Alex hearbreak Miles stumbled upon Alex going somewhere in a car. They spotted each other. this also makes me recall the whole:

Swear I saw you smile You try to hide it well 3:15 on the wrong side Columbia Street line from "Killing the Joke". Which many think references the area that Alex lives in. They lived a few minutes away from each other around 2016-2017. So would obviously run into one another often. Even if they were going through something and taking a break/trying not to.

But it's alright, 'cause you love me And you recognise that it ain't how it should be Your eyes are heavy and the weather's getting ugly

This one is also way to sad if you place it in a relationshippy context. There's a few ways I see it: 1) it's alright - no matter what happens, because A. knows M. loves him and will understand why things ended like they did. It shouldn't be this way - but it has to be, because there's things standing in the way. He believes he'll understand despite the grief. 2) dramatic, sad version - the "it ain't how it should be" actually references the "love me part". So M. should understand that things ended because they shouldn't love each other this way. It's just now how it should be and A. believes M. recognises that.

So pull over, I know the place Don't you know an apparition is a cheap date? What exactly is it you've been drinking these days?

once again referencing bumping into each other randomly? And going with it - going some place; talking. Maybe about how Miles' is doing, the heartbreak, how he deals with it - the alcohol (once again - just referencing what he himself sang about in lyrics on his breakup album)

Jukebox in the corner, "Long Hot Summer" They've got a film up on the wall and it's dark enough to dance

"Long Hot Summer" - by The Style Council is actually a song Alex cited to be one of the main references/inspirations used when working on the EYCTE album. So is definitely a nostalgic/meaninful song between the two. They go to a place after bumping into one another - there's a jukebox with a nostalgic song. They can dance together - because it's an incognito, dark place.

What do you mean you've never seen Blade Runner?

Now the Blade Runner line is so clearly Taylor Bagley (the woman is a huge, huge fan of it, apparently) it did have me stumped for a while. But then - maybe it's a clarifying line? Like - if this were about Taylor he would definitely not say that to her. It's obvious she's seen it a million times. Maybe this is here to sort of clarify this?

Oh, maybe I was a little too wild in the '70s Back down to earth with a lounge singer shimmer Elevator down to my make-believe residency From the honeymoon suite Two shows a day, four nights a week Easy money

70s again - EYCTE era But after the tour ended it was time to go back to earth, back to being non-TLSP Alex. Running away from reality into writing music - writing about a make-believe residency (Tranquility Base) Time to leave the honeymoon era = the tour and shows TLSP had together. (also AM may be easy money? Their reputation [very well deserved] makes it so that it's easy - bc anything they come out with will be bought)

So who you gonna call? The Martini Police So who you gonna call? The Martini Police Oh, baby, that isn't how they look tonight It took the light absolutely forever to get to your eyes

...

And as we gaze skyward, ain't it dark early?It's the star treatment Yeah, and as we gaze skyward, ain't it dark early? It's the star treatment It's the star treatment The star treatment

a sad ending. It got dark. A bit too early. It's sad that it all ended. But that's how it has to be - in show buisness, in the industry. They're well known people and it could hurt their careers - also it would just get out easily, so there's no room for self-discovery and just trying it out. That's the star treatment. (This is also a theme I am seeing in Mr. Schwartz lyrics. But that's for another time) Am I crazy? Probably! Is this just accidental elaborate fan fiction? Maybe! But still...I don't know. Song theories are fun. I get that morally it's a gray / or maybe even red area - talking out loud, publicly about theories invloving specific names and relationships. But like... Sue me! Let's call it a guilty pleasure. If anyone ever reads through this wall of text... Hi! Thanks and sorry. And please share some thoughts! (Eh. May just delete this soon anyway) Peace and love

#artic monkeys song theory #arctic monkeys lyric analysis #star treatment lyric analysis #arctic monkeys #tranquility base hotel and casino #alex turner miles kane #everything that you've come to expect #the last shadow puppets #miles kane and alex turner #alex turner and miles kane #song analysis #i may be batshit crazy i'm sorry #but it's harmless #milex #? #i suppose #my posts

[fangirleaconmigo]

I love your book analysis and show analysis posts! I like that they aren’t super gatekeeper-like and don’t talk down to people for simply enjoying the show. While I enjoyed the books more I don’t see the need to insult people who favor the show. Reading your recent post about “Burn Butcher Burn”/the “Mountain Break-Up” got me thinking about how different Geralt and Jaskier’s dynamic is in the books compared to the show. For instance, in The Edge of The World, Show Jaskier writes a song about Geralt but Book Jaskier writes about the Goddess. Or how in the show Geralt and Jaskier have a major fight early on in the series during the dragon hunt but in the books, they don’t have a major fight till later on during the Hansa's stay with Annarieta. Furthermore, the simple difference that Book Geralt and Jaskier are more affectionate towards one another than the show versions are. My question for you is, why do you think these differences were written into the show? Why do you think they changed their dynamic like this? (Sorry for the long ask! 😅)

Thank you! I am so glad it comes across that way. I think there are many very good reasons someone would prefer the show, and I do think a lot of the changes they made, made a lot of sense for the format. I adore most of what they've done with Yen and the sorceresses. I am intensely invested in her journey. I could go on about other things I love, but that'd be a different post.

As far as why they did what they did to Geralt and Jaskier's relationship? Ok, so I have my theories, but keep in mind this is all just me talking. I don't know anyone on the show. I'm wildly speculating.

I'm tagging TWN critical but this is not critique. It's just wild speculation and analysis.

My guess is that in order to deliver the kind of show Netflix wanted, they had to simplify. So, they looked at the show and said, we choose-- "Geralt's emotional arc will be a closed off, gruff, grizzled man who is changed by the love of a woman." And then they crammed everything else into that.

I think this for a few reasons. First, in S2, when Nivellen asks Geralt what changed him, why he is saving Ciri, Geralt says that Yen changed him. So it is said explicitly there. That takes away most of the guess work of the arc.

But also, in S1, pretty much all of Geralt's friendships and non romantic relationships were erased. I think if they'd have shown him being so loving with Ciri, Nenneke, or warm and affectionate with Borch, Jaskier, Chireadan, or Yarpen, it would have undermined that 'changed by romantic love' narrative and character arc.

That's my guess.

The way I differentiate between book and show Geralt is,(I've gone way into detail here, but to summarize):

With Book!Geralt, we see a man constantly trying to connect with a world that rejects him over and over again. He navigates these rejections with a bit of self consciousness and caution. His hurt is evident. But he always jumps at the chance to make a friend.With TWN!Geralt, we see a man who has shut himself down to protect himself from the world’s cruelties. He rejects people preemptively. They are like the inverse of each other in a way.

I think the nuance of the book version is...Geralt yearns for connection but it's complicated. He doesn't know who is going to hate him for being a witcher and the bigotry of the world can make him assume people are just morbidly curious or objectifying him (and indeed sometimes that's true). The discrimination has made him cautious at times, especially with humans, so he can be awkward and careful until he knows he isn't going to be rejected.

He tries so hard to reach out to people all the time, with varying levels of success. Yes, he tries to push people away sometimes, but it's when he is literally actively heading into dangerous situations. And then he is very open about why he wants to go alone. He's like...I am going alone. I do not want you to die. We like to tease book!Geralt about being broody lone wolf, but the fact is, it IS mortally dangerous for people he loves.

Now, I think that is incredibly difficult to translate all of that to screen under time and space constraints. We don't have Geralt's internal voice on a show, and they aren't writing a character driven show. Netflix decided on an action show. Some people say that The Witcher was Netflix's answer to Game of Thrones. But I see it as Netflix's MCU or Star Wars.

I know Game of Thrones fans complain about the reduced quality of the writing after they ran out of books. But BEFORE the books ended, they lifted a ton of writing from the books. The language could be very stylized and witty, and reminiscent of what modern people expect of medieval language. There was a bounty of character and relationship development.

The Witcher just fully went with plain modern speech, and a faster moving plot. I really think they're thinking MCU here. They wanted a franchise they could develop that would make them a player in the scifi fantasy realm. Those properties try to deliver genre, action, comedy, and a bit of heart. Whether they succeed depends on the show/movie.

So. Going back to Geralt. That nuance in the book was flattened, which I think made it easier to translate to screen. Plus, when you go genre/action you cut out almost all of the space for multiple relationships or character dev, so you have to pick one. And they picked his romantic relationship to center it on.

But wait, I hear you say, they didn't spend enough time or effort on that either! And all I can say to that, people who are consumers of the romance genre often do not need all that space to be filled in. That genre often speaks in tropes, and it is accepted and understood that the viewer will be invested automatically and will fill in all the spaces.

I think the way it was written, they were counting on that. For me that doesn't work. I'm a very unromantic aro person. (Yes, I write romance. I do love love! Just not romance on it's own. Trust me, it makes sense in my head) For lots of people, it does. My older sister told me that Geralt's love for Yen is what humanizes him for her, and she wouldn't have been invested in him otherwise post-S1. My other sister (I have three) said she immediately understood their bond and didn't need anything else. So. To each their own.

So that is all a very long way of saying, his best friend was a fatality in the reframing of Geralt's emotional life and the choice they made to focus on the romance. Season 2 tried to play catchup somewhat, but had to focus mostly on the Geralt Ciri relationship to make up for cutting out their entire relationship S1.

And I do think the common fandom criticism has some truth to it. They just do not 'get' how to portray a complex, nuanced masculinity that allows for affection and love coming from men who are also strong and deadly and very very traumatized, to other men. They allllmost had it with Geralt and Vesemir before they pulled the rug on that one.

I've seen people say that the show knows how to portray complex femininity but not complex masculinity, and I think there is a good case to be made for that as well.

ETA: I've also seen people say there is a very American flavored no-homo anxiety to the show. They are trying to please everyone and maybe they fear affection between men would alienate certain types of cishet male fans who want to see themselves in Geralt, and would interpret these types of things as emasculating. This is the 'no-homo' anxiety. Could be. That's something I think you'd have to be behind the scenes to know. But I never doubt the power of the enforced gender binary on our society and in our stories.

#asks #the witcher #geralt of rivia #jaskier #these are all guesses #i'm just guessing #i'll tag twn critical #but i'm not being critical #just analyzing #but hey #twn critical

[walks-the-ages]

I absolutely love all the Quantum Leap blogs I follow because the complete and utter radio silence on the 2022 reboot really speaks volumes considering how much speculation was on my dash before it aired.

As someone who finally remembered it's existence and watched the whole season*, I can genuinely tell all original Quantum Leap fans:

Do not bother watching this show

It literally exists to try and make a profit off the nostalgia of the title alone, because it is shallower than a drop of water in the desert and they're trying to make up for their lack of interesting Leaps by filling the runtime with office drama in the present day that no one cares about and doesn't mean anything.

They're telling us all these things about Ben that mean absolutely nothing because it doesn't change anything, he already Leaped, and no I don't particularly care about why, even after the little "cliffhanger reveal" in Episode 8.

I was watching this show because I care about Sam Beckett and Al Calavicci.

Al was summarily killed off in the first or second episode by having them mention he'd passed away a few years ago, and while you could be generous and say it's because they didn't want anyone that wasn't Dean Stockwell playing Al.... You don't have to have a character on-screen to have them exist in your story.

Al could have been a character whose just always left the room to go attend one of his grandkids pride events.

He could be on the other end of an important phone call.

He could be the random old guy that sneaks in at night and talks with Ziggy but they've never been able to catch him because he always knows how to disable all their security measures and Ziggy refuses to tell them.

(They're secretly plotting to actually get Sam and Ben back while everyone else is just caught up in their conspiracy theories, Janis helps by sending them all on a wild goose chase so Ziggy has actual time to put her processing power to work)

But yeah. Al's been killed off for literally no reason except for bad writing, his daughter is an antagonist for no reason except bad writing, and I genuinely do not care about literally any of these characters because so far they haven't done anything memorable. Ben gets kudos for actually helping people but that's negated a bunch by him being extremely shallow of a character AND the mouthpiece for "you must forgive your abusers!!!!!" The writers are using this show to preach.

Oh and did I mention everyone promptly forgot that Sam Beckett exists and that Ben was trying to find him? So much so that when he runs into another Leaper who warns him to stop following because it's dangerous, literally every single character jumps to the conclusion that it's ... Janis. Al's Antagonist Daughter, threatening Ben, instead of the obvious conclusion of

Hello???? It's literally Sam fucking Beckett trying to warn Ben he should be focused on getting home, back to his life, instead of continuing to try and find Sam?? That Sam's trying to save him from getting trapped in the Leaps like he was??? And the show unironically took it as a threat from some unknown villain instead, and wholly expects the audience to take that conclusion at face value?

Like. Yeah, don't watch Quantum Leap 2022 if you loved the original, if you want to know what happened to Sam and Al.

Al's been summarily killed off, his wife Beth has existed for maybe 3 scenes, and his daughter is randomly an antagonist who drugs her own mother into unconsciousness to show how evil she is lol.

Sam Beckett exists as a footnote and is summarily forgotten by all the new characters.

Ziggy doesn't exist and is now just a generic computer they call "it" (instead of she/her OR he/him) and is not a character at all

Oh, and Ian Wright the nonbinary character everyone was hyping up? Just exists to be the shallow, quirky, quipping one-liner joke-maker of the episode, wearing cat ears at work, making jokes about magic mushrooms and somehow generating views for the show because apparently Mason Alexander has a cult following of people who literally just follow their work and refer to them on a first name basis and...

... I've just blocked all those people already from the tag because it's genuinely creepy how deeply these people are in a parasocial relationship with the actor. Like genuinely looking for RPF things and obsessing over them and referring to them only by their first name and just.... No. Hell no.

But yeah, the funny thing is if you go into the Quantum Leap 2022 tag and block all the Mason Park stalkers the content of the tag is just reduced by like 90%

So uh. That tells you a lot about how little substance Quantum Leap 2022 has. Most of the posts are from me and my twin liveblogging it lol.

-----update:

* I guess they're splitting the season into 2 parts because the IMBD says the next episode is in January 2023 with more episodes after that for a total of 18 episodes in the first season but uh. Too fucking bad for them I'm not wasting my time on this bag of hot air. I'm sticking a pin in it and going back to my little original show rewrite and post canon fun/angst.

#Quantum Leap #Quantum Leap 2022 #ql #ql2022 #Quantum Leap 2 #quantum leap 2 electric boogaloo #its crap ! its boring! its shallow! it doesnt care! #long post #bold text

[lizzieonka]

An Honest Guide to Tumblr for Twitter Refugees (Part 0)

So I had posted Part 1 first, covering basic technical aspects like configuring your Tumblr settings and customizing your Tumblr. And while I was writing my draft for Part 2, I realized that all these “How to use Tumblr” guides are pretty much useless if you don’t even know what the heck Tumblr is and why you should even use it… Thus, I’m just gonna go ahead and talk about that first.

So, what the heck is Tumblr?

I’ve mentioned this in Part 1: Tumblr is a blogging platform. The name “tumblr” comes from the word “tumblelog.” But this definition is just putting things simply.

I’d like to define Tumblr as your own personal corner in the internet. What it really is depends on how you use it. This blog where I’m posting this guide is a blog I use for the multiple fandoms I’m in. Here, I talk about the latest anime episodes, reblog gifs, and sometimes post theories and analyses. My dashboard, then, is full of users who are in the same fandoms as me, and the posts I see most often are those about anime and manga.

Fandom is just one Tumblr use-case. You can customize your Tumblr experience to however you want it to be.

If you’re a writer, you can join the writeblr community and post about your WIPs. You can also follow other writers and talk about their WIPs.

If you’re an artist, you can check out the #artists on tumblr tag and see what other artists are making.

If you’re a developer, you can try making your own Tumblr themes and even join coding challenges.

If you like science stuff, check out the #science side of tumblr.

And if you want to wax poetic about your latest hyperfixation, you can start an fyeah blog. You can go as wild as you want, and people won’t cringe and call you weird for it.

Great! So now I can start posting and joining the x/y/z communities on Tumblr, right?

Not yet. I mean, you can, of course; there’s no hard rule for it. But I advise against jumping right into things.

Someone posted about this before, but I couldn't find that post anymore, so I'll just say it again: Before starting anything here on Tumblr, it's best you spend a few days just lurking around.

Don't make an intro post, don't rush to advertise your blog, and don't start begging for followers yet (the number of followers don’t even matter here). Just lurk. Observe. See how the veteran Tumblr users are doing things and learn from them.

This has been said many times before, but please leave your Twitter habits out the door. Tumblr culture and etiquette is not something you can learn overnight, so it’s wise to just watch first.

Familiarize yourself with the Tumblr terminology. Like, what does “meta” mean? What are ask/tag games? What does it mean when a user says they’re “tracking tags”? There are many other terms, and although it’s not necessary to learn them, you’ll enjoy Tumblr more if you know what they are.

Oh, by the way, it’s called reblog, not retweet. God forbid you call them retweets. And no, adding content to a reblog is not the same as quote tweeting. (I’ll talk more about this in Part 2 or 3 of this guide.)

Why should I listen to you? I’m gonna treat this place like Twitter, fuck you

You don’t have to listen to me at all. But I’m telling you, if you treat this place like Twitter, you’re just inviting hate and ridicule upon yourself. As much as Tumblr users like to call this place hellsite and complain about how it’s always broken, we are oddly very defensive of it. We do not want it to become a Twitter 2.0.

Is Tumblr right for me?

As long as you’re not a brand always trying to sell us stuff or a celebrity only using the platform to promote their show/album/movie, then yes, you are welcome here.

To enjoy Tumblr, you have to treat it like a place where you just hang out and have fun and not just another platform to get sales or followers or to chase clout. That just doesn’t work here. There’s a reason why @/neil-gaiman is Tumblr’s most beloved celebrity, and that’s because he understands this.

#tumblr #tumblr guide #twitter #elon musk #miyamiwu.src #miyamiwu.tut

[exist101]

So anyway I'm going over the Grapple-pap quest with a fine tooth comb.

Sir how do you not know Clareta? I know she's een out of town for a couple years but that's still weird when other people remember her.

Okay so my current theory is that the Graple-pap is kinda like what Santa is to Sant Nicholas. An actual guy who was turned into a myth.

Also what is up with Pap Delivery? Is it a company? Those bottles look like that guys in Wild West.

Mkay mysterious house I can't get to. (how did you even build this thing?)

And then there's this rhyme that the kids are singing as they jump rope. What is going on here?

So this guy is the Grapple-pap I guess. He reminds me of the Krampus (for obvious reasons)

Okay but this has the same feeling as those movies where Santa's real and the parents are like "No he isn't the presents just appear by themselves :)" Also this lady admits to being mean and then says the Grapple-pap will gift her a wet sock (???)

(Mythbuster voice) Well there's your problem. The bridge is out.

So these guys broke the bridge and crashed. Hopefully they made it back to town and didn't die of hypothermia.

These remind me of the ice caves in Poptropica English.

There is a wooly mammoth with a gift in the bckground.

Where did the Grapple-pap statue come from?

If anyone can tell me what dinosaur this is I would be grateful.

Some more totems of our lord and savior Grapple-pap.

Okay so here's this thing. I guess Grapple-pap has been going on for thousands of years.

Okay but why are all of these Pap Delivery carts out here? Are they going to Clareta? I don't think there's anything past her house.

Thank Grapple-pap this rope was here, otherwise we would have frozen to death like that fellow from earlier.

Are these Clareta's footprints? Or are they someone elses?

Okay but these are Grapple-pap footprints. It wouldn't make sense if Clareta put these here to scare people away, it's past her house.

There is a lot going on in this picture, so I'm going over all of the things I found interesting

The Grapple-pap puppet. Did she make it herself or was it sent by her brother? If it was sent, then why isn't it in the fireplace with the other toys?

The ponies. I guess it's because she's grumpy but come on girl. He made them for you to cheer you up!

The fish. She doesn't seem to be near a lake, where is she getting all these fresh fish?

Look at them, so young and happy! What happened? Did the brother move away, causing Clareta to be upset at him?

Okay, that's good to know.

Okay so she's also terrified of good ol' Pap.

Lady I just used a statue to scare the shit out of you.

Honey. She's not so sweet.

So, tldr

Ask me if you have any theory, or if I missed anything because ths is a rabbit hole.

#poptropica #grapple pap

[millingroundireland]

"Goat gangs" of Ireland, immigrant ancestors, and genealogies

Courtesy of a blog on ancestry.com. Ancestry states that Mills is, in English and Scottish, a variant of Mill, specifically in English meaning "either a metronymic form of Mill...or a variant of Miles" while in Irish, "in Ulster this is the English name, but elsewhere in Ireland it may be a translation of a Gaelic topographic byname, an Mhuilinn ‘of the mill’."

Most hilariously, I read an article in Boing Boing, declaring that "Ireland has a goat problem," going onto say that "a growing gang of wild goats is having its way with the towns of Ennis and Clare's gardens, parking lots and roads." Apparently, this is a serious public safety concern there, since "sooner or later someone's going to get hurt in a goat attack...or wind up hitting one – or five – with their car," with current talk "of erecting signs warning motorists of goat hazards in town and on nearby highways (goats be roaming), and some pretty stern mumbling about what can be done to control the exploding goat population." Then, the article hilariously closes by saying "once a goat has tasted the sweet nectar of freedom, there's no way it'll stand to be confined to a single patch of land." On more serious notes than this, I found some articles about family history worth sharing. One of these talks about 12 ways to be a better genealogist, writing that one should:

Copy all documents carefully, word for word, exactly as written. Do not correct spelling or make guesses. Accuracy is one of the most important characteristics of a good genealogy researcher. Analyze new material carefully - think about what the document tells you. What clues are found in the document? Where should you look next? Be methodical. Don't jump around. Focus on one ancestor at a time. Note everything you find. Don't make assumptions. For example not everyone knew when they were born or how old they were in any given year, so those census records might not agree but don't assume you've got the wrong ancestor. It's okay to theorize but note that you are working on a theory, not a fact backed up with sources. Gather all documents and records on one ancestor, and study them carefully for clues. Note your sources carefully. Don't grab online trees and add to your own without verifying every single "fact". Use online trees for clues, but remember you do not know how good or how bad a genealogist the person who did them. Put together a chronological timeline for each ancestor. This will help you see what you are missing and what else you need. Review old research. You will be amazed at what you may have missed the first time around. Write a report on what you have found for an ancestor. This will help you place your ancestor in history and add detail to the bare facts. Remember that your ancestors were people just like you. They loved, they hated, they cried, they laughed, they had good days, they had bad days. Think about this when you are trying to figure out how your great-great grandfather met and married your great-great grandmother. Apply your own life experiences to each ancestor you find. Research the area where your ancestor lived and find out what records were made during his/her lifetime, what has survived, and where they are held. Cite your sources! If you aren't up to citing them in the current approved scholarly way, at the very least write them down in a way that will allow others to find what you used. Yes, some of us still like to verify for ourselves.

This are undoubtedly good tips. This brings us to our second post, from the same blog, titled "Who Were Your Immigrant Ancestors?" It says that "...Perhaps it's a good time to look back and recall our own immigrant ancestors... So there you have just a few of my many immigrant ancestors to North America in that 300 years between 1613 and 1913. Who were your immigrant ancestors? Who was your earliest?" In terms of the Mills family, the only ancestor we know for sure that is the earliest is John Mills in 1835 and Margaret Bibby following him in later years.

This post was originally published on WordPress in May 2018.

With this, we can move onto another post, from the New York Public Library, titled "Published Family Histories: An Under-Tapped Resource." They are writing mainly about family histories in the 19th century, but the article is still interesting nonetheless:

Many budding genealogists aspire to write their own family history...But how many people bother to consult the thousands of genealogies already in print? Like the old adage that children should be seen and not heard, it seems that most family histories are unfortunately destined to be written and not read—at least, not by anyone outside the immediate family circle. Frankly, it’s easy to understand why. Although once a primary tool for genealogy research, family histories have now been overshadowed by higher-tech alternatives. With DNA testing, distant relatives are within spitting (or swabbing) distance of anyone willing to pay a modest fee. Key documents previously hidden away in filing cabinets are now available online. And online family trees also make the fruits of other people’s research easy picking. But even before the digital era, published family histories suffered a tarnished reputation...researchers today are far more likely to simply ignore published family histories than adopt them wholesale. Don't make either mistake! Whether or not your own family lines are included in published histories, these resources can provide unique information about an era and context that will bring your family history alive. Even details that are not factually accurate can provide insight into the prevailing attitudes that colored our ancestors’ lives. For family and other historians, published family histories can supply a personal perspective and intimate details that are not readily available elsewhere. And many early published family histories are now available online, making them easier to discover than ever before...Many family histories contain colorful descriptions of local customs that might otherwise be lost to time...Family histories often include biographical sketches and oral histories of people who lived in the same place at the same time as your ancestors...Within family histories, you may also find a record of events that had a profound impact locally, but received little attention in history books...Published family histories are a rich source of information about many people who are underrepresented in more traditional historic sources, including women and African-Americans...Published family histories sometimes contain anecdotal information regarding the lives and experiences of African Americans, even though the vast majority of them were written by and about white families. These accounts make for painful reading, but they are an under-tapped source worthy of more examination...Published histories of other families can teach key lesson for writing your own – and many examples of what to avoid. Too many published family histories are simply boring recitals of facts. While still useful for establishing the family chronology, these dry compilations do little to bring family history alive. Authors who managed to convey the characters of their ancestors -- not merely their dates of birth, marriage and death – are the ones that will continue to be read by an audience far beyond their own family. And the same will be true of the family histories compiled today... Most early family histories (those published before 1923, and thus out-of-copyright) have been digitized and are available in free online libraries such as HathiTrust, Internet Archive, Family Search Books and Google Books...For family and other historians, the digitization of these texts has made it easy to explore a treasure trove of stories, tales and lore that can enrich your understanding of our shared history and your own ancestry, even if they do not relate specifically to your kin. So start exploring these underused resources! and discover a more personal side of American history.

Some good tips in there about family history writing. It brings us to the last post, also from the New York Public Library, titled "20 Reasons Why You Should Write Your Family History." In it, it is noted that

If you have done any family history research, such as looking for records on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org or conducting interviews with older family members, you may have pondered writing about your genealogy research. Here are 20 reasons why you should cease pondering and start writing: You’ll feel wiser...First person narratives and family histories are important historical documents...You are an important person. You have things to pass on, to your children, to your local history society, to unknown future generations...You and your family are important to somebody, probably many somebodies...Family trees are abstract. Stories add depth...Memories over time become fragmented and distorted. People may not remember the things you told them but did not write down...Writing your family history gives you the chance to depict your ancestors how you see fit...There is a need for diverse family histories about those who have not been represented well in history texts...There is a need for more family histories documenting female lines...There is a need for more family histories about families who are not affluent...Family histories humanize the people you know or knew and remember for those who did not know them...Information raises questions. Genealogy research has brought new facts into your life...It may help you understand your current family dynamics...It will help you build or solidify a sense of family...Writing is reflective. Writing is investing in yourself...It can be therapeutic...Don’t take for granted that the lives of your ancestors are lost. Evidence of the people they have been exists somewhere and is discoverable...“It will have a wider impact than you might imagine”...Family members and even distant cousins may become more forward in contributing documents, photos, and stories for your genealogical research...You will be encouraged to archive and preserve the documents on which your family history research is based: certificates, letters, diaries, etc.

I'll end on that, and note that I may donate a printed genealogy to the New York Public Library.

© 2018-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

#genealogy #irish genealogy #irish heritage #irish history #ancestry #family history #ireland #19th century #immigration #20th century #goats #wordpress

[casasupernovas]

im ranting again lol.

there's a lot of creepy shit in regards to martha's season. mainly in the shakespeare code but also the lazarus experiment. like why was the doctor picking up her underwear? mark gatiss made a joke about how this is probably the first time the doctor has done this to a companion on tv.

why was there supposed to be a scene where the doctor undresses in front of martha in the shakespeare code - "you gonna stand there all night?" (thank GOD david said absolutely not!).

the innuendos - the doctor's awkward conversation with martha's mother? it's funny but more indicative of a bigger issue.

my conspiracy theory is that the annoying fans that hated her by default were so anti her because they saw how more suggestive the series was written in regards to her and they were pissed.

in fact, THIS is how the press reacted to her casting and the series:

it even veers into more violence or aggression which also startled me - utopia where he yells in her face (you understand he was panicking but my God...). she looks so scared :/ i hate how she jumps...

or when john smith manhandles her out of the room. i know she slapped him but it makes me madder because it didn't need to happen because joan tells him martha was right about the watch and she only says this once martha's been manhandled out of the room of course.

and of course the doctor's blatant rudeness and dismissveness e.g her asking about her safety in shakespeare or pretty valid questions about time and space and his rudeness in the house.

or just cruelty (im using the words that even russell and david use here) at the end of gridlock when he hurts her feelings and the "never waste time on a hug" line in the daleks two parter.

or how the series in general pushes her aside for a blonde woman - rose tyler, lilith, joan redfern, sally sparrow. shit even lucy saxon. and i know for a fact a lot of fans revelled in her bad treatment.

there just a lot of themes that aren't necessarily bad if utilised well, and i don't think they were, especially as no one really pulled up the doctor on how he treated martha or how he really felt about her. and even the press had their share. even in doctor who confidential, they include a piece where someone commented that they were impressed with martha which they found themselves surprised at, as they had seen the promotional pictures and thought it didn't look right, a sentiment echoed throughout the forums for a long time. take a wild guess of what THAT meant?

#your spaceships made of wood #doctor who #10th doctor #david tennant #tenth doctor #10 #russell t davies #rtd era #martha jones #freema agyeman #british press #racism #lucy saxon #lilith #rose tyler #smith and jones #the shakespeare code #evolution of the daleks #daleks in manhattan #the lazarus experiment #42 #human nature #joan redfern #the family of blood #utopia #steven moffat #the sound of drums #last of the timelords #rtd criticism

[well-its-not-human-anymore]

Hi Hi!!!! So I've been following your account for a little while now and I love every single comedy bomb you drop on what you write so I was wondering....

How would the boys react to their S/O who is usually reserved when at the lair, doing a full 180 when at April's? Like they could be April's roommate or something?....

Like crackhead energy, dishing out memes and vines and literally having a duel with Casey about leftovers in the fridge?... Yeah I know it's very specific 💀

I don't know.....the idea just popped into my head but I lack the creativity and comedy skills for that...so I was wondering if you could do something with this?.....

It's totally fine, if not 😁😁

This is... 100% me. I love this and I'm gonna pour my soul into it. Also I have started mentally referring to these as comedy bombs and I refuse to stop.

Also, I hope you don't mind that I wrote these in oneshot form instead of bullet points. It just made more sense for my brain.

TMNT Oneshots

The boys with a partner whose reserved at the lair but an absolute crack gremlin at home 🤣

Donatello

Donnie may have been a man of science, all logic and facts and numbers and things. But he absolutely believed that everyone had three separate faces, you were direct proof of that theory. While the purple terrapin had known you for nearly a year you’d only started dating a month ago and it shocked him that he was still uncovering new things about you. He loved it, sure, but it had a tendency to give him figurative whiplash.

He’d always known you to be calm and collected, maybe even a bit shy. He swore you’d explode if more than one person tried to talk to you at the same time. So it wasn’t an over exaggeration for him to say that your behavior at home nearly made him break his neck.

He was only there to help April fix a bug in her laptop and to confirm your next date, he was excited to see you since you’d had no contact in person for a week because of your schedules. Just lots of phone calls and exchanged text messages. You both missed each other like crazy and your roommate had neglected to inform you that your boyfriend was coming over.

Hers was already there and he was driving you up the wall, you’d never actually thought about committing a murder but Casey was pushing you very close to the edge of snapping. And he might as well have crane-kicked you off your cliff of patience and into the rushing river of “you little fucking shit I’m gonna piss on your grave” below. You hadn’t even heard Donnie come in through the window much less his conversation with April over her computer.

All you knew was that Casey had come parading into your room like a tyrant eating the leftovers in the fridge that you had specifically put your name on. That did it. Your eyes had skimmed over the top of your textbook to meet the asshole in front of you.

“Casey?”

He couldn’t speak through the mouthful he was trying to chew and grunted in pathetic response.

“Is that my cheeseburger?”

You’d never seen a living person imitate a pug’s facial structure so well, the man’s eyes bugged out of his head and he tossed the takeout box on your desk before turning and bolting out of your room. You followed about two steps behind with a bottle of shampoo in your hand. No, you weren’t entirely sure where you’d grabbed it from, all you knew was that it was your weapon. And it quickly became a very messy problem when it missed your target (Casey’s head) and slammed into the wall, exploding on impact.

You didn’t think you’d thrown it that hard.

“April April help help help helpppppppppppppp-'' The two on the couch had looked up during the chase throughout the apartment, Donnie was mostly curious at what Casey was screaming about. Not a lot usually made the guy make that noise. He was then distracted by April grabbing the laptop and passing it to him, she then clambered over his legs to sit behind him.

“YOU UGLY ASS CROISSANT! FUCKING PANINI HEAD- IT HAD MY NAME ON IT YOU DAFT AVACADO!”

Your boyfriend almost went vertical upon watching you tackle Casey to the floor and knee him in the groin. You shook the terrified man under you and slammed him a little harder into the rug.

“Touch my shit again and I’m gonna make the beaches of Normandy look like a goddamn family vacation.”

Then you climbed off of him and stood, brushing your disheveled t-shirt off with a huff. Donnie caught your attention and you raised your head to grin excitedly at him.

“Hi Dove! April didn’t tell me you were coming over,” you practically skipped over to the couch to peck him on the cheek, “I missed ya, are we still on for Saturday?”

He nodded in complete shock, his gaze flitting from you to Casey, who was still wheezing on the floor and clutching his dick.

“Uhhh yeah! Yeah, yep, Still good for Saturday. Uhm, completely unrelated question, where the hell did you learn to grapple like that?”

You shrugged absentmindedly, already walking to the hall closet to grab cleaning supplies for the puddle of shampoo in the walkway.

“Just kinda picked it up I guess? I’ve watched you guys train enough.”

Leonardo

See, Leo had always known that you were hiding something from him. Be it your true personality or some deep dark secret. He wasn’t really in a rush to find out, you’d tell him when you were ready. The leader enjoyed your quiet disposition anyways, you gave good advice and liked to meditate with him, what more could he ask for? What more could he want?

Well, maybe if you got along better with his family, although he supposed that wasn’t your fault, you always had been a bit shy. Even six months into your relationship with him, Leo only hoped that you’d warm up to his brothers eventually. You seemed to do alright with Splinter, that was a plus for the situation. It wasn’t that you were mean or impolite to the others, you were just… avoidant. Distant, quiet, whatever word you wanted to use. You just didn’t seem comfortable at the lair.

He was excited that April had asked to host a game night though, maybe you’d come out of your shell (haha, see what I did there?) and socialize, even for a little bit. They’d all shown up a few minutes early to make sure April didn’t need help with anything, she’d assured them that everything was handled and made sure to inform Leo that you would be back shortly with Casey from your snack run. Mikey had joked that you’d ditched the get together to avoid them but they all knew it ran the possibility of not being a joke.

You unlocked the door and held it open so Casey could get inside without tripping himself before entering yourself and kicking your shoes off. Leo looked up to meet your eyes and you sent him a wild grin, your entire face lit up with amusement.

“Hi babes! Are you ready to get your ass kicked at Monopoly?”

All the poor turtle could do was nod.

“Good. I did grab drinks by the way, April there should be a mixer in the cooler bag, Donnie there’s some of that lemon lime stuff that you said you wanted to try, Mikey, orange crush as usual, Raph I tried to go for Dr. Pepper but they were out so I figured that root beer was a safe second. And Leo they had a new boba flavor that you haven’t had yet so I grabbed one. If you don’t like it then you can have mine, I just have the peach royal.”

Beverages were tossed and they were lucky that their surprise didn’t throw off their catching skills. You and April shared a quick word in the kitchen as you took your coat off and ran a hand through your hair.

After some arguments team captains were decided and Donnie nearly had a heart attack when you picked him instead of Leo or either of your friends. He even went so far as to point at himself to make sure you weren’t joking. You declared that while you loved your boyfriend his morals were too strong to be competitive, Donnie’s were not, he said so himself.

They were all surprised that you’d remembered that conversation.

It wasn’t until halfway through the game that things started getting heated, you and Mikey were nearly jumping across the table at each other. And it visibly took all of your strength to not burst out laughing when he started yelling.

"YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS CHEATING! YOU'RE CHEATING! GET ON TOP OF THE FRIDGE!"

April and Casey were snorting into their arms as you got to your feet and walked towards the kitchen, making a poor attempt at climbing the appliance.

"THIS HOUSE IS A FUCKING NIGHTMARE!"

Raphael

Raph had always been under the impression that you were never really 100% yourself around him, he knew for a fact that you weren’t when you stayed over. He’d never seen someone so aggressively avoid someone, except himself of course. You were his partner of almost a year and it seemed like you were never going to let your true self shine. However you did seem to lighten up when you were alone with him, he supposed that was normal, but you may as well have been a pair of old earbuds that only work when you held them a certain way at the lair.

He honestly hadn’t expected that to change tonight, not given the text that Casey had sent him informing him of April’s recent breakup with whatever guy she’d been dating. So when he climbed in through the window and saw both you and Casey sitting on the floor in front of the bathroom he really didn’t think that the words out of your mouth would be-

“April you’ve got another twenty minutes of this then I’m ripping the door off the hinges!”

Casey shot you a look and you shrugged nonchalantly before getting to your feet and walking over to your confused boyfriend.

“Hey, sorry about this. Casey only texted you as a last resort if he needed someone to stop me from tearing the door off.”

Raph found that peculiar, “Uh, couldn’t he do it himself?”

The man in question looked up from his spot on the floor.

“Nah dude, they’re crazy. Last time I tried stopping them from doing something they nearly knocked my damn tooth out while screaming, and I quote, “If you put your hands on me I’m gonna fucking rip your face off” and quite frankly I don’t have the balls to test that.”

“No no dude, that’s valid. I wouldn’t either. Babe, why are you so-”

You raised an eyebrow at him over a glass of water, “Violent? I’m not Raph. These two just have little bitch feelings.”

He found it hard not to laugh at that and fifteen minutes later when you left his side to approach the door again it sent him reeling.

“This shit’s temporary April. You’ve got nice teeth and a fat ass, stuff your feelings down!”

Michelangelo

There would never be a time where Mikey wasn’t a prankster with you, it was just simply non-negotiable. You were cool with that and he was aware, he was also aware that no pranks were to be pulled at the lair. So he’d reign it in while you visited, just for a short while. But you’d never said anything about the apartment and Mikey was a creature of opportunity.

Unfortunately Leo talked him out of it and forced him not to pull anything while they visited. The leader was already on edge so when he walked in with the others following closely behind you were the first person to see him. Your eyes caught Mikey’s instantly and you might as well have been telepathic at that moment. But you took one look at Leo’s solid, angry face and seized your moment.

They weren’t at all ready for the scream.

“GET YOUR FUCKIN’ DOG BITCH!”

And they also weren’t ready for Mikey’s response of, “It don’t bite.”

And Leo was not ready for the pillow that got whipped at his face at incredibly high speed.

“YES IT DO-”

So when Leo finally realized that they were yelling at him his mood did not improve at all and in fact declined sharply into a pit of “oh fuck”. And that was how you ended up on Mikey’s shoulder getting dragged away from any sort of repercussion for your actions.

These got a little short near the end but I hope you like 'em and I hope I was able to capture what you had in mind! 😁

-Mars 🌠

#tmnt bayverse #tmnt headcanons #tmnt x reader #tmnt leonardo #tmnt raphael #tmnt donatello #tmnt michelangelo #writing blog #writing requests #ask box #ask response