phyn-rambles

[phyn-rambles]

I started putting together an orchestral cover of The Mars Volta's "Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus". It's gonna be a hell of a project to undertake this 13 minute behemoth of a song but I'm excited.

[phyn-rambles]

Been seeing a lot of posts i want to unleash the scarab on 🪲

[phyn-rambles]

anyone find any cool skeletons in the forest lately that they would like to share

[phyn-rambles]

I still can't get over Seville's Semana Santa poster and conservative far right people getting soooo pissed off that they depicted Jesus the same way he has been depicted for over 600 years. another Twink Jesus win.

[phyn-rambles]

With the odd but delightful upsurgence of people finding The Beetle by Richard Marsh-- a book I read in a course on British Imperialism and Literature and fell instantly in love with, but feel weird recommending to people for various reasons-- I submit the following

Spoilers and creative liberties taken

An Interview

Me: Heeey, Richard Marsh, interesting story you got there. Really cool gender stuff. One question. Can you do it without all the racism? Marsh: What? No. No, the racism is key. The racism is definitely necessary. Me: ...yeah, okay. I get it, you’re British and it's Empire time. But can't we scale back the Orientalism JUST a little? I mean, you’ve got these sections that could be read as a *critique* of Imperialism, but then… Marsh: It is imperative that the Beetle, in human form described at its full power as an extremely attractive, hypnotic, powerful woman who can take advantage of men– Imagine! once powerful, virile men, taken advantage of by the lesser sex, captured in their sex and murder dungeon; don't worry I'm going to describe this intimately–  Me: Yeah, we’ve all read She– Marsh: –that this “Beetle” be a foreign woman whose murder leads to an INFECTION THAT INVADES ENGLAND TO UPSET GENDER ROLES NILLY-WILLY– Me: To be honest, Richie, the way you write the other characters it seems like the “upsetting gender roles” call is coming from inside the house, if you just– Marsh: CAUSING POOR DEFENSELESS MEN WHO SHOW ANY SIGN OF WEAKNESS TO FALL UNDER ITS WEIRDLY ANDROGYNOUS SWAY! INNOCENT YOUNG ‘ANGEL OF THE HOUSE’ TYPE WOMEN START CROSS-DRESSING! POWERFUL MALE POLITICIANS FALL TO THEIR KNEES AND WEEP! BEHOLD THE TERROR! Me:... Marsh:... Marsh:...BE AFRAID!!! IT'S TERRIFYING! Me: ….Are we sure it's fear motivating this? Sorry, are we sure it's fear *of this* motivating it?  Marsh: SO SCARY!! OOOOOO YOU'RE SUPER SCARED! Hahaha…I mean just IMAGINE…someone forcing you out of the strict gender and societal roles you were born into 👀…someone who has no stake in said roles…👀 Me: Yeah, so we're marking “fetishization” AND “demonification” of the Other off on our bingo board Marsh: So there's this scientist who’s madly romantic and has (strangely-- may I even say queerly--) intense beef with the paragon of maleness character. Meanwhile his best friend (who he's not attracted to and who happens to be a woman) keeps trying to hint that they should marry so other guys stop hitting on her and– Me: …okay, this is just a mess. This is a mess, Richard. Do you see how this is a mess? Please.  Marsh: THERE'S A CARPET THAT EATS PEOPLE! WAIT, WAIT, MYSTERY CULTS! SHAPESHIFTING! BIOLOGICAL WARFARE! WAIT, I HAVE MORE–!