linkseasonmaster

[linkseasonmaster]

“To Sir Donald Trump, the two-faced bastard of bigotry. You are arrogant and out of touch with the needs of the American people. Your campaign of greed and hate makes you unfit to lead a nation. Thus we have decided to make you confess all your crimes and expose the coward beneath all that orange. From, The Phantom Thieves.” The above image is a fan-made calling card I found online, one written in the style of those delivered to all kinds of horrendous villains by the heroes in a video game franchise near and dear to my heart. And if Donald J. Trump were to find copies of this calling card plastered to every visible surface of each and every property he claims ownership of, I unashamedly would scream with joy, for he would deserve every single one of them along with the change of heart that follows, confessing to all of the awful things he has ever done and demanding to be thrown in prison. After all, Trump and his supporters are just like the corrupt authority figures from the games, indulging in revolting behavior and hiding behind their power base. I have felt this way for years, and now I shall explain why.

Back in 2015, when there were still more than 10 candidates in the running to be the Republican candidate for President of the United States, I was on a cross country road trip with two members of my family. One of our stops was in a town in Illinois attributed to being where Abraham Lincoln, a man famous for making the practice of slavery illegal in the USA, was born and raised. This was at a point in time between two specific derogatory remarks made by Donald Trump, each targeting a different demographic, namely Mexicans and Muslims. That evening, after spending the afternoon learning more about Lincoln than I ever learned in school such as his efforts to combat antisemitism, I would have one of the worst nightmares of my life.

In my dream, Trump made the proclamation that “Abolishing slavery was a mistake!” at one of his political rallies. That comment gets him the presidency, and once he is in office, he begins setting up concentration camps for countless minorities. If you were a person of color, belonged to a religion that wasn’t “Christianity,” had a non-neurotypical brain, possessed any form of mental health issue, or whose gender identity, sexual orientation, and romantic preferences went outside of narrow expectations, you were to be rounded up and imprisoned or executed within the walls of hellholes like those of Nazi Germany.

I tried telling my traveling companions about my nightmare the following morning, but they brushed me off, saying Trump would never win the nomination. I spent so much of the rest of 2015 warning everyone I could about that awful dream, but even come the 2016 November election, only two people ever took me seriously: my therapist as well as a family friend who all but fled the deep south years earlier and was just as terrified as I was. The day after that malignant narcissist was elected the first time, young children at the after-school program I worked at came up to me, frightened for their lives as well as those of their loved ones because of Trump’s rhetoric. But when I was rendered speechless in my attempt to respond, the site director yelled at me for not reassuring them, even if it meant intentionally lying to them. And when Trump’s administration started abducting people crossing the borders, separating families, and locking kids in cages, coworkers would insist it was made up. Yet considering these same coworkers openly complained about Jews and liberals, all while trying to hurriedly assure me I was “one of the good ones” whenever I pointed out I was Jewish and a liberal, there’s no doubt in my mind they knew it was real and just didn’t want me calling them out on it. And all too often, when my family gets together, they’ll all start complaining about the news and current events, yet continue to make it difficult for me to make any sort of contribution to the conversation. With all of that, I just started to feel like it didn’t matter whether or not I talked about my views on Trump and his cult. I’d get told off for saying nothing, and no one wanted to listen when I actually spoke. So why bother? Well, considering the sheer number of people who voted for Trump this time around, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever get another chance after he’s sworn into office again. Because whether or not he knew about the creation of Project 2025, Trump and every single person who supports him either actually want to see it come to fruition or have no problems selling out their fellow citizens if it means potentially putting a tiny, short-lived dent into their believed rising inflation rate for goods and services. From trying to thrust their interpretation of Christianity down the throats of children all around the country, all while ignoring that the religion’s namesake was himself a Jewish rabbi who preached about providing aid to the impoverished, to punishing any teachers trying to educate children about how their bodies change over time or the history of slavery and racism in the US, these hateful adults have made their wishes crystal clear.

In my eyes, everyone who has ever voted for Trump, be it now or back in 2016, from those who actually agree with his rhetoric to those simply not wanting to rock the boat, are blood-drenched, puss-filled, urine-soaked, vomit-coated, diarrhea-covered, sweat-stained, mucus-caked, wretched abominations masquerading as sentient beings. It doesn’t matter if I am a stranger, an acquaintance, a blood relation, or someone considered to be a loved one. By supporting and enabling Donald Trump and every single bigot in this nation, you’ve all but shown that you would enthusiastically see me and everyone even remotely like me enslaved, locked up, exiled, or dead. But I guess I shouldn’t expect anything else from those who could witness firsthand Trump raping, killing, and eating one of their own children yet would rather ask the person next to them to pass the popcorn than raise an objection. I can only hope that one day, be it in this life or the afterlife, all of these awful bigots experience a punishment right out of a Danganronpa game: personally tailored, horrifically brutal, and utterly humiliating.

Oh, and if you are wondering if I’ve had any other dreams about the future since Trump was elected in 2016? I’m honestly confused as to why you suddenly decided to stop treating me like Cassandra from Greek mythology, an oracle cursed to accurately predict the future but to have no one ever listen to her warnings. But since I’ve already come this far, I might as well tell you. During Trump’s first term, I dreamt on two separate occasions of dying in an atomic blast. Once, the bomb was dropped right on my house, and I died in my own basement. The second dream took place at an elementary school, and I could only watch in horror as myself and the children I was supposed to be looking after all disappeared in a flash of light. And yet there’s one other premonition I began to receive as soon as Trump was first elected. There’s a single phrase I’ve echoing in my head ever since that night, even eight years later, and when I share it with people around me, it almost always renders them silent.

Blood. There will be blood.

I’ve heard those five words promising future bloodshed repeating in my brain every day since the outdated electoral college decided to let Trump win instead of Hillary Clinton. They didn’t stop when white supremacists killed a counterprotestor in Charlottesville. They didn’t stop after the Parkland High School shooting in 2017, nor the mass shooting in Uvalde in 2022. They didn’t stop when protestors were killed during the George Floyd demonstrations of 2020, nor when COVID took the lives of countless people around the world. They didn’t stop when Trump whipped his fanbase into a frenzy following his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, or when said followers tried to usurp the United States government in an assault on its capital and Trump refused to condemn the attackers. They didn’t stop when China stole the freedom of those who live in Hong Kong, or when Putin began his invasion of Ukraine. They didn’t stop when Hamas brutally murdered and kidnapped Israeli citizens, or when Netanyahu used said attack as an excuse to bomb Gaza and invade Lebanon, civilians and hostages be damned. And a day after Trump won a second term in the White House, following the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year that anyone who holds the position of president is above the law, that phrase hasn’t quieted in the slightest. So if none of these incidents and others have been destructive enough to satisfy that premonition, it can only mean one thing at this point: the worst is yet to come.

But I refuse to just roll over for these blatant oppressors. I won’t sink to the level of these bigots and mistreat others because of their heritage or orientation, even if all of Project 2025 comes to be passed into law. After all, it’s because of people like those who penned that accursed document, the cops and armed forces who have gotten away with attacking and even killing protestors, the Supreme Court that has gutted key protections against women and minorities, and countless others that I have long since stopped viewing the law as a means to ensure that those who do wrong are punished and those who do good are protected. So long as the wealthy and corrupt are allowed to hold power over the government, the law is nothing more than a tool for those holding all of the chips, with Trump and his ilk having done nothing but try to rig these twisted, unjust games in their favor. They care nothing for the intended spirit of the law, only how to twist the word of law to their benefit. It is for these reasons that I hope I am never put in a situation where I have to choose between doing what is moral and what is legal, because I am sure I will become an outlaw should that happen. And an outlaw worth their salt never goes down easy, no matter what happens to them. 

So go ahead, you fascist creeps. Try to rob me and those I care about of our futures. We’ll continue searching for ways to create our own destinies, if for no other reason than to spite those who see themselves as gods. And even if one day my own journey ends before true justice has prevailed, I know that there will be someone, someday who can carry this torch onwards through the harrowing night and towards a brand new dawn.

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "Down the Rabbit Hole" by Carlos Eiene & Darren Malley, is a jazzy little number used as the theme for a character and her stage in Skullgirls. The series has had an insane number of ups and downs over the years, but between the characters, artstyle, music, and overall presentation, I'm happy it's stuck around. And since Skullgirls is pretty much one of the closest things we have to a Darkstalkers spiritual successor, it seemed like a fitting way to end off October. Have a Happy Halloween this Thursday, everyone!

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "The Storyteller" by Hidenori Iwasaki, is from an utterly phenomenal visual novel I got sucked into last week. The art and music are fantastic, the mystery and puzzles are so much fun to piece together and solve, the characters are all so memorable, and the writing as a whole? Look, I'm generally not one who seeks out franchises that are explicitly part of the horror genre, so I think it says a lot when I insist that Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo has one of the most tightly written narratives I've come across in a video game. Heck, as far as I'm concerned, the plot's writing is easily up there with 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, and THAT game is one of the best science fiction stories I've ever experienced, period! So if you're up for something this month that's guaranteed to mess with your head in more ways than one, I cannot recommend Paranormasight enough!

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, a live performance from the Hollywood Bowl of "Oogie Boogie's Song" from The Nightmare Before Christmas, is honor of the late Ken Page, who just recently passed away. Rest in peace, Oogie Boogie. From video games to the original film itself, you've always been a treat to watch in action.

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "Sweet Victory" by David Glen Eisley and Bob Kulick, is in honor of my cousin, who is celebrating her birthday today. Said cousin has always encouraged me to enjoy video games and animation no matter how old we got, even when other people in our family expressed sentiments to the contrary. Therefore, I feel it is only fair that I pay tribute with a song from her favorite show growing up: SpongeBob SquarePants!

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "Tal Tal Heights" from The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening, is in honor of a dear friend who just celebrated their 30th birthday this past Saturday!

[linkseasonmaster]

I just remembered my second Pride, where I made different flag themed daisy chain bracelets/necklaces to hand out. I need folks to understand something:

They were free.

They were fucking free.

They were maybe ¢60 of acrylic yarn each at the most, and the whole ziploc bag of them took 2 hours max.

Three people gave me sad eyes until I took their money.

Someone who was clearly the mom friend of their group made me take a $5 and gave a 10 minute pep talk.

At least four more people insisted on getting change to pay for the, once again, free bracelets.

In spite of all these shenanigans, the absolute best was this one person who I can only describe as, “queer surfer dude who looks like a boyfriend who looks like a girlfriend.” I can remember nothing of the outfit, only the impeccable vibes. I did the same thing I did with everyone else, explaining the bracelets were free, and they nodded along as they took the last 6 strand rainbow bracelet. As soon as they had it on their wrist, they pointed at something over my shoulder and, like a fool, I looked.

Next thing I know, they’re running off cackling, yelling, “YOU’LL NEVER CATCH ME!” and I’m holding a fucking $20. I had to stop at least two people from chasing them, cause they thought the person stole something, and then they tried to give me money cause they thought it was funny seeing me flail over people being Too Nice.

That was the year I got reverse-robbed at Pride. I hope everyone out there is having a good time and, in particular, that queer surfer dude is out there still causing benevolent chaos.

[linkseasonmaster]

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "Pinball Wizard" by The Who, is in honor of me finally getting to see the musical Tommy this past weekend. It was definitely darker than I anticipated, but the staging, choreography, and music were all phenomenal!

[linkseasonmaster]

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, an orchestral remix of "Tarm Ruins" as arranged by RebeccaETripp, is a great take on one of my favorite songs from The Legend of Zelda, Oracle of Seasons. On this date 23 years ago, both this game and its sibling Oracle of Ages were released in the USA, and while I enjoy both games immensely, Oracle of Seasons would go on to mark a major turning point in how I viewed myself as a gamer. Unsurprisingly, this is what inspired what would become my primary online handle LinkSeasonMaster and thus it felt only natural to pay tribute to the source of said inspiration.

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "Gardenia" by MALICE MIZER, is in honor of a dear friend whose birthday passed recently. Said friend has introduced me to many amazing pieces of media over the years, including this group's work back in high school (as well as the genre of visual kei), and continues to do so to this day. Thank you so much!

[linkseasonmaster]

I don't enjoy making videos like this. I never will. But this is something I need to talk about, and get word out there as much as possible. 

Nearly three years ago, I created and uploaded a video compilation for Season 1 of The Mysterious Cities of Gold, an old animated show that had fascinating trivia segments at the end of every episode. I thought it would be neat to put together a video of all the segments and share it with people. For over a year, the worst that had happened was getting some copyright claims when I first uploaded the video, but I was fine with that since I never intended to make a profit off the video nor claim the content as my own. All I cared about was that any one who wanted to watch it could do so. 

But in August of 2022, a company called Newen randomly decided to have Blue Efficience ask YouTube to take down my video and issue me a Copyright Strike. While Newen does have a hand in later seasons of The Mysterious Cities of Gold, said seasons are not available for online viewing in my region and thus were completely absent from my video. That apparently didn't matter, and thus I was given a strike that prevented me from uploading content for a period of time. Eventually, the strike expired, and I was able to continue uploading new content. However, I refused to delete the video altogether, because not only was there no real alternative website for me to upload the video, but neither Blue Efficience & Newen had any right going after the video in the first place.

Earlier this week, however, I get an email with a subject line reminding me all too much of this incident. But when I opened said email, it said that the takedown request for my Mysterious Cities of Gold video had been deemed invalid, the video had been reinstated, and the associated copyright strike had been resolved. I SHOULD have been ecstatic that my video was viewable to the public again, but instead I felt angry and confused by their wording and timing. WHY had it taken them this long to realize that Newen didn't own any of the content in my video? WHY had it taken them so long to reinstate my video? WHY were they acting as though I was still suffering from a copyright strike that had expired in 2022? WHY was there no mention of any consequences to the complainant for issuing a copyright takedown under false pretenses in the first place? And if there is no punishment for them or any other companies doing this sort of behavior in the first place, is there anything stopping me or other victims in similar situations from issuing copyright takedowns to them in turn, since it appears only those accused suffer consequences?

I would be AMAZED if YouTube would bother to answer any of these questions.

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "The Fall" by Laura Shigihara, is a downright heartbreaking vocal remix of "Corridors of Time" from Chrono Trigger. In other words, what happens when someone with a penchant for songs and games that tug at the heartstrings does their own take on an already spellbinding piece of music. Which is sadly appropriate, given that one of the people responsible for this masterpiece of a video game and many other influential works recently passed away. Rest in Peace, Akira Toriyama. Your incredible artwork, characters, and stories left an enormous impact on countless people over the years and across the globe. Thank you so much for the joy you have brought to not just me, but my friends and fellow fans the world over.

[linkseasonmaster]

This week's Tune for Tuesday, "JACK DA FUNK" by Hideki Naganuma, is just one of MANY phenomenal tracks I've had the pleasure of listening to while enjoying Team Reptile's amazing Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. I cannot recommend this game enough to people, so please check it out if you haven't already!

[linkseasonmaster]

😴

[linkseasonmaster]

Took me quite some time, but I finally got around to coloring in my Outlaw Star-themed Keyblade! It feels good to have this wrapped up...except I STILL haven't settled on a name. I'm thinking of either "Starwind", "Winds of the Outlaw", or "Maiden of the Leyline". If I do wind up making said poll, though, I might just place it in a few different spots.