#23 reading highlights in 2023

[lizziethereader]

23 reading highlights in 2023

1. new release that lived up to the hype —> Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries

[mjdrawsalot]

Jon Kent (pretty much) Complete Reading Order

Compiled first for my personal use and tidied up for @jonkentweek ! Goes up to June 2024 and includes every appearance of this character that I could find. I used ComicVine's archive to track these down, which is both fallible and constantly being updated, so there might be some mistakes. Also, I did my best to highlight the occasions where Jon was a significant character in a story and to skip the ones that were just a non-speaking, one-panel cameo, but those were personal judgements and your mileage might vary.

Color key (and apologies for the eye strain): Red are issues in which Jon is a central character, not just a cameo, Blue are crossover events, Orange are stories that take place in alternate universes/are non canonical

Optional stuff you can read for historical context:

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (1997) a classic possible future story, which is, to my knowledge, the 1st time a character named Jon who is Superman’s kid appears

Son of Superman (1999) a self-contained, now AU, story about a teen Jon Kent, very classic 90s young adult comic with all the tropes that come with that, but enjoyable as the proto-iteration of Jon as an idea

Canon appearances start here

The Final Days of Superman crossover event: Superman (2011) 51-52, Batman/Superman (2013) 31-32, Action Comics (2011) 51-52, Superman/Wonder Woman (2013) 28-29 (This is the origin story of the Clark, Lois and Jon that the comics follow in Rebirth. Largely ignored by writers, as it was written to patch up New52 weirdness, but there are occasional references that might be confusing if you skip it completely.)

Convergence (2015) 5, 8

Superman: Lois and Clark (2015) 1-8 (Establishes Jon and his family in the DCU)

Superman (2016) 1-11, 13, 17-28, 30, 32-36, 38, 40-45, Special 1

Action Comics (2016) 957-972, 974-978, 980-983, 985, 987, 989-1000, 1002, 1005, 1016, 1022-1035, 1042, 1045-1048, 1050-1057, 1059-1060, Special 1, Annual 2023

Justice League (2016) 3-6, 15, 18-19, 22, 28

Trinity (2016) 1-6, 16

Super Sons (2017) 1-16

Dark Nights: Metal (2017) 3, 6

The Man of Steel (2018) 1-6 (central from issue 4 onwards)

Superman (2018) 1, 4-12, 14-16, 20, 29-32

Adventures of the Super Sons (2018) 1-12

Justice League (2018) 9, 23-25, 34, 52, 75, Annual 2022

Super Sons/Dynomutt Special (2018)

Super Sons: The Polarshield Project (AU trilogy of graphic novels)

Supergirl (2016) 8, 30-33

DCeased (2019) 1-6 (what if DC but zombies?)

Super Sons: The Foxglove Mission

Lois Lane (2019) 3-4, 6

Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium 2

Legion of Super-Heroes (2019) 1-12

Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child

Green Lantern: Blackstars 2-3

The Terrifics (2018) 25

Teen Titans (2016) 15, 43, 45-46

DCeased: Hope at World’s End (2020) 1, 4-5, 9-15

Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular (in the short Super Sons story)

DCeased: Dead Planet (2020) 1-7

Super Sons: Escape to Landis

Batman/Superman (2019) Annual 1

Challenge of the Super Sons (2020) 1-14

Dark Knights: Death Metal The Last Stories of the DC Universe (2020) (in the Superman short story)

Dark Knights: Death Metal The Secret Origin (2021)

Dark Knights: Death Metal The Last 52 War of the Multiverses (2021) (in the Superman parts of the story)

DC Nation Presents Future State (2020) (intro, information and behind-the-scenes for Future State)

Future State: Superman of Metropolis (2021) 1-2 (Future State is another possible future, meaning that it’s not necessarily canon, but it takes place in the future of the main canon, not in a complete AU, like say, Dark Knights of Steel. Technically not necessary to understand main universe stories, but a few popular characters and characterizations were brought over to the main universe.)

Future State: Justice League (2021) 1-2

Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman (2021) 1-2

Future State: Kara Zor-el, Superwoman (2021) 1

Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes (2021) 2

Infinite Frontier (2021) 0 (establishes the main universe status quo from this point on, feat. a synopsis of Jon’s life up to here)

Challenge of the Super Sons (2021) 1-7

Superman: Son of Kal-el (2021) 1-18, Annual 1

Shazam! (2021) 1

Superman Red and Blue (2021) 6 (in the short story The Special, but this mini series in general is cute and I recommend it)

Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes (2022) 1-6

Superman & Robin Special (2022) 1

DC’s Round Robin (2021) 2 (in the short story Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow)

Nightwing (2016) 89, 91-92, 101-104, 110, 112-113

Earth-Prime (2022) 2 (story based on the CW show Superman and Lois)

DC Pride (2022) (in the short story Super Pride)

Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis (2022) (in the short story Team Up)

Dark Crisis (2022) 1-7

Dark Crisis: Young Justice (2022) 1

Dark Crisis: Worlds Without A Justice League: Superman (2022) 1

DCeased: War of the Undead Gods (2022) 1, 4-5, 7-8

DC’s Terrors Through Time (2022) (in the short story Trick or Treat)

Dark Crisis: The Deadly Green (2022) 1

The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special (2023) (in The Life of Superman short story)

Dark Crisis: The Dark Army (2023)

Superman: Kal-El Returns Special (2023) (in the short story Distractions)

Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton (2023) (in the short story Electric)

Batman (2016) 131-132 (in the Tim Drake Robin chapters)

Superman (2023) 2-3, 9

Lazarus Planet: Omega (2023)

Power Girl Special (2023)

Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent (2023) 1-6

Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow (2023) 1 (edited version of the story in Round Robin)

DC Pride (2023) (in the short story My Best Bet)

Titans: Beast World (2024) 3-4, 6

Titans: Beast World Tour: Metropolis (2024)

Trinity Special (2024) (taken from the backups of Wonder Woman 2023 plus some extra)

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil’s water surface area shrinks below historical average in 2023

The surface area of water throughout Brazil dropped below the historical average in 2023, a MapBiomas Água survey released this week shows. Last year, water covered 18.3 million hectares, or two percent of the national territory, down 1.5 percent from the historical average, first calculated in 1985.

Water losses were reported in all months of 2023 compared to 2022, including in the rainy season. In 2022, the water surface reached 18.8 million hectares. The figures refer to 1985 through 2023. The survey says that the biomes have been suffering from the loss of water surface since 2000, with the 2010s being the most critical decade.

In 2023, natural water bodies accounted for 77 percent of Brazil’s water surface, down 30.8 percent—6.3 million hectares—compared to 1985. The other 23 percent are anthropogenic bodies, i.e. water stored in reservoirs, hydroelectric dams, aquaculture, and mining, which adds up to 4.1 million hectares. Of this total, large reservoirs account for 3.3 million hectares, up 26 percent in 2023 from 1985.

“While the cerrado and the caatinga are experiencing an increase in water surface as a result of the creation of hydroelectric dams and reservoirs, others—such as the Amazon and the Pantanal—are facing severe reductions, leading to significant ecological, social, and economic impacts. These trends, aggravated by climate change, highlight the urgent need for adaptation strategies for water management,” Juliano Schirmbeck, technical coordinator of MapBiomas Água, said in a statement.

Continue reading.

[sennaverstappen]

ROUND 22/23 ⸺ las vegas grand prix ✩ 19.11.2023

maple's rating: ★★★★ (9.5/10)

☁︎ click read more facts, highlights & experiences ☁︎

✩ facts

red bull today broke mercedes’ single-season record of 19 wins in a year (set in 2016)

max tied sebastian’s 53 career wins, putting him third in the all-time list behind michael's 91 and lewis’ 103

max is the first driver ever to win in the same country three times in a single year after his us victories in miami, austin and now las vegas

max today won what was the 1,100th world championship event

today was charles’ fifth podium finish of 2023 for ferrari

checo lost a place on the final lap for the second consecutive race

it was checo’s first podium since the last red bull one-two at monza seven races ago

esteban took p4 from 16th on the grid – he has only finished higher once this season (third in monaco)

with p6 for ferrari, carlos has leapfrogged lando and fernando in the standings and moved into fourth in the drivers' championship

lewis’ p7 finish for mercedes means he will definitely finish third in the drivers' championship

fernando, who finished in p9, is the only driver who was alive the last time f1 raced in las vegas in 1982

✩ raceweek highlights

max fucking hating this entire premise 💀💀💀💀💀💥💥💥💥

LESTAPPEN GAY IN THE MEDIA PEN. SOMEHOW 💕💕💕💕💕💕👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 WHAT THE SCALLOP

carlos ran over draincover 😨😨😨

THE SPHEREEEE 💗💗💗💗💗

mclaren ass 💔💔💔

traffic 🥹🥹🥹🥹

checo out 😪😪😪 lewis out🤔🤔🤔

LOGAN THROUGH TO Q3 💥💥💥💥💥‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

max almost hitting the wall 😭😭😭

LOGANNNN 🦅

MAX TERRORISM ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

CRASH 🫵🫵🫵

fernando damage 😧😧

yuki up nine places

lando‼️‼️‼️‼️ in the wall 💔💔💔💔

lestappen fucking fighting on the radio 😭😭😭😭

5 second penalty 🤣🫵 ‘send him my regards 💗💕💕💗💕💗’

charles overtaking max‼️‼️‼️

GAX FUCKING CRIME. GEORGE 😒😒😒😒😒😒

checo leadingjdjjajajhsjhsjsi

pierresteban BATTLE‼️‼️‼️‼️👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

MAX LEADING ‼️💗‼️💗‼️💥💥💥

charles mistake -> checo overtake 😭😭😭💀💀💀

1.9 stop!! mclaren!!!

THE LAST CHARLES OVERTAKE 😭😭😭

MAX WINNNSSS 💕💕💕💕💗☀️☀️☀️☀️💌💌💌🌷🌷✨✨✨✨🪽🪽🪽🪽

max singing on the radiojfishsijs 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

THE CAR RIDE. I CANTJFJSJHSJSJSJSJ

✩ maple's diary

[greatqueenanna]

Frozen 3 - What We Know So Far - 2024

(Note - official F3 concept art released during D23 2024)

(Edit on 9/30/24 - Added the news that Jennifer Lee is actually returning to direct and write Frozen 3 along side Marc Smith.)

(Edit on 6/9/24 - Added the confirmation of Kristen Bell's return and made some grammar corrections.)

(Edit on 8/10/24 - Added new information released during D23 August, 2024)

(Edit on 8/13/24 - Changing some misleading wording choices, fixing some grammar mistakes, and adding quote from D23.)

(Edit on 8/14/24 - Added alleged release date for F3.)

(Edit on 8/23/24 - Added confirmed release date (or, goal) and some development)

As with the my 2023 F3 news post, I wanted to make a post that highlights everything we learn in 2024. I have linked the previous year's post below, so you can see the articles and references directly.

This post will be updated the more we learn about Frozen 3. Keep checking to see if any new news is added as the year goes by.

What We Know So Far - 2023

-----

What We Know

Frozen 3 is releasing in November 24th, 2027. It was delayed from 2026. Jennifer Lee confirmed that they are aiming for this date.

Frozen 3 is having its story separated into two films.

The team is working on F3 and F4 at the same time.

F3 and F4 are still in early development.

Jennifer Lee and Marc Smith are directing and writing the films.

Idina Menzel and Josh Gad have confirmed that they are returning. Kristen Bell has also confirmed, but through a temporary Instagram story.

The Lopezes are returning to write the songs.

Only the main films (and possibly short films as well) will be considered canon to F3 and F4.

The writers are trying to answer lingering questions, including more Ahtohallan and Nature Spirits lore, more explanation about Elsa's powers and why Anna does not have magic, Anna's role as Queen, Anna and Kristoff's future plans for children, if Kristoff will be King, Kristoff and Sven's past, what happened to Prince Hans, and more about the Frozen Heart concept.

It has been confirmed that no story leaks have released online, and everything has been kept a secret.

What We Don't Know

Frozen 4 release date.

If Johnathan Groff, or any other major voice actor is returning to the project. Although, it is heavily implied that at least Johnathan Groff will return.

If Chris Buck, director of the previous two films and Frozen Fever, is returning to the project.

------

More information and article and video links under the read more.

A couple articles and videos that were missed in 2023.

----

In November, Josh Gad did an interview on The View to discuss his new Broadway show Gutenberg! The Musical. Here, he also teased that Frozen 3's story will be Mind blowing, and also hinted that the entire cast of the main five protagonists will return.

"I could share things with you, but Disney would literally escort me out of the building with armed security No, apparently there are two Frozen sequels in development right now — surprise! Equally surprised — and I know Jennifer Lee, who wrote and directed the first two, is hard at work with the team right now. I’ve heard a little bit and I can tell you guys, it’s pretty mind-blowing what’s coming. It’s pretty exciting. And it’s been so great because Kristen, Idina and Jonathan have all come to be guest producers on Gutenberg! The Musical. So we’ll come backstage and we’ll all talk Frozen and then talk this other thing." - Josh Gad

----

Also in November, Jennifer Lee did another interview, this time with GamesRadar, where she claimed that Frozen 3 has a lot of story to tell, and that is why it was separated into two films.

"We're really excited about where they're going, and we just have a lot of story to tell with that direction we're going in. So, I think, in my head, there may be enough for two in that story. But I'm really, really loving working with the team and where they're going." - Jennifer Lee

----

Later on in December, Peter Del Vecho did an interview with The Direct while promoting Wish, where he claimed that the story of Frozen 3 will be amazing.

“Look, we only do sequels if we believe there's enough story to tell. They're working on it up in development, I'm focused on 'Wish'. But it is exciting what they're working on. I will say anything that you read about it in the public, we haven't said anything about it. So it's all conjecture, but I trust that it's going to be amazing." - Peter Del Vecho

Articles and videos from 2024.

The first major news we got in 2024 was in February, when Frozen 3's released year was announced. Bob Iger confirmed that along with Toy Story 5, Frozen 3 was set to release in 2026.

----

On August 10th, 2024 - D23 brought a lot of Frozen 3 news, including the announcement of the delay to 2027, and some major questions that could lead to the main plot points of the two part film. Recording of Jennifer Lee's announcement at D23 provided by the user Keena Kindragon on Youtube.

“Coming out of Frozen 2, we still had some questions. A lot of questions actually. That was just page one. Now you know why it will take two films to answer them. Just a tease, again, just a tease(…). We are very early on, this is development art, don’t hold me to it. But if you look closely, it captures the seeds of the next epic adventure of Anna and Elsa. And some things might spark, we hope, a few new questions for all of you. Everyone at Walt Disney Animation is so excited to be back in this world, and we would not have this opportunity if it were not for all of you.”

— Jennifer Lee, D23

A more closer look at the new concept art, new logo, and questions provided below -

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On the same day, Josh Gad confirmed the release date and also showed the leaked logo artwork that was originally thought to be fake, but might actually be either an early concept or alternate version. Photo provided by @frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers

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On August 13th, Deadline released an article with release dates for multiple Disney projects, including Frozen 3. Without any official Disney sources, they stated that the release date is November 24th, 2027.

----

Thanks to @frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers, another interview was given by Jennifer Lee for Fundago on 8/21/24 where she confirmed that they are aiming for November 24th, 2027 release, that they are very early on, and that they are working on F3 and F4 at the same time.

----

On September 19th, a major update was released. Jennifer Lee would be stepping down as head of WDAS to focus more on film-making and writing again. She would officially (as expected, if you ask me) become the Director and writer of Frozen 3 and 4, along side Marc Smith. This is the first time we get full confirmation that Marc Smith is indeed directing and/or writing the films.

I am so grateful to Bob and Alan for supporting my decision to return to filmmaking full time. Every day working with them is a master class in creativity, business, community, and integrity. I’ve always believed in Jared’s incredible talent and can’t wait to see, with his passion and dedication to animation, what he brings to the CCO role. For me, getting to collaborate with this studio of artists, animators, and storytellers is such a privilege, and I look forward to all we will create together. — Jennifer Lee, Deadline

----

[the---hermit]

30|05|2023

23/50 days of productivity

Finally a sunny day, I don't know how long it will last, but it was great. This book I am reading for uni is becoming my arch nemesis, it will be my villain origin story, I am detesting it. I have been complaining a lot, but I have to get my frustration out so you'll have to excuse me. I got the weird idea of trying to power though the last two chapters tomorrow. I am not sure I'll manage but if I read them both in the morning when I am more focused I might manage to accomplish that. Wish me luck.

Productivity:

posted my first update on the 2023 fantasy reading challenge

finished writing down notes (and highlighted them) for the fourth chapter of Detienne's Creation of Mythology

read and highlighted the fifth chapter

wrote notes for the whole fifth chapter (I wasn't expecting to finish it today, and I am very proud I did)

finished downloading the recorded lectures of another course I want to work on in June

Irish on duolingo (still on my bare minimum bullshit so there has bene zero actual progress lately, but it's all my brain can take atm)

Self care:

read first thing in the morning

I'm trying to pay a bit more attention to my skin care but idk how long it will last (at least I'm trying)

📖: She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan, The Creation Of Mythology by Marcel Detienne

[zvaigzdelasas]

George Beebe, Director of Grand Strategy at QI, highlighted the perils of extrapolating a “stalemate” from the current lack of significant battlefield movements in Ukraine. “Those who believe this war has settled into a long-term stalemate make the mistake of measuring the relative progress of each side with maps. They see that the frontlines have not moved significantly over the last year and conclude that the sides are stalemated,” Beebe told me. “But other metrics, though, paint a different picture. Ukraine is using up its quite limited supplies of men, weapons, and ammunition, and the West cannot provide what Ukraine needs. That is not a formula for stalemate; it's a formula for Ukraine's eventual collapse or capitulation,” he continued. A purely cartographical view of the Ukraine war neglects key military factors, including differentials in manpower and resources, attrition rates, and logistics challenges, that many experts say are not unfolding in Ukraine’s favor. “Despite everything that’s happened, despite all the stuff we have given, the Bradley’s, the M1 [Abrams] tanks, Patriot air defense systems, the Challenger tanks, the Leopard [tanks], all those things, nothing changed at all except the casualty count,” said former U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, Senior Fellow and Military Expert at Defense Priorities and host of the Daniel Davis Deep Dive. “While the lines haven’t changed, I don’t call it a stalemate because I think time is continuing to work against Ukraine,” he said in an interview, noting the stark year-on-year decline in U.S. military aid to Ukraine. He added: “Biden is only shooting for $60 [billion dollars] for the whole FY [fiscal year] instead of $113 billion, so even if gets every penny that he’s asking for, it’s going to be half what it was last year, and we’ve given all the excess equipment that we have. Anything we give now comes out of the muscle, out of the bones, and I don’t think we’re going to give up that much more stuff, certainly not at the level they need to replace all their losses” Davis noted that the continued lack of sufficient output in Western ammunition production means that Ukrainian troops will face mounting munitions shortages. “They’re not going to have the ammunition to continue to wage a stalemate,” he added. Davis compared dwindling Ukrainian stocks with Russia’s expanded domestic production of critical munitions and drones. Kyiv’s munitions woes were recently compounded by the diversion of up to tens of thousands of 155mm shells, originally slated for Ukraine, to Israel in the weeks following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War. “The next year, and probably into this winter, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect the Ukrainian army, at some point along the front, to actually buckle,” warned Davis.[...]

Recent suggestions in the West of a stalemate and looming “frozen conflict,” though a stark change in tone from the kind of rhetoric that characterized the war as late as the summer of 2023, still does not reflect what experts describe as the severity of challenges facing the Ukrainian war effort.

Right.... "Stalemate" where....that implies an equality in force deployment capacity.....Stalemates are active not passive.....quickest way to decisively end a stalemate is to run out of weapons and ammo....time to either put up [read: full military deployment] or shut up [read: end the war from the position of the weaker combatant]. [27 Nov 23]

[chryblossomjjk]

the weekend | jjk (teaser #2)

⇢ PAIRING: dilf!jk x babysitter reader

⇢ RATING/GENRE: m/18+ | infidelity au, sm*t, angst

⇢ WARNINGS: full fic is extremely angsty and v sm*tty, this is v suggestive but no actual sm*t in the teaser, dom jk, he is v rough with reader but its all consensual obvi!! age gap (reader is 23 and jk is like 30/31)

⇢ SUMMARY: every weekend, you give jungkook a little taste of something he’s missing monday through friday.

⇢ NOTES: hi friends!! so i posted the first teaser all the way back in F-ING january like ??? here it is if you haven't read it. but school has been so hectic that i haven't been able to get any writing done. but, this week was saur productive n i am almost done!! was debating including some spoilers in this but dediced against it so here's some spicy sm*t build up lol!! full fic will most likely will be posted 7pm est next friday!! ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE, IF YOU WANT TO READ THIS FIC AND OTHER BTS SM*T, PLS CLICK HERE. SM*T IS BEING CENSORED AND YOU'RE PROBABLY MISSING SM CONTENT WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT OKAY LMAO BYE!!

Sometimes, you question what your presence in his life truly is. Are you an escape or a punching bag? Are you merely something he can sink his nails and teeth into when he’s angry? Something he can break without getting cut? Whether the touch is gentle or bruising, having his hands on you feels so sweet. The sound of thread ripping fills the car as he slides the silk off your shoulders, letting the delicate material fall to the floor without a care in the world.

“You wore this for me?” A fingertip lightly traces the petite swell of your breasts, bulging over the black frilly cups of your push-up. The sensation sets your skin ablaze.

“Mhm,” you confirm, “I wanted today to be special.”

“You care about me?” Moonlight cuts through the dewy window, beaming against the side of his pale face, highlighting the taut pull in his features. His question seems genuine, but the answer is obvious, isn’t it? Simply being here with him makes the entire foundation of your soul, all of your beliefs and morals, crumble to pieces. But against your better judgment, you’re still here. Yearning. Trying. Fighting. Gently, you swipe a thumb over his thick brows, trying to ease the angry crinkle that’s become a permanent fixture on his beautiful face. You comb through his hair. It’s a little knotted, a little crunchy from old gel. The answer should be obvious, but you don’t think Jungkook could internalize love if it was right in front of him.

“I care about you,” you answer honestly, “more than you know.”

The stars in his eyes gleam for a moment, bright and vibrant, before they’re engulfed by the suffocating blackness of his pupils. “You poor thing,” Jungkook tuts, trailing his fingers up your neck before grasping your jaw with a single hand. Your cheeks mush together from the force. “You're gonna let me do whatever I want to you, aren't you?”

© chryblossomjjk 2023 [do not copy, translate or repost]

[curio-queries]

FACE, LETTER, & CLOSER THAN THIS

Disclaimer: The following post is full of my own opinions and interpretations. I do not share this with the intent to convince anyone else that this meaning upholds for all. My interpretations are also limited to English and that is an important distinction to make when accessing art from another language and culture. There are absolutely intentions and meanings that won't translate. Art is beautifully subjective, and I hope you all find your own reasons to love Jimin's music.

This is quite a lengthy post. Thank you to anyone who reads. I'd love to hear your thoughts as well, so don't feel shy to share! 💜

So FACE has been out for nearly a year, why am I making this post now? Honestly, it's all because of Closer Than This and the few nuggets we can glean from the music video. The very first clip of the mv is of Jimin's team discussing the lyrics and then Jimin's recording session. Honestly, I was quite surprised CTT was written at the same time as all of the FACE songs.

So the question then rises: Why wasn't CTT included in FACE? The answer I've arrived at is because CTT is not part of the journey Jimin was describing with FACE. More on CTT below but first, we need to revisit FACE:

TIMELINE

(US dates - I have to do too much timezone manipulation in my job, I'm not spending the time here):

30 DEC 2018 : Promise Release on SoundCloud

21 FEB 2023 : FACE announcement

16 MAR 2023 : Set Me Free pt.2 Release

23 MAR 2023 : FACE Release

22 DEC 2023 : Closer Than This Release

And here's the FACE schedule:

MOTTO-THEME-GUIDE

These phrases are ALL OVER the FACE project! They're in the digital media that was released, on pretty much every side of the physical albums, on the back of the photocards and postcards... They're pretty much on everything official connected to FACE. They're not just fluff included to fill up space; these words have MEANING in this project. I've been using these phrases as guide posts to help me interpret some of the meanings behind FACE recently, and I would encourage anyone interested in Jimin's deeper message to do the same. I've highlighted my references below.

Circles of Resonance Reflection of vulnerable minds and unexposed wounds. An echo, tremor and small movement to reach you. Face of facing the deepest part of inner-self. Face, the reflection of myself in an unfamiliar appearance. Waves originated from the deepest invisible inner world, pass through the face on the surface and reach others to resonate while transmitting the inner voice. Waves spread beautifully, finding its own flow despite wounds and distortions from a smallest scratch. The face of unwavering effort despite repeated falls and pain.

When asked what the album was about, Jimin freely shares that it relates to the events during the pandemic...and then the conversation usually moves on without any deeper discussion. This interview is probably the most verbose Jimin was any time he described the meaning behind FACE. If you haven't watched it recently, I highly recommend it.

We know that Jimin rarely shares the problems he's having whilst he's going through them (with us at least). He always waits until after he's moved on so that he can tell us not to worry, that it's in the past. (This concept comes up again in this post so keep it in mind.)

The distinction that I think is important to make is that, yes, FACE is about the pandemic, but it's not a straightforward diary of events. It's about how those events affected him. How the waves caused by the pandemic RESONATE, ECHO, and TREMOR through him - effecting the UNEXPOSED WOUNDS. Jimin found something in himself through this experience and had no choice but to FACE it. There were no distractions anymore, no pushing it to the side to deal with later. And he was able to share that journey with us in such a tragically beautiful way.

THE TRACKS

I made the below gifs for each track but I think they look best as a set without the tags so you can get the full effect of the differing ripples. Check out this post to see what I mean. ☺️

FACE-OFF

I know everyone likes to meme about Face-Off and trying to find who hurt Jimin to make them pay...but I really don't associate Face-Off with an external person. You can betray yourself in much worse ways than anyone else can because you know exactly all of your own weaknesses. You know exactly what pretty lies to tell yourself. And honestly, the source of the event doesn't really matter in the context of FACE. I view Face-Off as the initial incident. The SMALLEST SCRATCH that pushes the waves to spread.

There's also a lovely bit of foreshadowing with the lyric "Like crazy, everyone shout out, yeah yeah". CIRCLES OF RESONANCE. Not singular, multiple; we are in for a bumpy ride.

INTERLUDE : DIVE

I admit, I only listen to this track when I'm doing a full album listen. I love instrumental tracks but this isn't instrumental to me, it's sound effects. And I just personally have a sensory issue that comes out to play here BUT it's important to include in our discussion so don't skip it when you're trying to delve into the meanings!

The message I glean here is just how pervasive the issue is becoming. Jimin can be going about his life, trying to disregard it but the UNEXPOSED WOUNDS are there lurking underneath it all.

The pretty music overlaying the track may sound like glitz and glam, but this is just the beginning of the WAVES SPREADING BEAUTIFULLY, FINDING ITS OWN FLOW DESPITE WOUNDS AND DISTORTIONS...

LIKE CRAZY

I've been promising a post on Like Crazy for ages and this may be the closest I get to it. Let me know if any of you are interested in a more in-depth discussion on how the movie and the song work together. My short summary for both is this: there are moments when you willfully take actions that you KNOW are against your best interest. Not in a fleeting eats-too-many-cookies way. In a I-know-putting-my-hand-on-the-stove-and-turning-it-on-will-burn-me way.

I hope none of you experience this to such a damning extent. I have. Despite being the kind of person who I thought would never venture down such a path. It's not something I wish upon anyone. This is the WAVES ORIGINATED FROM THE DEEPEST INVISIBLE INNER WORLD, PASS THROUGH THE FACE ON THE SURFACE...

ALONE

Have you ever repeated a word enough that it starts to sound bizzare? What if you got the point where you thought the weird sound was reality? And then you were confronted with the truth. This song is that point. Where you are left with the sober understanding of yourself. FACE, THE REFLECTION OF MYSELF IN AN UNFAMILIAR APPEARANCE.

SET ME FREE pt.2

The rise! Jimin was able to find a way to push himself beyond the betrayal of himself. It absolutely wasn't easy and there were setbacks, but this is a clear call to any who find themselves in similar circumstances: you CAN overcome. THE FACE OF UNWAVERING EFFORT DESPITE REPEATED FALLS AND PAIN.

Remember when I said earlier that Jimin only tells us about his struggle once it's over? I honestly believe that's why SMF was the pre-release track. He needed us to know that there was a happy ending before he would tell us about the pain he went through.

LIKE CRAZY (English Version)

As I mentioned my sensory issue above, I cannot talk about Like Crazy without mentioning the whispered English at the beginning/end. I HATE it sooooo much! It just twigs my brain in all the wrong ways. It's a huge part of why it took me a long time to appreciate LC. As much as I hate it though, it's absolutely necessary for the interpretation of LC. It firmly gives us a landmark into where and how the song relates to the movie. It also creates a bookend structure that gives the original and the English versions their own rightful places to exist.

LETTER

My very first post on this blog was a simple comparison of the lyrics in Like Crazy from the translation on the original music video to the english version. There is absolutely a difference here and I think it's a very important distinction that there are two versions of Like Crazy in the album. One is AN ECHO, TREMOR AND SMALL MOVEMENT TO REACH YOU. This phrase is for us, the audience. None of the other phrases use "you". Even though Jimin has set himself free, there are still CIRCLES RESONATING.

If you have seen any of my posts prior to this, you likely know how obsessed with Letter I am. I have the hardest time naming anything as a favorite (even favorite colour, there's just sooo many good uses of different colors) so I hope you understand how revolutionary it is for me to unequivocally state that Letter is my favorite song. Like ever. For all of my (cough*decades*cough) of music-listening, opinion-having life. Letter is THE ONE. Letter is it. I probably have stronger feelings about Letter than any relationship I've been in (but I'm aspec so take that with a grain of salt...)

I listen to Letter A LOT (sometimes on literal repeat - there's a video on YouTube that loops it for over an hour and I've definitely contributed several of those listens) and while working on this post, I would still get emotional hearing it at the end of FACE. This song is the absolute definition of the beauty that can only truly be understood after utter tragedy.

To me, Letter is about how this experience has effected Jimin to the point where there's a noticeable difference in the way he interacts with and appreciates those he loves, in all interpretations of the word love. WAVES...REACH OTHERS TO RESONATE WHILE TRANSMITTING THE INNER VOICE.

I am not using this post to debate the merits of exactly who Letter is for: a significant other, ARMY, or Jimin himself. Frankly, I don't think it matters to the meaning of the song. Use whatever flavour most appeals to you. That's the real genius and gift of Jimin's music imo. He creates it in such a way that we can fold it around our own personal stories and needs.

WHAT WAS THIS POST ABOUT AGAIN?

Right, so rewind to the release of Closer Than This. I'd had very little sleep as I traveled for the holidays and was absolutely feeling the timezone difference. But I stayed up to hear Jimin's new song. I listened to it first in Spotify and thought it sounded like a beautiful, happy, well-produced gift of a song - perfect for the end of the year and to comfort us with his departure for military service. Then I watched the mv to read the subtitles... Y'all, I absolutely was NOT expecting to see clips from the time covered in Jimin's Production Diary! I wouldn't have been surprised if it was the same team that Jimin worked with before but at a later time - he trusts them artisically after all. BUT these clips were the same angles and same conversations we saw from the development of FACE.

So I started my due diligence. Is it possible CTT was supposed to be part of FACE but they held it specifically to release when it did? I listened to FACE multiple times trying to insert CTT into the narrative. And it just doesn't fit this journey...at all. Like not in the slightest. I thought maybe immediately after Letter or even replacing Letter but no. I even tried inserting Promise as a bridge and it just doesn't work in the context of FACE.

CTT has a pretty literal storytelling narrative. It describes the journey WE have been on with Jimin. It lists his promises to US going forward. The music video being an album of memories, supports the nostalgic and loving viewpoint of the song. It has absolutely nothing to do with how Jimin was affected by the events of the pandemic or anything he found inside himself because of it.

Both songs have been described by Jimin as a 'fan song' and as I described in this post, there are many reasons that support both of them falling into this categorization. To me, Letter is more about Jimin having a deep intimate conversation with us because he trusts us. While CTT is literally about the relationship between ARMY and Jimin.

Anyway, I think that's all I've got to say about it for now. What are your thoughts? Should Closer Than This have been included in FACE? Was it just a marketing ploy to keep generating our interest after Jimin left?

(BTW I'm really happy with those FACE gifs and how the ripples look when they're together. They took some time to figure out. I just wish I had some better software to turn them into gifs so the colours display better, but alas, beggars can't be choosers. They look really great in the ppt that I made them in but I guess that's just for me to enjoy!)

[havemyheartaziraphale]

The Diamond Robbery

This was originally a reply here but I thought I'd make it it's own post so I can come back to edit it as and when I need to

I've gone through the whole post..

Dick Turpin (wasn't even alive at the time, also the name of Newt's car)

The Star of South Africa wasn't until 1869 and the weights are all wrong as well...

Wertheimer and Fray never existed (that I can find...)

And the first post was in July 2023 as well... so same month as releaese of GO2

And then there's a post on the blog all about Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson. the blog is wild

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

I went back and clicked on the Smooth Criminal post, because I wanted to go back over what was written and… none of it makes any sense ><

Notably:

Was actually released 1988, NOT 1987 THis?? Beyond its artistic influence, Smooth Criminal also imparts valuable lessons that resonate with audiences worldwide. This song communicates a powerful message about resilience and the ability to overcome adversity. Its lyrics highlight the importance of justice and the triumph of good over evil, inspiring listeners to stand up for what is right. Additionally, Smooth Criminal serves as a reminder of the significance of mastering one’s craft. The precision and mastery displayed in Michael Jackson’s performance emphasize the dedication and hard work required to excel in any field. This song encourages individuals to pursue their passions relentlessly and to continually strive for excellence. I'm sorry, but are we talking about the same song?? The one that says the same things over and over? The one that mentions signs in windows of being attacked and running into a bedroom to hide?

hmmm… "Surrender the Angle" and Jim going into the bedroom when told to? (Also, "You were struck down/ It was your doom Annie")

THIS paragraph a well?? Smooth Criminal is renowned for its ability to stay one step ahead of the authorities, leaving no trace behind. To achieve this, the song’s protagonist employs a variety of tactics. Changing identities frequently – adopting new names and disguises to elude capture Moving swiftly from one location to another, never staying in one place for too long Operating in the shadows, carefully avoiding any unnecessary attention By constantly adapting and maintaining a low profile, the smooth criminal can continue their illicit activities undetected. Shax changes identity several times… As does Muriel (although granted she only has the Police costume, but she was also there when Azi was asking questions in Heaven about Job)

Please… read the whole blog post. Because why write something about a song?

hm…. what was it Beelzebub said to Gabriel? (S2 ep 6, 23:58)

Lord Beelzebub: I like it. Contains information in a tuneful way Like I know there's probably nothing there but it's so funny to me that there's a "serious" blog post about the song that doesn't even analyse the song at all correctly

[lizziethereader]

23 reading highlights in 2023

6. thanks for the recommendation booklr —> Little Thieves

[animefeminist]

Rainbows and Rollerblades: The queer evolution of the Scott Pilgrim series

Content Warning: Discussion of queerphobia

Spoilers for Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

The year was 2004 when the whirlwind journey of Scott Pilgrim began as a comic series, catapulting readers into the “precious little life” of its titular character: a 23-year-old bass guitarist who must level up in life and love when he’s tasked with defeating the seven evil exes of his new girlfriend, Ramona Flowers. This story has since transformed and evolved, adapted as a live-action movie, Scott Pilgrim vs the World, and most recently as an anime, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Cracking open the narrative vault and taking a wild ride down memory lane, it’s clear to see that from 2004 to 2010 to 2023, each new iteration of Scott and Ramona’s epic tale is an artistic product of the era it was produced in. One area where this is abundantly clear is the way queer characters, and queer identity more generally, are handled. This charming series serves as a reminder of the evolving nature of storytelling and inclusivity, highlighting growth in both characters and our understanding of narrative representation over the past two decades.

As I cracked open the narrative vault for this article (cue dramatic entrance music), I couldn’t help but notice that diving into the past is like navigating a cosmic rollercoaster—daring, tricky, and with loop-de-loops through stereotypes and tired jokes that come out the other side into nuance worth cheering for. Fasten your seatbelts and prepare as we embark on an extraordinary adventure through the rainbow-tinted realms of Scott Pilgrim‘s multiverse.

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[zandvoort23]

ROUND 1/24 ⸺ bahrain grand prix ✩ 02.03.2024

maple's rating: ★★★★ (8.3/10)

☁︎ click read more facts, highlights & experiences ☁︎

✩ facts

red bull ties with williams for fourth on the all-time win table with 114 race wins!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🍾🍾🍾🍾

max today won his eighth consecutive race 😁✨🌷☀️☀️🍾🍾💌💌💌

max now has two of the four longest winning streaks in history in the past 10 months (10 races, eight races)

this is max's fifth grand slam, tying alberto ascari and michael schumacher’s career totals, third of all-time‼️‼️‼️💥💥💥

max is the first driver to score a grand slam in the opening race of the season since michael schumacher in 2004 🥺🥺🥺🥺

today was max’s 42nd consecutive classified finish (the second longest streak in history behind lewis’ 48)

red bull finished one-two in the opening race for the second consecutive season (max beat checo by 11.987s in 2023)

checo’s p2 today was his best finish since monza 23

carlos’ p3 was only his fourth podium finish since the start of 2023

charles’ p4 gave him 12 points – he only scored six points in the opening three races of 2023 combined

with george in p5 and lewis p7, mercedes scored an identical result to bahrain 2023, but with their drivers swapped over

fernando was p9 – he finished on the podium in the opening three races last year

there were no retirements in the opening race of a season for the first time in f1 history 🥺🥺🥰🥰🥰🌷🌷✨✨

✩ raceweek highlights

✩ free practice

max NOT slaying 🙅🙅🙅

dam that ferrari looks a bit fast

DAMN WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO MERC 😵😵😵😵😵

max not sounding stressed though 👍

✩ qualifying

FIRST QUALIFYING OF THE SEASON 😵😵😵😵💥💥💥‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

qualifying being SO close

lewis kinda not impressing :/ oh okay

no incidents in quali! woah!!!

ALPINE. MASTERCLASS. 🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷 (disasterclass): p19 & p20

GEORGE not following the delta (he did not get a penalty. of course)

charles' q2 lap ✨✨✨✨

thank you oscar piastri for that tow. i will remember 💕💕💕💕

MAX POLE MAX POLE MAX POLE MAX POLE‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️💕💕💕💕💕💕💕☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

"ha ha sorry gp!" (gp and helmut bet on whether max got pole or not.)

33 poles for maxy!!!

✩ race

me having trouble breathing during the formation lap (normal occurrence. but still funny) 💥💥💥

OKAY. 🚨🚨🚨🚨 LETS FUCKING GOOOO

max IMMEDIATELY fucking off. who cares about the new drs rule if he can make a 1+ second gap within a lap 💀💀💀💀💀

NICE START FROM CHECOOO WOOOOO

contact between nico and lance 😨👎

charles. poor meow. what is happening to u 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫💔💔

fernando dropping 💔💔💔💔

FERRARI INFIGHTING LETS GOOO‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️💥💥💥💥💥

max building the fuck out of that gap 💘💕💓💖💗‼️‼️‼️🙏🙏🙏

50+ second pit stop for valtteri 💀 why does this always happen to him bro 😭😭😭😭

lewis not having a good time. like. at all 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 ‘MY SEAT IS BROKEN’ AHHSHAHAHAH 😭😭😭😭😭

carlos 👀👀👀

williams overheating / wheel failure 😨😨😨 bc of their new screen 😭😭😭‼️‼️‼️

MAX LAPPING👀👀👀🪽🪽🪽

fuck you vcarb for doing that to my man yuki. fuck you. fuck youuuu oh my god fuck youuuu‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️👎👎👎👎💥💥💥💥💥💥

max weaving on the way to the finish line 😭😭😭😭😭

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON WITH A FUCKING GRAND SLAM‼️‼️‼️🏆🏆🏆☀️☀️☀️🌷🌷🌷🌷🪽🪽🪽💕💕💖💓💖💓💖🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

checo p2! first p2 since monza 😭😭

✩ miscellaneous

lestappen + george after quali 💀 bye

max laughing at george for thinking he's 0.5 behind per lap 🗣️

new intro screen! max looks cutieful! but its a downgrade for the intro in general 💔💔💔

ALAIN PROST IN THE PRERACE SHOW??? BONJOUR SIR!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰💥💥💥💥💥

versainz kindaa 👀👀👀😏😏😏

✩ maple's diary

[something-tofightfor]

2023 Year End Summary

I usually use this post as a way to wrap up my year, and this one's no different.

See beneath the cut for some of the highlights of my year - and some thank you notes.

First story post of 2023: Competing For Christmas 6.2 - Let It Snow (The Scavenger Hunt)

Last story post of 2023: The Epilogue of Snow and Mistletoe (which will be posted later tonight)

Most Surprising Thing I Wrote in 2023: Wing Pit Daniel. Who the hell thought this would be a thing? Certainly not me.

Daniel + Vacation /First and 10  / Daniel + Beer / Daniel - Distracting Kiss / Smutsgiving: Sweet Potato Casserole

Something I never thought I'd write in 2023: Sex Pollen for Marcus Pike.

Things I'm proud of writing in 2023:

Tim Rockford Headcanons and the resulting Black Days

Liminality

Joel Miller: NSFW ABC's / All I Ever Needed / Everybody's Waiting For The Next Surprise 1 + 2

Over the course of the year, I wrote just under 434k words on a total of 23 series/stories/events.

This is 65k below where I wanted to be - but I definitely got sidetracked during a few months - including a few where I took vacations or my mental health was in the toilet.

My goal for next year will be 500k words again, but I'm going to set some specific goals for my writing, including finishing a few things that I've neglected for far too long. That includes:

Slopeside

Buried

Locked Down

Caught On

It's Dangerous To Fall In Love

Nightingale

I'm also going to finally release Baseball Jack in his entirety on you in 2024... get ready. I'm not going to lie - 2023 was disheartening from a writing standpoint for a lot of reasons.

Engagement was way down, the same small group of authors and stories seemed to be the only ones getting any sort of traction in the Pedro fandom, plotlines and characterization that I have no interest in writing or reading were the craze - especially for Joel, and actual feedback on things was almost nonexistent.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not proud of what I wrote, how I wrote it or why I wrote it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I'd rather have smaller numbers overall and be absolutely happy with what I've put out and how long it took me to do so than rush things to hop in on current popularity or hope for instant success with a story.

My writing process hasn't changed - and while I appreciate and have respect for people that can and do post things without editing or rereading or sitting on their work and letting it settle, I've never done that, and I never will. I'll also never hold my stories 'hostage' or threaten to keep new chapters under wraps until engagement improves or I hit a certain number of likes/followers/etc. That's unfair - and for something that's supposed to be fun for both writers and readers, it's baffling to me when people do this.

And now on to the fun part: I read some amazing work from some amazing authors this year. The list includes but is not limited to:

@the-blind-assassin-12 @oonajaeadira @littlemisspascal @wildemaven @trulybetty @morallyinept @prolix-yuy @tessa-quayle @grogusmum @whataperfectwasteoftime @keldabe-kriff @katareyoudrilling @undercoverpena ... and so many more. You're able to do things with words and storylines that is SO impressive. We're all lucky to see and read your work. If I didn't include you, please know it's not on purpose. And it's not only writing: it's art, too. @stealyourblorbos @valkblue @thekawaiifruitworld @versatileginger @saminadorazahi @be-an-echo ... your talent is endless. thank you for sharing.

There are so many talented people in this fandom that I wish I had more time to read and admire their work. That's one of my goals for 2024: to consume more content from people on tumblr and A03 and share it. I know I need to do better with this. I know I've been slacking. I don't want to do that anymore. My goal for 2024 is also to make some new friends on here, because to be truthful, I feel a little on the outskirts of so many friend groups, and that's no fun. So if you'd like to message me or say hello or interact, please feel free to do so. I'm also on Discord - somethingtofightfor is my username there. If we've interacted in any way throughout this year, please know that I appreciate you. I thank you for taking the time to read my work or reach out to me. I see all of the comments and messages even if I don't reply right away (something else I'm going to work on getting better about in 2024!!!) Happy New Year to all of you - I hope 2024 is bright and warm and filled with love and support. You deserve it.

[sennaverstappen]

ROUND 23/23 ⸺ abu dhabi grand prix ✩ 26.11.2023

maple's rating: ★★★★ (8.0/10)

☁︎ click read more facts, highlights & experiences ☁︎

✩ facts

max won in abu dhabi for the fourth year in a row – he had never previously won four consecutive races at the same track

max’s 54th career win means he surpasses sebastian for third on the all-time win list, behind only michael’s 91 and lewis’ 103

max ends the year with records for the most single-season wins (19), most consecutive race wins (10), most podium finishes (21), highest points total (575) and largest championship-winning margin (290)

max's 11th hat-trick weekend (win, pole position and fastest lap) ties him with jim clark, with only lewis (19) and michael (22) on more

max today became the first driver in history to surpass 1,000 laps led in a single season

max’s 1,003 laps led this season exactly equals the total led by mclaren in their 1988 season with alain prost and ayrton senna

max was the only driver to complete every racing lap in the 2023 season

charles finished second behind max in abu dhabi for the second consecutive year

checo was classified in p4 for red bull after he lost positions following the chequered flag because of a five-second time penalty (he also lost positions on the final lap of the previous two races)

this was the first season-ending race ever to end without a single retirement

✩ raceweek highlights

me seeing fp1 and fp2 and fp3 results and going ITS JOEVERRR 😭😭😭😭

TRACK LIMITS 💀💀💀💀💀

carlos out of q1 😭😭

LEWIS OUT OF Q2 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃

max fuckass lap 😭😭😭

CHARLES STARTTTT

checo lewis contact 😭😭😭

mclaren lando awful pitstop 💔

ferwis battle‼️‼️‼️💗💗💗

YUKI OVERTAKING LEWIS 😭😭😭

MAX WINS THE GRAND PRIX🌷🌷🌷🌷💌💌💌💕

✩ maple's diary

[lqtraintracks]

AO3 Wrapped 2023

Fics posted: 23

Pairings Written: Drarry (13); Sirry (1); Harry/Teddy (3); Tedrarry (1, written with the amazing @nv-md ); Ginsy (1); Jeddy (1): Fred/George (1); Hagrid/multiple people (1); Damen/Laurent (1)

Most Kudos: What a Fucking Git ran away with it. :D Fake hating tag for the win! Thanks for that priceless gift @goldenbi

Word count of fics posted: 105,551 

Total word count written: Just over 150,000! Hurray! 

My favourite fic I wrote this year: Oof. Probably a tie between my Wireless, Take You Home, and my Erised, TBA on January 5th. ;) <3 

I also finished my original novel this year, which has been far and away the highlight for me. I love my own characters so much, and when I let the novel sit for a while between reads, I miss them with an actual ache in me. I’m proud of myself for putting so much work into it and writing it through to the end, and I’m going to do my best to see that, one way or another, it makes its way out into the world in 2024! 

Goals for the coming year: Query an agent and get this novel published! But also, I want to write more short fics again, go bonkers with the pairings. The prompts you guys have given me have started me out on a great note there, so thank you! I’d love to do a couple/few fests again as well (I do love the community aspect, and deadlines are my friends, what can I say?) 

I hope to be around to support my lovely friends in their own creations too. This is an amazing fandom, and it’s been so cool to see new people find it this year and feel how I’ve felt about it for so long: that it’s a coming home of sorts. We have such a phenomenal community, so talented and generous and wise and funny and witty and wonderful. Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys here yet another year! 2024 will be my 12th year in this fandom! Hard to believe.

Okay, I’ll wrap up! I hope everyone reading this has a beautiful New Year’s Eve and a bright start to 2024!