#Goth Hall Household

[gwuncan-exhibit]

Happy Last Day of Gwunctober Everyone!!! 🤗🎃💚💙

So I was going to post a One-Shot today to celebrate this last day, but unfortunately, I just haven’t been having the energy lately to write anything. I still really want to give you all something to read though, especially with the closure of this shipping week here, so instead, I’ve decided that I wanted to share what the idea was going to be for my story! I wish that this was something longer and more well-polished, but I hope that it’s something you all still like regardless! 🙏🏼❣️

Also!! @midnight-blue-goth made me this wonderful edit above, which was going to be the cover for this tale, so shout out to her! Thank you again for making me this, I really appreciate you! 🫶🏼

Well, alright, without further ado, here’s what the concept for this fic was going to be like!

The story was going to be titled “The Night They Knew” and it was going to begin in between the events of Action and World Tour, where during the contestant’s breaks in between the two seasons, Duncan is shown to have stayed very close in the tabloids, especially with his publicized relationship with Courtney.

The two have become the big It Couple from Total Drama, garnering several attention from the media and fans of them alike, however, as the months roll by, Duncan quickly starts to lose interest in the fame life and even begins to feel a drift starting to form between him and Courtney’s dynamic.

After all the back and forth throughout Action, their energy eventually starts to take a toll on Duncan’s mind as he begins to feel consistently tired from their usual bickering and senses change growing in the air between the two of them. He just doesn’t know how to handle these feelings that he has inside, in fact, he’s kept his thoughts bottled up for not even a single soul to find out. But he soon comes to a realization that he just can’t continue to keep these concerns locked up anymore as it’s greatly causing him a lot of mental stress.

He still loves Courtney and would wish for things to all work out in the end, but also doesn’t feel like the path that they’re on is somewhere that he should be on anymore.

One night, as he’s gathering up his thoughts about everything, he decides to call up his best friend, Gwen, for a fun time out to escape his personal thoughts for one sleep less. Him and Gwen have stayed very close since the end of Action and try to hangout with one another for as much as they can since after the show, they’ve gotten a lot busier schedules. Gwen agrees to hangout with Duncan and invites him over to her place for some late night horror movies to binge and some delicious snacks to munch on. Duncan feels like that simple idea was a good one for the two and also suggests some beer for them to have as well.

While viewing the scary flicks together, Duncan tries to enjoy his time that he has with Gwen, but still feels that pain that was inside his heart, that feeling that something wasn’t quite right in his life. As he’s on his high from the beers he chugged, Duncan sees that even with the substance, he just can’t escape those thoughts for even a moment. In fact, ironically, it only makes him begin to overthink more as he feels that him and Courtney’s relationship is truly coming to its inevitable end.

Duncan begins to zone out from the TV screen and just drifts away from where he’s physically at, staying firmly in his own mind and unable to break away from it. Gwen catches Duncan’s blank expression and asks him what his problem was, playing off his tone as humorous, before soon finding out with his snappish responses back to her that he wasn’t joking around with her after all.

When Duncan takes it a step too far and raises his voice at Gwen, shouting at her to just leave him alone and insisting that he was fine, Gwen snaps back at him and calls him out, stating that he was not about to disrespect her in her own household, especially with her family sound asleep from across the hall. She even instructs him to get out of her house if he was going to continue with the attitude that he was displaying.

Duncan chokes up and stops Gwen, instantly apologizing to her, and realizes that he can no longer hide from himself anymore, immediately beginning to break down into tears and letting out all of what he had hidden deep inside his heart.

Gwen stares at Duncan in shock as she had never seen him cry before and sees that there indeed was more going on with him, realizing that there was more to why Duncan had wanted to hangout with her this night. She turns off the TV and puts her full attention on her best friend, who’s continuing to sob all out in front of her.

Once Duncan’s finally able to speak back up to her, he confesses to Gwen that things with him actually aren’t going well and that he feels miserable and lonely in his personal life, stating that he realized he really hates the celebrity lifestyle and all that comes with it. He also admits that he’s fearing of becoming broke soon since Courtney is preparing to file another lawsuit against him over their pet raccoon, Brittany, and he still has to look to find a lawyer for himself. And speaking of Courtney, lastly, he’s afraid that this is indeed the end for the two of them’s relationship.

He explains to Gwen that they’ve been headed nowhere but down since Action and it’s felt more like a chore to keep them together than anything and one that he’s beginning to feel isn’t worth the work to keep up with. He mentions all their arguing, all their drama, all their fighting that the two have been dealing with, the combination of it all was just finally starting to get to him, making him feel complete misery that he had gotten to this point in his life now.

Gwen listens closely to his every word, but unfortunately could only offer Duncan her shoulder to cry on as him and Courtney’s situation was something that only him could sort out, but still tried to console him the best that she could.

Duncan and Courtney’s relationship even begins to remind Gwen of the colossal mess that was her and Trent’s relationship that fell apart from the previous season of Total Drama. She brings it up as a joke, but Duncan legitimately catches the similarities between them, noticing how he and Gwen both had messy, reality TV show relationships, and asks her for any advice on him and Courtney’s situation.

Gwen collects her thoughts and begins to vent to Duncan about how all of that drama made her feel and what she took away from her and Trent’s story, what she learned and what decisions could’ve been made to avoid the problems that had occurred then. She hated to see Duncan also going through a complicated relationship and advises that he should really try communicating to Courtney about where the two of them are at as a couple and find some common ground again, even if it would be hard to get there.

As they continue to talk to one another, Duncan eventually gets to a calm state of mind again and is finally able to take a deep breath and put on a real smile in front of Gwen. Though their talk didn’t automatically fix everything, Duncan knew that it just felt good to be able to let out something incredibly personal like that to someone. He felt a big sense of relief coming from off his chest and liked how he felt heard when he shared his thoughts to Gwen.

He always liked how honest Gwen could be, but still assumed that some sarcastic judgement would be coming off from her when he discussed feelings that were more vulnerable to her, but that wasn’t the response he got from her at all.

As their time together came to a close, Duncan and Gwen both gave each other their goodbyes for the night and departed ways, leaving off knowing a little bit more about the other person than earlier in the day.

Duncan got to see Gwen as a little bit more than just as someone he could have a fun time with, but rather as someone he could also freely open up to and not have to worry about being judged for how he felt.

Gwen also got to see Duncan as someone she could not only joke around with, but as well as someone she could be her authentic self around and not having to worry about being outwardly judged for her decision making.

This night was very special to both Duncan and Gwen because it felt like they got to see the complete versions of each other and not just the simplified ones that they were so used to. They left this hangout feeling much different about each other than they had felt prior…maybe even a little something deeper than they realized.

As Gwen was cleaning up her room and getting ready for bed, she kept thinking about how much Duncan really cared for Courtney and how their situation together made him really feel. He got pretty emotional tonight and though he did have some liquor to drink, she noticed that his feelings still came from an earnest place and it wasn’t performative.

Seeing that concern in him for something like his romantic relationship was something that Gwen started to think was kind of endearing, how much he really cared for the people that he loved the most. She didn’t really get a sense of that before from him. Gwen tried to shrug that feeling away of growing admiration, but this new perspective on Duncan did start to make her question her views on him in a positive way. Throughout the next couple of months, she increasingly began to feel a genuine attraction to Duncan that she couldn’t help but feel just a little bit guilty about having.

Duncan, meanwhile, managed to have that talk he wanted to have with Courtney and was able to keep things afloat for a bit longer…but unfortunately, their common cycle quickly went back to repeating itself. Despite their best efforts, it was clear to Duncan that he and Courtney really were heading to their grand ending.

For the following months, Duncan and Gwen continued to remain very close with one another and additionally started to hang out more as they were paying extra attention to making sure that they were able to fit each other in that extra space of their lives.

With each new day together, Duncan started to feel more comfortable around Gwen than he even felt with Courtney and as time went by, he noticed how his heart began to feel a little differently around his best friend. There was some extra warmth that he felt around Gwen and eventually, that feeling began to stick around, developing a confusion for Duncan as he was still together with Courtney, trying to save anything left that could be built around with her, but also realizing that he had growing feelings for Gwen.

And by the time that all three of them were amongst the selected individuals to compete in Total Drama World Tour, Gwen and Duncan had by that time realized that there was definitely something romantic after all between them. Something that was much more deeper than what was already established beforehand.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 44 (A Nephew and a Wedding!)

Making the most of a rainy autumn, Heather travelled to Henford to meet River and Cassandra's son, Michael, before he was even a week old.

She marvelled at her tiny nephew while he slept. "It's incredible, Riv! That's your kid!"

"He's pretty amazing, isn't he? I can't believe he's finally here."

Heather had arrived with first-time grandmother, Bella Goth, who always looked incredible. Even now that her jet black hair had faded to grey, she dressed like she could stop traffic everywhere she went.

"He has my brother's chin," she said, glancing wistfully upon her grandson as he woke from his nap. Baby Michael had been named for Bella's brother, who died in a motorcycle crash at the age of 32.

Bella was delighted to meet her grandson, but memories of her older brother still made her sad. He’d been gone for over twenty years, but he was her big brother - the only person she regretted leaving behind in Sunset Valley when she and Mortimer got married.

Cass cradled her new son. "I know how much you miss him. I wanted to honour his memory, and when he was born, we thought he looked like a Michael. Are you upset?"

Bella pushed forth a smile. "No, my goodness. My brother would have been thrilled to know his name lives on." Cass carefully studied her mother's face. "I know Michael's death triggered the depression that led to my disappearance, but I'm a stronger person now. I want to see my grandson grow up, and I have plenty to keep my mind busy. Diego keeps talking about taking a trip, and your brother's wedding is next month."

"Maybe Alexander and Lydia will give you more grandkids soon," Heather suggested sweetly as she cuddled Michael in her arms.

"You know she doesn't even want a wedding?" Bella smiled. "I told Lydia there was no chance my son would elope at Brindleton Town Hall, but she doesn't want seating, because she doesn't want an audience. She doesn't want a wedding dress, and doesn't want Alexander in a tux. The guests will be more dressed up than they are!"

"If it's what she wants, won't it still be beautiful?" Cass saw the world in such a romantic way.

"She wants an altar made of palm leaves! In our mansion! The aesthetic has me gasping! But she says the only part of the wedding she's actually looking forward to is her honeymoon in Sulani. All she cares about is marrying Alexander, not showing off for a bunch of guests she doesn't know."

"I think that's sweet," said Cassandra.

"A part of me was mortified! But a bigger part of me wishes I'd had the guts to stand up to Mortimer's parents when I was thrown into the deep end of the society scene as his photogenic new bride all those years ago. I really like her."

Heather and her siblings were all invited to the big day – a simple and phoned in ceremony (by the Watcher!) at the Goth family mansion in Brindleton Bay.

(I just wanted to make sure they didn't break up or something so I rushed it, quick and dirty. They're a side-side household at the moment even though I've tentatively plotted some of their future in my notes, but sometimes I just want to play and not do all this set up. And I'll shamelessly try to excuse it with storytelling every time.)

Surprisingly, no one complained about sitting on the floor for the ceremony. And even though it was raining, Heather chatted with Holly outside in their boho-style dresses.

"That colour looks great on you," Holly said, eyeing the purple dress Heather had chosen from the shop with almost no thought.

"Thanks, but I don't know where I might have a chance to wear something like this again." (The game picked it at random but I like how the colour nods to Gen 3)

"Maybe you should wear it with Conrad somewhere."

"We're not really a dressy couple," she said. "All my clothes get covered in whatever Ash gets his hands in then wipes on my shirt. If he wasn't at his dad's this weekend, I'm sure the dress would already have at least three stains."

Holly laughed, shaking her head. "You're so unflirty, sis. I don't know how you have the hottest man on the planet practically begging to move in with you."

"I'm taking him home to Henford soon. I really want him to meet everyone, but I'm so worried it won't go well."

"Why wouldn't it go well? Didn't you say he wanted to come with you today but couldn't get away from work?"

"I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop, that's all."

"What, like he's secretly working for the Landgraabs in some elaborate scheme to steal your code for your next mobile app?" She laughed at the thought, but Heather would be lying if she said the possibility had never crossed her mind, even once, in the months since she'd known him.

"I think it's more that if it doesn't go well, it would hurt too much."

"Then don't overthink it. You know no matter what, you'll always have us."

As hard as it was to take Holly's advice, Heather spent the next few weeks focused on her clinic to keep her mind off her relationship fears. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

NOTE: Lydia Kim-Lewis (now Goth!) is the youngest of three daughters of Eric and Alice. She's also Hazel Nesbitt's best friend since childhood, which is why the family-focused wedding had so many Nesbitts, too. For those who like updates on townies and premades, eldest Olivia married Imran Watson and they have three kids, and Spencer of course married Everett (and they have Greyson and Jett). Spencer and Lydia were both born in-game.

[autumns1mmer]

I have completed a full year in my Megahood! (Pleasantview and Strangetown + universities)

This is part 1 of my Megahood update! Part 2 will be covering Strangetown. (Apologizes for bad screenshot quality)

I will be going in order of the screenshots, but this is not the order I play in!

Caliente: It’s just Nina in this household, she’s pretty high up in the Athletic career and her LTW is to woohoo with 20 sims. There’s not much going on with her (I speed 3 her a lot), however she’s currently pregnant with Daniel Pleasant's baby (not showing yet).

Pleasant: Just like Nina Caliente, Daniel is alone in his apartment. He maxed the Athletic career, and completed his LTW of becoming a Hall of Famer. In the first round, Mary-Sue caught him cheating and divorced him right away. His daughters don’t talk to him anymore, and he doesn’t even know his grandkids.

Broke: Dustin and Angela moved into the trailer park after graduating university. Dustin is high in the Criminal career and has the LTW of becoming a Criminal Mastermind. While Angela is just starting out in the Oceanography career with the LTW of becoming the Hand of Poseidon. The couple had twins from a risky woohoo, Paige and Olivia Pleasant. Dustin and Angela are unmarried, but are still head over heels for each other.

Goth: Alexander and Lucy just graduated university. Alexander is unemployed with the LTW of becoming the Head of SCIA. Lucy is also unemployed with the LTW of sending 3 kids to university. The couple is just dating with no plans of getting married yet.

Oldie/Dreamer: Mary-Sue is the head of the house, she still works in the Politics career with no sign of retirement, and her LTW is to earn 100k. Lilith moved back in after university. She’s in the Military career with the LTW of becoming the General. After Dirk graduated university he moved into Mary-Sue’s house. He’s also in the Politics career, however he has the LTW of being a Business Tycoon. The couple quickly got married after having their twins, Mateo and Nadia.

Dreamer: Darren and Brandi got married right before Dirk went off to university. Darren works in the Architecture career and has the LTW of becoming City Planner. Brandi works in Education and has the LTW of becoming Education Admin. Brandi had 3 children with her late husband Skip Broke, Dustin, Beau and Ameila. Beau isn’t doing great in school because he’s more focused on playing the bass and drums. Ameila is unborn baby Broke, she recently aged up into a teenager and is doing very well in high school. The youngest member of the household is Landon Dreamer, the only child between Darren and Brandi, he recently aged up into a child.

Lothario: Don and Cassandra got married and very soon after had their son, Brooks. Don is in the Medical career and has the LTW of having 20 lovers. He has yet to be caught cheating. Cassandra works in the Science career with the LTW of reaching Golden Anniversary. After the couple got married, they very quickly had Brooks. Brooks is a lot like his mother, he’s more focused on making money rather than dating. After a very long time of Brooks being an only child, Cassandra got pregnant from risky woohoo. She gave birth to her second child, Tessa Lothario.

Burb: John and Jennifer have 3 children together, Lucy, Easton, and Grace Burb. John is high in the Education career with the LTW of having 6 grandkids. While Jennifer is only halfway through the Law career, her LTW is to Become the Law. Easton is the couple's only boy and the middle child. He is dating Celeste Curious and is doing decently in school. Grace is the youngest child, and she’s a huge mommy’s girl.

Goth: Dina married Mortimer and had their daughter, Delilah Goth. Dina is high in the Slacker career and her LTW is to become a Professional Party Guest. She’s not close with her daughter, due to Dina bringing strange men home every night. Delilah doesn’t have many friends, nor is she close to her half-siblings, Cassandra and Alexander. She spends her time painting and going on walks with her dog.

[aorticsims]

While everyone’s been waiting for the infant update and subsequent expansion pack, I’ve been away giving makeovers/reworks of @pleasantsims​‘ Sims from her save file.

These are only five of the 18 Sims made over. If Don and Cassandra look familiar, that’s because I cloned my makeovers of them to use as bases.

Name: Don Lothario Pronouns: he/him Age: Adult Career/Schooling: Athlete/5 (Bodybuilder Branch) with Biology degree Aspiration: Getting Around Personality: Romance Traits: Romantic, Slob, Active Family: Son of Nicolo and Adriana Lothario, Ex-Husband of Cassandra Goth, Father of Luca, Isabella and Allie Lothario-Goth, and Gianna Caliente Zodiac: Leo Hobby: Fitness Skills: Charisma/5, Fitness/8

For this save, I’m only using base game as well as some other packs for minor things like degrees and reputation. Likes and dislikes won’t be included until later.

Name: Cassandra Goth Pronouns: she/her Age: Adult Career/Schooling: Tech Guru/5 with Physics degree Aspiration: Big Happy Family Personality: Family Traits: Family-Oriented, Genius, Gloomy Family: Daughter of Bella and Mortimer Goth, Mother of Isabella, Allie and Luca Lothario-Goth, Ex-Wife of Don Lothario, Sister of Alexander Goth Zodiac: Virgo Hobby: Paranormal Skills: Programming/5, Video Gaming/4

Though I am fond of the names Cindy gave to each new Sim, most of them to me didn’t feel suitable to each Sim’s age and personality. So I changed most of them. For example, Eva Lothario is now Isabella Lothario-Goth. 

Name: Isabella Lothario-Goth (aka Eva Lothario) Pronouns: she/her Age: Adult Career/Schooling: Freelance Digital Artist Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire Personality: Romance Traits: Romantic, Goofball, Art Lover Family: Daughter of Cassandra Goth and Don Lothario, Sister of Luca and Allie Lothario-Goth, Romantic Interest of Devin Broke, Half-Sister of Gianna Caliente Zodiac: Libra Hobby: Arts & Crafts Skills: Comedy/3, Painting/4

Primo has been renamed to Luca, in reference to my (yet to be shown) modernized remake of Don. I imagine him as a fashionable, trendy Sim. Did I check how much interest he has in fashion from Cindy’s videos before making him? nope but we don’t talk about that.

Name: Luca Lothario-Goth (aka Primo Lothario) Pronouns: he/him Age: Teen Career/Schooling: High school C student Aspiration: Trend Setter Personality: Fortune Traits: Materialistic, Lazy Family: Son of Don Lothario and Cassandra Goth, Brother of Isabella and Allie Lothario-Goth, Half-Brother of Gianna Caliente Zodiac: Scorpio Hobby: Fashion & Beauty Skills: Charisma/3, Comedy/2

Allie, formerly Rosa, is the "not like other girls *hair tuck*” girl of the save. She and her household’s bio just gave me that energy.

Name: Allison “Allie” Lothario-Goth (aka Rosa Lothario) Pronouns: she/her Age: Teen Career/Schooling: High school B student Aspiration: Hall of Famer Personality: Fortune Traits: Outgoing, Childish Family: Daughter of Cassandra Goth and Don Lothario, Sister of Luca and Isabella Lothario-Goth, Half-Sister of Gianna Caliente Zodiac: Gemini Hobby: Film & Literature Skills: Fitness/2, Photography/2

[spoiled-bat13]

Let me tell you a story of my childhood.

I was raised Jehovah's Witness. My household had no holidays and no birthday parties. We weren't even allowed mother's day or fathers day, because we were meant to honor our mother and father daily.

So this obviously meant I never experienced Halloween.

I was kept home from school on Halloween (if it fell on a school day) because the day would be spent sharing candy and partying and watching movies in class, and costumes.

I was pulled from class on birthday parties in my classroom too. No cookie or cupcake for me. I had to sit in the hall, alone, and work on math sheets until the party recess time was over.

My mother canceled the Disney Channel, because in the 90s it was a premium add on channel, not basic cable. And my mother did not like that around each holiday they would air too many holiday specials.

So I never saw Halloween Town or Hocus Pocus or Nightmare Before Christmas or that snoopy halloween special.

I was so isolated as a child. And not diagnised autistic, but holy fuck was I autistic and weird.

And all this religious nonsense and being excused from anything "fun" in school made all the kids very cruel to me.

So as a teen, I rebelled. I never did drugs or had sex or drank or snuck out. I'm ace and autistic, after all. But I became goth and obsessed with halloween.

It was this unattainable thing. More alluring than any boy. More forbidden than any drug.

And the Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors special was one of the ONLY halloween programs I could sneak into my life. It was on Fox. My mom didn't cancel fox. So I got my first thrill and taste of Halloween through the Simpsons.

And I have a super deep connection and bond to those episodes, to these days.

Halloween Simpsons saved life.

[anamedblog]

Holidays and History

Lora Ellen Webb, ANAMED Post-Doctoral Fellow (2022–2023)

Figure 1. Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present who sits atop the foods and decorations of the season, Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) (Hurst, 1951).

My family has a reliable routine when it comes to our Christmas celebration. Food often takes center stage: waffles for breakfast and—except for a misguided and disastrous dalliance with a turducken—for dinner we always have the same menu of goose, stuffing, and rice pudding. There are plentiful gingerbread men and a gorgeous stollen bread from our talented neighbor. In preparation for the feast, every Christmas Eve we have a lighter charcuterie-based dinner and watch Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) (the 1951 version directed by Brian Desmond Hurst starring Alastair Sim).

In the film and in Dickens’ parable, Ebenezer Scrooge recovers his generous spirit through the visits of three ghosts: Christmas past, present, and future. Given the particularly dire state of Scrooge’s miserly soul, it is striking that his deceased colleague Jacob Marley waited for seven years to enlist the phantoms’ aid on the anniversary of his death, Christmas Eve. It is as if the holiday is a weak point in the flow of time where spirits might enter, and happy memories might become tangible once again. Scrooge relives his own past, pleasant and otherwise, and learns how to “keep Christmas.” And as a song (“Barbara Allen”) featured in the film worms its way into my ear for its annual winter residence, I am reminded that holidays are circular periods where the same tastes and sights and sounds recur, bringing the present in harmony with the past.

As the season of winter festivities approaches, I want to offer a taste of how the Byzantines (specifically the imperial household) celebrated holidays. As a kid I bemoaned the innovation of the turducken, and as an adult, I keep this egregious breach of protocol in living memory by recalling it at least once during Christmas dinner. I am, thus, very sympathetic towards Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, who in the mid-tenth century assembled a collection of directions for court ceremonial in the hope that they would always be carried out properly. The Book of Ceremonies details many different ceremonies, from court appointments to funerals. It also records what should be done for church feasts and holidays. For example, the Byzantine emperors celebrated the Twelve Days of Christmas (the period that runs from Christmas day to Epiphany) with twelve full days of feasting. The Kletorologion, an earlier text included in Constantine’s collection, directs who should come to dinner and where they should sit, or more accurately, where they should recline.[1]Liudprand of Cremona, an ambassador to Constantine VII’s court, records that during the Christmas feasts, guests in the Hall of Nineteen Couches reclined for their meal. He describes the use of golden platters so heavy that they had to be lifted onto the table with a pulley system.[2] Harun Ibn Yahya, a Syrian hostage living in the court in the late ninth or earlytenth century, also mentions golden platters so large they had to be wheeled in.[3]

Figure 2. For a sense of the luxurious table settings used in the palace, we might look at the collection of liturgical chalices from the Attarouthi Treasure (silver and gilt silver, 500–650, The Metropolitan Museum of Art).

The feasts also included entertainment. Harun recounts the playing of the organ, which was used in many imperial acclamations.[1]Liudprand details acrobats climbing up and moving around a pole balanced on a man’s forehead.[2] The Book of Ceremonies directs that on the ninth day of Christmas, the “Gothic Game” should be played after the jugglers depart. The game consisted of members of the chariot racing factions, the Blues and Greens, dressed as “Goths” (in furs turned inside out so that hair faced outward). The “Goths” ran in circles shouting “Toultoul!”and in turn the declaimers of the factionsrecited an acrostic in honor of the emperor. The words used by both the “Goths” and the poets included a mix of Latin and Germanic words that gave the game its name.[3] Though the instructions for the Gothic Game are impenetrable to me, the yearly dance between Latin and Germanic syllables reinscribes Constantinople’s connection to Rome.

Figure 3. This image of the Last Supper from Sant’ApollinareNuovo (sixth century, Ravenna) gives us an idea of the Roman form of dining while reclined. The Byzantines continued this tradition on certain festive occasions like Christmas.

The great feasts of the major holidays may have included raucous acclamations, acrobats, and an impressive spread of delicacies, but the Byzantine elites also marked days with simpler commemorations. On the Thursday before Easter, for instance, the emperor visited the homes for the aged and then, after the liturgy, he gave high-level courtiers two apples and a stick of cinnamon.[1] During my research on court ceremonial, I have often been struck by this offering, which appears simple in contrast to more typical distribution of imperial largess through gold or sumptuous fabrics. Cinnamon was a highly valued spice, but such a small amount, along with two apples, resists an easy transformation into the showy displays of status enabled by gold and silks. The gift seems meant for private, personal consumption, and therefore, it appears more intimate. Though I do not know what the courtiers did with their gifts, apple and cinnamon also evokes a combination of flavors with which we are familiar today. It is a taste and scent that I associate with warm social occasions throughout the colder months.

The Book of Ceremonies also records more idiosyncratic celebrations. It notes that for the Triumph of Orthodoxy (celebrating the end of Iconoclasm), the patriarch Theophylact would add incense to the celebration. He also had sweetmeats at the chapel of St. Theophylact with the ruler and his invited guests.[1] Among the often-impersonal directions, this record stands out as a moment of personalized commemoration—one that the patriarch shared with others through sweet treats. A similar tradition is kept at ANAMED, where fellows often leave small delicacies near the coffee and tea station after research trips or in celebration of the holidays of our many countries.

Beyond my admiration for his employment of good smells and tastes, Theophylact’s efforts to enrich the commemoration of a historical moment speak to me. As an art historian, I often visit the objects or places that I study. Sometimes I do so with friends or colleagues, and we discuss what we are seeing. For instance, two intrepid fellows and I made a trip to the monastery and likely burial site of another patriarch, Ignatios, on his feast day (October 23).

Figure 4. Fellows visit the KüçükyalıArkeopark on October 23, the feast day of Patriarch Ignatios. Photo by Artemis Papatheodorou.

At the Satyros Monastery, now KüçükyalıArkeopark, we were amazed by the size of the complex as we walked around its border. We told stories about Ignatios, informally recounting his life. I left purple flowers. I cannot quite articulate why it seemed important to me to go on the day of Ignatios’ feast. Nothing magical happened. We were the only ones there. I think perhaps it stems from the desire to allow the past to guide our steps a bit, in this case through the choice of a date. The choice transformed the trip into something of a small pilgrimage that devoted a little time in the present to a long-dead saint. Even when not commemorating a specific day or person, looking closely at objects and spaces and the stories and histories we tell each other in their company would seem to bear an invitation for the ghost of the past to pay us a visit. After all, Jacob Marley first appeared through a door knocker.

Figure 5. Jacob Marley in Scrooge’s door knocker, Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) (Hurst, 1951).

[1]Ann Moffatt and Maxeme Tall, eds., The Book of Ceremonies: With the Greek edition of the Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae (Bonn, 1829), vol. 2 (Canberra: Australian Association for Byzantine Studies, 2012; reprint, paperback by Leiden: Brill, 2017), Bk. 2, ch. 52, 741–759.

[2]Bishop of Cremona Liudprand, The Complete Works of Liudprand of Cremona, trans. Paolo Squatriti (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2007), Bk. 6, ch. 8, pp. 199–200.

[3]Alexei Vasiliev, "Harun-Ibn-Yahya and His Description of Constantinople," Seminarium Kondakovianum V(1932): 157; Andrew Dalby, Flavours of Byzantium  (Totnes: Prospect, 2003), 116–119.

[4]Vasiliev, "Harun-Ibn-Yahya and His Description of Constantinople," 157–158.

[5]Liudprand, Complete Works, Bk. 6, ch. 9, p. 200.

[6]Moffatt and Tall, Book of Ceremonies, vol. 1, Bk. 1, ch. 83, pp. 381–386.

[7]Book of Ceremonies, vol. 1, Bk. 1, ch. 33, pp. 177–178. [1]Book of Ceremonies, vol. 1, Bk. 1, ch. 28, pp. 160.

[moonlight--falls]

OLIVIA: "Sammy! Do something!" 

SAMUEL: "What do you suggest I do?! I can't do it for her!" 

HELEN: "You two are useless. I'm fucking waddling to the hospital."

[zx-ta]

Finally happy with Willow Creek, I’ll edit this post once I shared more about the lots and where to find them. It’s a weird place as I have a New Orleans neighbourhood and a Parisian one but idk, I like it ^^’

Parisian shop - Knitting (Shop)

The Maebey family

Parisian Townhouse

BFF Household

Luxury Parisian Apartment

St. Lois Cathedral (café)

The Pancakes family

New Orleans Townhouse

Willow Creek Floral Shop (Shop)

French Quarter Pink Home

Red Velvet Lounge (Karaoke Bar)

Let’s go Fitness & Gym (Gym)

Platz Museum (Museum)

National Library (Library)

Myshuno Meadows (Park)

Mairie de Willow Creek / Willow Creek City Hall (Museum)

Cimetière Ste-Sonia  / St. Sonia Graveyard (National Park)

The Goth Snr. family

Abandoned Victorian Manor

The Spencer-Kim-Lewis family

The Goth family

[marzipanandminutiae]

Okay, here are my Crimson Peak thoughts and observations (Marzi here- bolding your comments and giving my responses in plain text.)

I love the character-specific color palettes. I love Edith's golds match her surroundings in Buffalo and are so out of place in Allerdale hall. I love how when we meet Lucille, her red dress stands out so dramatically and all her Buffalo clothes are so different from the people around her, but the blue dress she wears at Allerdale matches the house so closely it's almost camouflage. I've seen lots of gifs of the dress, but I didn't realize before how closely it matches the walls.

Yes! That's pretty much exactly what Kate Hawley, the costumer, said about both characters. According to her, Edith's green, cream, and gold palette represented wealth, light, and abundance as well as a "canary in a coal mine" in tems of the danger Edith finds herself in. Whereas Lucille is an extension of the house once she's back there, as you pointed out.

(Fun Fact: the red dress was made in like two weeks with no budget, because Del Toro decided he wanted her in red at the party after planning to have her exclusively wear black in Buffalo. The costume construction and design team has my eternal respect.)

I thought it was neat how Edith is always taking the elevator, both when she's exploring and later when she's trying to fight/escape, while Lucille is usually sweeping down the stairs. Lucille is the house, and Edith is the modern transplant from the outside world. It made me wonder when such early elevators would typically be added to old houses, and when and why Allerdale had one installed. (Was this a Thomas project . . .)

I never thought about the symbolism there, but you make an excellent point. As for the elevator's installation, I used to work in a house from 1878 (museum now) and they had an elevator from like the 1890s that was meant for transporting laundry and other heavy things up and down levels. Not really intended for people at all. Though fans have speculated that it was put in after James broke Beatrice's leg, to help her navigate the house.

Or maybe it was a Thomas project. I think it's open season for headcanons on that one.

I liked how the sudden scene changes with no fade or transition in the second half of the movie made the timeline feel really compressed and added to the sense of confinement and events spiralling out of control. Especially in contrast to the first half of the movie with its slow fadeouts where the screen goes black except around a significant object (not sure what the film term for this is unfortunately), which gave the movie more of an old-fashioned cozy mystery vibe. 

The fadeouts are based on...oh, there's a specific Italian or Spanish horror director from like the 1970s that Del Toro was a fan of who used that technique for scene transitions. I forget the name, but it's an homage to him. Does anyone remember who it was?

I did not realize how late in the movie Thomas's whole "we could all leave and be happy together" speech is. Poor man. His heart is so full of love but not of resolve.

He's Trying. Unfortunately he's not trying hard enough, or soon enough. He wants to have his cake and eat it, too (insert "eat it/Edith" pun here, since they sound very similar in my flavor of American accent)- he just also wants to put in very little effort and has no idea how to go about making that happen.

If the Sharpes had just done a better job making Carter's death seem an accident, it could have worked in their favor--it could have seemed like Edith was cutting all ties with Buffalo so suddenly because they reminded her of her grief. But instead it ends up adding to the pattern of suspicious things involving the Sharpes.

They're really not as good at crime as they think they are. I think even without Edith, Enola's family would have gotten suspicious and raised the alarm sooner or later. The limits of their ability to get away with things were approaching regardless.

I'm really curious about why Lucille tells Thomas in the park scene that Edith is just a child, since as you say she's twenty-four, running a household, and generally quite independent. Maybe just because of Edith's generally sunny disposition? But it seems like an odd reservation to have, since a more naive woman would be easier prey for the bluebeard scheme.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT SHE MEANT SO BADLY. I mean, clearly she's being hyperbolic- like we both said, Edith is not a child, but she is 12 years younger than Lucille and far more innocent (for all she sees herself as worldly). If we take Lucille at her word, she doesn't want to drag a young woman with a potentially full life ahead of her to her death.

If we assume it's just her jealousy talking, she's noticed that Thomas seems drawn to Edith and is trying to use his natural compassion to steer him away from her.

I have to wonder, personally, if it's not a little of both. Fans have pointed out ways in which they're quite similar. I have to wonder if she doesn't see in Edith the woman she herself could have been, if life hadn't broken her. And that probably makes her resentment and bitterness and envy even worse.

I'm sure it would be easy to come up with an in-universe technical explanation, but I love the dichotomy of "the clay mines are pretty much exhausted and we need a new machine to access the clay" but also "there is clay in the floor. in the walls. in the drinking water. in the snow. everywhere. fucking clay." Diegetically that must be really annoying. But it also feels right thematically, the clay being ever-present and inescapable and inaccessible all at once. 

Not much to say here except that I heartily agree.

Also, the Cushing house in Buffalo is a Richardson Romanesque house! I thought that was cool because Richardson Romanesque, while loosely inspired by European medieval architecture, is a distinctly American style. It reminds me of Edith's gold butterfly wardrobe with goth accents. Almost all Richardson Romanesque houses (as opposed to civic buildings and churches) were built in the 1890s, so the Cushing house is likely quite new. Also, the style has Buffalo connections, since HH Richardson's first Richardson Romanesque building was the State Asylum for the Insane in Buffalo.

That's so cool! I know the filming location was the Masonic Scottish Rite Club building in Hamilton, Canada. It was built in 1895 as a private home and sold to that chapter of the Masons in the 1920s. So you're right on the money stylistically, although in canon the house is meant to be from the 1880s. Interesting that there would be that architectural link to Buffalo, when the actual structure isn't even in the US.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[simspaghetti]

PLEASANTVIEW: ROUND 3

Nearly 5 months after I finished round 2, we're finally back with Pleasantview Round 3!

Since we last saw it, the town has had a few updates, namely the new housing development put in by the town council to help with the quickly expanding local population

It's situated in the 'Wright Way' district, a stones throw from the beach and City Hall, Pleasantview town council hopes that this new development will encourage out-of-towners to purchase property!

All the houses used for this develolpment were created by @pixelbots as part of their 'Lots of Lots' part one and part two collection, they're all wonderful builds and I reccomend checking the collection out!

Our new rotations for this round are:

🧼Langerak-Pleasant / 🥀Goth (Cassandra) / [spoiler! ;)] / 🧬Salamis / 🦇Goth / 💋Caliente / 💸Broke / 🎨Dreamer / 💔Oldie (Mary-Sue) / 🎀Burb / ☎️Oldie

As with the last round, I will do a short summary post on the events of round 2 for each household as we play them, now lets dive in!

[meggyreap]

I posted 275 times in 2021

249 posts created (91%)

26 posts reblogged (9%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 0.1 posts.

I added 608 tags in 2021

#sims 4 - 154 posts

#berry sweet sims - 131 posts

#frankenberry - 112 posts

#sims 2 - 63 posts

#strangely pleasant - 38 posts

#sims 2 premades - 34 posts

#berry sweet - 27 posts

#terra flats - 20 posts

#sims 4 premades - 16 posts

#premade coven - 13 posts

Longest Tag: 36 characters

#thinking about doing this on youtube

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Makeover of the Goth Family inspired by @ladykendalsims​

75 notes • Posted 2021-11-12 19:05:40 GMT

#4

@ice-creamforbreakfast Aggy Hair in @berrygameplay Candy Shoppe Palette

Mesh required, get it here!

Hair and Clasp accessory recolored in 36 Candy Shoppe colors

Download

alt Google Drive link

@maxismatchccworld

87 notes • Posted 2021-05-09 20:01:26 GMT

#3

Honey Lip Preset

My first lip preset! No preview cause I’m multitasking atm and can’t bring up the game but I wanted to get this out before I forget.

I suggest you use the mouth scale slider to make these bigger if you like larger lips.

DOWNLOAD (SFS, no ads)

@maxismatchccworld

152 notes • Posted 2021-05-12 18:52:30 GMT

#2

I have worked all day every day for about a month to complete this project and I’ve loved all of it! This is a save file based on Sims 2 premade sims and their stories. Some things are different, these changes can be seen below.

I have all packs EXCEPT Moschino and Star Wars. Llama in the Monty family was made by @kalino-thesims​.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire, no ads)

Includes:

97 new sims from Sims 2

29 new lots (Newcrest is filled and some lots in Windenburg and Strangerville have been replaced)

Custom Content Folder included in download (let me know if I missed anything)

CHANGES FROM SIMS 2:

See the full post

313 notes • Posted 2021-01-03 20:25:47 GMT

#1

Create A Town Challenge

This is inspired by the Sims 2 Build a City Challenge.

Getting Started:

Starting in Newcrest or any world that has been emptied, you will roll to see how many households you start with between 1 and 5. These households may contain more than one sim but must have only YA through elder sims; that means no babies, toddlers, children or teens.

The first sim you make will be your 'Mayor' and they will need to be in the Political career under the Politician branch. Other households may have whatever job you want, see 'Unlocking with Jobs' for more info.

You may not use the freerealestate cheat to move sims in. Build them a home with whatever money they come with. Rotate between households however often you want so you can play as many careers as you can.

--

Unlocking With Jobs:

The following careers will unlock new buildings for the town.

Athlete - Body Builder Level 5 Personal Trainer : Gyms

Culinary - Chef Level 6 Head Caterer : Restaurants

Culinary - Mixologist Level 6 Head Mixologist : Bars

Entertainer - Level 4 Opening Act : Lounges and Nightclubs

Painter -  Level 6 Imaginative Imagist : Museums

Politician - Politician Level 6 Public Official : Town Hall (Optional since it's not an actual lot type)

Writer - Author Level 6 Short Story Writer : Libraries

 --

Unlocking with Population:

At certain population numbers you reach you unlock other lot types for your town.

5 Sims : Parks and Cafes

10 Sims : Pools

15 Sims : Hospital and Doctor Career

20 Sims : Police Department and Detective Career

25 Sims : Science Center and Scientist Career

30 Sims: Spas

--

If you do this challenge please tag me so I can see it!

@maxismatchccworld

@simschallenges

330 notes • Posted 2021-04-20 16:53:47 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[earthlynnlp]

Courtyard Lane is done! Here are all the lots and families for Courtyard Lane in one handy place. All of these are CC free and available at my origin.

Courtyard Lane

OriginID: _EarthlynnLP

No CC!

Moveobjects required

Elderberry Place | 20 x 15 | §176,877

This Queen Anne Victorian cottage features a living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom on the first floor, with a back porch that opens onto a courtyard with a dog house. Upstairs features two bedrooms, another bathroom, a sewing room and an office. The basement has a well, washroom, root cellar and storage room you can make moonshine in.

More pictures here.

Elderberry Place’s Family

Johan Goode is a retired Brigadier General that decided to settle in Willow Creek after his storied military career.  His wife Annabelle is an herbalist and is enjoying putting down roots with their new store. Together they have a son named Oliver who is ready to finally have a moment to look around and see what the world has to offer. They also have a loyal English Foxhound named Caesar.

They also own the store General Goode’s Store. Which is also available to download at my origin and is CC Free.

General Goode’s Store | 30 x 20 | §158,149

This Queen Anne Victorian has had the downstairs converted into a general store. The downstairs is the store proper selling fruits, vegetables and assorted dry goods (candles, seeds, toys), there is also a bathroom for the customers, and a small cafe. The upstairs features an apartment with living, dining, kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. Outside has space for a small farmer’s market to sell their wares, and there is a cellar.

More pictures here.

Rosewood Chateau | 30 x 20 | §237,028

This Queen Anne Victorian cottage features a parlour, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, sun room and half bath on the ground floor. Upstairs has a bedroom, nursery, two more bathrooms, an office and a play room. Outside there is a sleeping porch upstairs, a wrap around porch and sundeck, as well as a summer house/gazebo and fountain centered in a beautiful decorative garden. The cellar has a washroom, root cellar and storage room.

More pictures here.

Rosewood Chateau’s Family

It’s Bob and Eliza Pancakes, along with their toddler son Ignatius (Iggy) and Eliza’s darling poodle Darling. Bob runs a restaurant in Pendula View when he’s not meeting up with his friends at the General’s house for a rubber of whist. Eliza is attempting to socially advance the family through her Ladies Knitting Society that she runs weekly from her home. Knitting is boring, the gossip though…

Primrose Place | 30 x 20 | §256,536

This Queen Anne Victorian cottage has a drawing room/sunroom, parlour, dining room, kitchen, and library on the ground floor, and three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a sewing room upstairs. Outside has a wrap around front and back porch and a courtyard for outdoor dining with a well, a swimmable/fishable pond and a tree house. The basement has a root cellar and a washroom.

More pictures here.

Primrose Place Family

The family that lives in the historical Queen Anne Victorian cottage Primrose Place. It’s Summer Holiday from the BFF household! Summer lives with her mother Meadow, and her little sisters Violet and Willow. The family is struggling in the wake of the unexpected death of her father Beau Holiday. Will the family manage to continue to make ends meet in the wake of their patriarch’s death or will they be forced to leave Willow Creek forever? They also have a cat, his royal highness, Kingsley.

Riverside Chapel | 40 x 30 | §133,541

A historical build for those that want to live in the 1800’s. This Victorian church features a worship hall, a reception hall, a church kitchen, two bathrooms, a mudroom, a bell tower, and a graveyard out back. Designed with the Go To Church Mod, Funeral Mod, and the like in mind. You can also get married, with space to dance and eat after, but you will need to turn on bb.enablefreebuild to drag out the arch from the nave behind the pulpit. Enjoy!

More pictures here.

Souls of Riverside Chapel

The poor lost souls that rest in peace at Riverside Chapel, my historical Victorian church. Beau Holiday is the father of Summer Holiday from the BFF’s household, he passed away unexpectedly leaving behind a widow and three young daughters. Dominic Lee is the younger brother of Liberty Lee from the BFF’s household. He tragically died in a drowning incident years ago and his parents never had another child after they suffered that loss. Myrtle Evans… well… her story is tragic. More later.

Fairbanks Parsonage | 30 x 20 | §261,866

A historical build for those that want to live in the 1800’s. This Queen Anne Victorian cottage features a parlour, drawing room, library, dining room, kitchen and half bath on the first floor. Upstairs has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a nursery. The basement has a root cellar, washroom, and space to make moonshine. Outside features a wrap around front porch, back deck, pagoda/summer house, and a swimmable/fishable pond with space to make sand castles on the shore.

More pictures here.

Fairbanks Family

Edmund Fairbanks was recently given the living at Riverview Chapel in Willow Creek and moved here with his wife Maria and their four children to start a new life. The oldest child, Constance, dreams of heading off to Brichester, while twins Hope and Grace along with little Charity hope to find new friends and new adventures in Willow Creek. The girls also rescued from the pound, and adore, an Irish Setter Lucky.

Pendula View is coming soon!

I’m looking forward to really going fancy for the next neighborhood. I’m switching to a more Italianate style of Victorian home, and starting to include butlers quarters and servant staircases, which should be fun. The Goths are getting a makeover, the history of the mysterious Myrtle Evans is going to come to light, and there is going to be a new community lot I hope you all will like. Enjoy Courtyard Lane!

[sergeant-angels-trashcan]

[twirls the pool noodle] Leah/Cassie

Fake dating

Cassie really want her mom to GET OFF HER CASE and she knows Leah from when she was deadish, and really, what’s a little fake dating between acquaintances? 

The problem is when Loki finds out and INSISTS on meeting Leah’s new gf, laughs for five years, knows they’re full of shit, but pretends to not know. Loki is just SO EXCITED and ACCIDENTALLY lets something slip to Janet van Dyne during a quick fashion lunch who of course tells Hank and Scott because she’s not under the impression this is a SECRET and it all spirals out of control. Eli’s the only one who calls their bluff and is the one who is like “look, Cassie, do you think you might ACTUALLY have some REAL feelings...for...leah??”

Bodyswap

Leah: being tall is AMAZINGGGGGG

Cassie: omg WHY DOES YOUR HAIR WEIGH SO MUCH???

They go to Hel to try and get it sorted and Angela laughs for approximately 500 years before she can even ask what happened. They go clothes shopping. Leah informs Cassie that things are not supposed to be this blurry, prompting Cassie to get her first pair of glasses and see the world!!! crystal clear!!! (billy responds to this instagram post with “I CAN SHOW YOU THE WORLD!!!!!” and a link to “a whole new world” from aladdin)

Sexpollen/fuck or die/aliens made them do it

i’ve done a few of these and i get to this one and think “but what about ace characters??” so like, Leah’s kind of magic, right? and fuck-or-die isn’t about the actual sex, it’s about the chemistry stuff, so imagine them getting sex pollened and Leah using some psychic juju so they have psychic sex, so it’s the fun brain chemicals without the bodily fluid mess

Leah becomes slightly legendary for her sexual prowess, look what she can do when you’re all fully clothed! Imagine her power when the clothes come off! 

She and Cassie laugh so hard they cry when they find out

Dark!fic

Leah uses the army of Hel to rip apart every other afterlife to try and find Cassie. She winds up ruling every land of the undead and Cassie is the only one who can talk her down. Cassie doesn’t do that much, because being dead where she was dead....well, it certainly doesn’t make you kinder

Secret kinks

they both sper get off on the other kneeling for them, but don’t want to ask because “what if she thinks it’s demeaning???” also leah loves doing service subby type stuff because she just wants to take care of cassie, ok???? and know she’s doing the right thing???

Their first kiss

it’s a New Year’s Eve ahhahah-the-ball-is-dropping-and-we’re-next-to-each-other-and-we’re-adults-here’s-a-chaste-peck. Cassie can taste Leah’s lipgloss. She taps into all of her stores of bravery for the brand new year, takes a deep breath, and asks Leah, “could I try that again?”

Leah, also tapping into every bit of her bravery for the new year, manages to sound completely chill as she says, “yeah, that works for me.”

Meeting the parents

i’m just laughing because blonde bright Cassie visiting literal Hel with goth queen and her goth wife and then goth Leah visiting white-picket-fence Cassie’s mom (and her felon father) and their parents are very supportive, but visually it’s very jarring. Cassie’s mom has a moment of “oh i didn’t know you were into...uh...goths” but she’s perfectly lovely after her initial shock, so Leah just stores that story away to tell later (to be fair, Cassie’s last big relationship was with a ROBOT, so no, her mother did NOT know she was into goths!!! She thought cassie was into preps and nerds!)

Moving in together

they move into THE shittiest studio for a week before Leah blackmails Loki into getting them a nice apartment. the caveat being that it’s across the hall from Loki’s apartment, but that’s okay. She’s the same size as Leah in clothes and the same size as Cassie in shoes, so they just raid each other’s closets a lot. 

They have no idea how to live on their own so the first month they’re constantly texting their parents about banal household stuff, which isn’t remarkable until you remember Leah’s parent’s live in hel, so they have VERY DIFFERENT advice

A crossover of my choice

the GOOD PLACE??? Leah’s trialing a new thing with several other afterlife organizations, this whole “neighborhood” thing. Cassie is one of the first souls to try it. Leah is on site to make sure no snafus occur (also, it’s the first solo project her moms have given her, and it has to be PERFECT). Only there’s something weird with the souls she’s been given, and also the cute blonde? Keeps thwarting Leah’s panic attacks and also maybe causing them?

An au of my choice

oh lbr it’s LEVERAGE. cassie!parker, amazing thief, falling in love with grifter!leah. 

send me ships!!

[hallucinosims]

Wondering if you have any favorite newer simblr stories / storytellers? As I’ve read thru both those amazing stories by honeybodies and daniparadise multiple times lol

Ah yes… I have waited for a moment like this for eons. My friend, welcome to Hall’s library

I’ll start with complete storys (gens/arcs) and then tie it up with my fave ongoing ones yes this is a full rec like back in the fanfic days ya’ll are getting summaries and what I love about each one too. 

Complete

We’ll start with the fallen soldier of @simmerberlin

I say fallen soldier because Miles To Go was the last story simmerberlin put fully on tumblr due to Tumblr’s ban. It’s techinically a gen 2 but stands well on it’s own! But, if you have the chance ya’ll should read all her stories from when she moved to discord. Another benefit, it’s a little gay

Next, @lyrics-and-intoxication‘s Trouble (in this case part 1)

AHHHHHHHHH AHHHHH I HAVE REREAD PART 1 THREE TIMES AHHHHH OF COURSE I STILL READ IT AS IT GOES ON BECAUSE PART 2 IS STILL A THING BUT IT HURTS MY FEELINGS SO I JUST KEEP RE READING PART 1. Okay but real talk this is definitely one of the heavier ones (which is why I love it) so if you are faint of heart it may not be the one for you. It’s intense

Ya’ll all probably know the iconic @softpine’s Cameilla legacy by now

But not as many of you have been around for Caroline’s beginning character arc and that HITS DIFFERENT. Ya’ll need to experience Caroline growing up to be the mother she is today for everything that happened recently to really hurt (if you’re into that sort of thing) Anyway Cara deserves the world but don’t think for one second I forgot her teenage fashion sense

Wolfgang Munch’s arc but the lovely @gunthermunch

Ooh bitch. Ai was the first simmer that made me care about the Munch’s and is probably the only one tbh. Espescially Wolfgang, that shit ripped my heart out. So, if you’re into seeing the bleached scumbag turn into an alright father ex-punk who just wants to water his plants and hangs out with his niece then you’re in for a treat because despite my summary here a lot more happens and it HITS (This is a Cassandra Goth stan account she deserves the best)

Gen 2 @ratboysims

Now of course I like this whole legacy, and I know gen 4 is kinda on hiatus right now but Gen 2???? GEN 2??? THAT HURT! They loved each other so much!!!! (also has a little pocket story that involves a trans character! I don’t believe that’s finished but the couple of posts were lovely!)

Incomplete

Is it cheating if i say @liliithvatore?

Because she just restarted the story of the Vatores. IDK I’m here for it and love a good redux so I’m excited to see where it goes. You guys into tarot cards? Ya’ll like some vampires? Some tragedy? Well folks Hell or High Water is it for you

@weoaty and the fated Unusual Days

Unusual Days hasn’t even begun story posts yet but i have been waiting for unusual days for 500 YEARS AND I WILL WAIT 500 MORE 

@wanderlustonline and The Kolbs 

The Kolbs is more gameplay then story and its been a hot minute since she posted but we still stan Augie in this household so i had to. It’s aesthetic, there are cryptids. Literally what more could you want?

@zombietrait​ who hurts my feelings with every post these two aren’t together

Who’da thought Hugo and Malcolm would be a match made in heaven? Sure as hell not me. And yet here I am thinking about these two together and how much they deserve each other but can’t because CRIME SYNDICATES AND COOKING AND VAMPIRES AND THEY BOYS JUST DESERVE LOVE THEY WERE SO CLOSE 

BROKEN ROSE!!!!! I CAN’T REMEMBER THEIR USERNAME RIGHT NOW BUT IT DOESN’T GET THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES HOLY SHIT WILL UPDATE AS SOON AS I REMEMBER!!

General Rec

aka, a list of stories that i haven’t had the chance to REALLY get into yet but I’m excited for the prospect

@oakensky, @cyberth0t, @gremlinsims, @romanticsims, @saomie, @wonderscotts, @captainmrbored (i love their editing it’s so unique their stories are pretty short but absolutely worth it), @afternoonzephyr, @stillgotme, @streetlightaurora, @okruee, and more that will be updated with time that was just off the top of my head!

[fiftytwotwenty]

Movie Monday - Sept 7th, 2020

"Best Movie of the 90's"

Last August I discussed the "Best Movie of the 80's", Back to the Future (1985) and to me that choice was a no-brainer - in my mind no other movie even came close to encapsulating the 80's like Back to the Future.

But when it comes to the 90's, well, The 90's are in a class all its own. Just look at the Film Year 1994 - it is stacked: The Shawshank Redemption; The Lion King; Forrest Gump... Then 90's closed out strong in 1999: Fight Club; American Beauty; The Sixth Sense...

So in my journey today to declare the "Best Movie of the 90's" I am going to take a deep dive into the Class of the 1990's.

The Class Clown

Dumb & Dumber (1994):

Man, Oh, Man there were some breakthrough comedies in the 90's.

Former SNL castmates brought us major laughs - Farley and Spade hitting us with Tommy Boy, Meyers and Carvey giving Wayne's World, and Adam Sandler went solo in Billy Madison & Happy Gilmore...

BUT it was a In Living Color alum from Canada that was the main attraction - I'm talking about Jim Carrey's career year of 1994 which made him the highest paid and sought out actor. He gave us Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask (the 4th highest grossing film of 1994 behind The Lion King, Forrest Gump, and True Lies), and Dumb & Dumber.

The Mask and Ace Ventura are great, but nothing hits the funny bone better than the duo of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.

The Burnout / Foreign Exchange Student

Trainspotting (1996):

We came a long way from the Cheech and Chong series of films in the 70's and Richard Linklater's 1993 Dazed and Confused actually took us back to the 70's - But it is Danny Boyle's Trainspotting which stands out as it not only shows us the highs of, well, getting high but also the bottomless lows.

Danny Boyle brought us humor, depression, great music from the punk bands of the UK, and of course, Ewan McGregor.

The Loner

The Blair Witch Project (1999):

In the 90's we were introduced to some groundbreaking storytellers like Tarantino and M. Night Shyamalan, but in 1999 we got a new breed of movie... The Found Footage Film.

In hindsight it's not that greatest story of all time, but it definitely gave middle schoolers of the era some serious heebie-jeebies and opened a whole new genre of horror films.

The "It" Couple

You've Got Mail (1998):

Freddie Prince Jr + Rachel Leigh Cook, Heath Ledger + Julia Stiles, Sandra Bullock + Bill Pullman, Julia Roberts + Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts + Richard Gere... All quaint couples but none can comapre to the onscreen magnetism of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

Sure we first saw them in 1993 in Sleepless In Seattle but they solidified their onscreen relationship in Nora Ephron's, 1998's, You've Got Mail. Winning us over with quippy banter while taking us through the dawn of online dating.

The Glee Club

The Beauty and the Beast (1991) + Aladdin (1992) + The Lion King (1994):

The 90's was short-handed in Live Action Musicals but swung heavy with the Disney Renaissance which helped quench audiences' thirst for show tunes.

Now choosing between B&B, Aladdin, and The Lion King is like choosing between the which Boy Band had the best frosted tips. They are all great in their own right.

The AV Club

Jurassic Park (1993) + Toy Story (1995) + The Matrix (1999):

Whether you were a geek or a nerd - The 90's broke ground on making "dorkiness" cool with its Techinical Achievements:

Finally we were able to move away from stuttering stop animation and received a seamless moving imagery of dinosaurs on screen in Jurassic Park.

Toy Story pioneered the 3D Animation movement and revitalized the family friendly genre thus creating the Pixar powerhouse.

Then we have the Wachowski's who infused Cyberpunk with Martial Arts with a state of the art technology and a forward thinking style which all combined to create The Matrix, a film so unique that it hit an unknown gold standard. The Matrix also help shine light back on Keanu Reeves but sadly there still more is to be deisred in the black leather trench coat.

The Prom Queen

Clueless (1995):

The way people felt about 2011's Bridesmaids is the way I felt back in 1995 when I saw Clueless.

Clueless didn't win Prom Queen solely on its looks but mainly on its personality. It's Not funny for a chick-flick - It's funny, period! With a majority of leading cast being females, Clueless goes toe-to-toe with the best comedies. I cannot even count the number of repeat viewings.

The Goth Kid

Silence of the Lambs (1991):

What's the difference between The Goth Kid and The Loner...

The Goth Kid truly stands out.

This Oscar Award Winning Horror film (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best (Adapted) Screenplay) truly gives you the willies but is hard to take your eyes off of Hannibal Lecter - I give all the credit to Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Ted Levine (Buffalo Bill) for making this a standout film.

And Now...

The Big Man on Campus

The Class President

The Valedictorian

The Best Movie of the 90's

Pulp Fiction (1994):

If you are like me the idea of attending the 10 year reunion is nonexistent, but in the back of your mind there is probably one individual you wouldn't mind catching up with one more time...

Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction.

When it was first on the scene you probably heard rumblings and rumors about Pulp Fictions antics in halls or in the workplace and when you finally got your first viewing it totally lived up to expectations.

It was fresh and nostalgic all at the same time with its nonlinear story and its pop culture bantar and boomer music.

Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, and Christopher Walken deliver 8-finger-death-punch of loveable characters and quotable lines.

Pulp Fiction was Tarantino's second outing but arguably his mostly highly regarded film. His writing on True Romance put his foot in the door, Reservoir Dogs gave him credibility, but Pulp Fiction made him a household name - no matter how rated "R" his films were.

I declare Pulp Fiction to be the Best Movie of the 90's:

[moonlight--falls]

*randomly flops over*