#Hes extremely whimsical too. I will never change my opinion

[cherry-dr0p]

Old men upon ye' >:]

Yes I gave Orlok a mini little cape thing, I think personally he deserves it /pos :>

Cat reference Knock

I will never ever forget how a little over an hour ago my friend saw this drawing and looked me in my eyes and said to me; "Is that Nosferatu as a catboy?"

I mean .... close enough I guess

No, he has not watched Nosferatu, which makes this 10x funnier to me

Reference credits for this base I referenced from; @/mellon_soup on TT

That's all I have for now c:

[a-long-walk-in-the-forest]

Sasuke’s mercury degree exploration

As I’ve already mentioned in my sasuke astrology analysis posts, Sasuke likely has his mercury in leo. His mercury was one of the planets where I had absolutely no clue about the degree since based on his sun (and if it’s in leo), his mercury could be from 0 degrees all the way to 28 degrees. I tried to have a look at aspects with other planets whose degree range, I had narrowed down but It didn’t really help much. Now that I’ve had a look at interpretations for each degree though, I’ve managed to narrow it down a bit. Bellow are the interpretations for the degrees I narrowed it down to. 

The descriptions come from the pdf I mentioned in my previous post.

12-13:

It indicates a person of firm and steadfast character; one who will resolutely hold to his own beliefs and principles, though it be to his disadvantage. In some ways the mind will be precocious and there will he some degree of self assertion shown; but, whatever the native may determine upon as the right thing to do will assuredly be done if within the compass of resolute striving. It is a degree of CONSTANCY.

good and bad features of an extreme steadfastness and positivism; on one hand, firmness, constancy, sturdiness, endurance in exertion and a sense of phenomenal reality; on the other hand, stubbornness, restiveness, pigheadedness, hypercritical skepticism and unappeasable lustfulness. As a result, the sources of income and means of subsistence are lastingly assured—nay, too lastingly— which might hinder and thwart progress, even mobility in general. There is no enthusiasm, no spiritual urge, no faith in men or in the future, not to speak of faith in God. The character is, therefore, skittish, sullen, sometimes cynical, often unpleasant on account, or in spite of, the fact that the native professes very firm principles and sticks to them. Whatever his luck, the subject never feels happy and is therefore in a state of constant dissatisfaction.

Denotes dissatisfaction. One who never takes anything for granted, or on trust. A skeptical person; a quibbler; hypercritical; one disposed to consider “all men liar.” save himself; a most disagreeable, querulous, cantankerous, and quarrelsome person.

Music, a degree of beauty; strong beliefs and disbeliefs; fortunate but restless; intentions are good; may be an orphan or may care for a parent or other relative; usually has special talent for some work where a well-trained eye and hand, plus his idealism and artistic tastes, enable him to excel al others; right heart chamber.

Denotes one of rugged, conservative, and patriotic nature who will be blessed with the goods of the world and who will use his blessings well. His position in life will be distinguished and his sincerity will command respect even from his enemies. He carries about him a fine and pure aura which benefits all who come within its radiations. It is a symbol of Exaltation.

14-15:

It indicates a person of very superior ability in some special direction; one in whom the power of government will reside; a mind somewhat ambitious, but conscious of its own powers which are of no common order so that no unjust advantage is taken. In some sphere of life the native be an imposing figure, or may do something which may call for wide recognition. Fame and power attend this degree. It is one of SUPERIORITY.

A veritable type of the ordinary man of the day; fond of pleasure, and enters heartily into the fashionable amusements of the age; a stickler for the conventional and the popular.

Inborn power and superiority over others; whether bodily or moral or else, other pointers in the horoscope must decide. The native is conscious of his own worth, whatever it might be. In well- developed beings this degree will nurture lofty aspirations and inner pride; in the corner ones It will lead to vain ambitions and display. Something special will single out the subject anyhow, be it for good or evil, through bright mental gifts or spiritual prominence, through money or even brute force; in what manner and how far will depend, as mentioned above, on the other threads in the astrological pattern. But whoever is born under this sign is very likely to become a ruler in some sense and to have the makings for it as well; he is likely to couple his inborn power with kindness and human warmth, and to win many friends. This can even go so far as to entangle all mental activities in social life, in which case the native is in for a more or less wide popularity as the soul of dancing patties and the organizer of merrymaking. Barring indications to the contrary, travels in connection with friendships or social engagements can be foreseen, as for instance on friends’ or relatives’ invitation, journeys undertaken in order to assist friends, etc.

Music; attainment and success; good reasoning power; original ideas; easily aroused but readily appeased; sometimes provoked at people who heed the loud speaker rather than the calm voice of reason; a worker with great power of perseverance; carnival area ( has moments when one has to let it out); right atrium.

Denotes one who is forced to labor hard for the greater part of his life, but who contains within himself some brilliant gifts, one of which will progress and bring him into fame. It is a symbol of Creeping.

15-16

It indicates a person of a head strong and rash disposition, extremely given to impulse; difficult to restrain; a formidable opponent and a warm- hearted,, generous friend. The native is effusive, enthusiastic and restless, but capable of subsisting upon small fare and in all probability he will be poor though in some sense eminent. It is a degree of IMPULSE.

An impulsive, enthusiastic and demonstrative nature, impatient of discipline and advice, stubborn and foolhardy, hard to repress and to check.

An open-hearted, generous and affectionate friend, he will make an uncomfortable and often dangerous enemy. To all this he adds the utmost frugality, thanks to which he might bear the distress his unripeness is more than likely to bring upon him. Potentially a man of many sports, endowed with a lopsided but bright and sometimes outstanding intelligence; he is conspicuous for the utmost development of some of his gifts and the utter infancy of other sides of his being, which exposes him to the risk of wasting his mental power on childish trifles. There will be a tendency to a large body size; great head, broad hands, tall stature, etc.

Denotes one who possesses great abilities; a mind, which, if rightly directed, could accomplish, or at least assist in bringing about, great and beneficial changes on the earth. But in place of this, he condescends to employ his time and his energies in the pursuit of what is childish, whimsical, and worthless; by which he not infrequently makes himself the laughing-stock of his contemporaries.

Attainment and success; affectionate, demonstrative, and frank; always a student, interested in many things; a good teacher of art, science, or philosophy; seeks an answer to the meaning of life and usually discovers that the road to attainment is not the road to happiness; left atrium.

Denotes one who in the midst of threats, difficulties, and oppositions raises himself to a position of dignity and responsibility, and the stings of envy will follow him. He will see many pass through this world of matter before he receives the call, and will keenly feel and deplore his errors. He may find that the road to power is not the road to happiness. It is a symbol of Vexation.

16-17

It denotes one who will be noted for his wide and prolonged travels. One whose life will be beset with dangers of a physical nature; one who will leave a humble home and become a prominent figure in a foreign country. The character is stubborn, persevering, very vindictive and revengeful; not ungrateful but never forgetting injuries. The native will be somewhat fond of parade and self-advertisement, and in the end will be highly successful in life. It is a degree of JOURNEYING.

An extremely outstanding personality. The native will cut out a place for himself in all he does, supported by a fierce, altogether indomitable nature, an inexhaustible energy, an exceptional resistance to exertion, a toughness, a sturdiness and a steadfastness ready to stand any test. On the reverse side of the coin appear petty formality, headstrongness, bad manners, a wild roughness and sometimes even ferocity. Mindful of benefits as well as of injuries, he simply cannot dispense with the glee of revenge. Strangely enough, though fond of display and notoriety, he is apt to turn a deaf ear to the often vicious taunts and snubs leveled at his surly character, as only what may harm him is an offense in his eyes, and such complaints against him as may end by enhancing his renown as an awe-inspiring being are far from displeasing to him. Lucky and endowed with an inventive turn of mind, he will reap abroad the success to which his long toils and his often gigantic works entitle him. Material danger might, however, lie in wait for him, either on his journeys or on his undertakings and might stand in his way to wealth and renown.

Denotes one whom you may kill, but never conquer; nor will he be induced to adopt willingly the tricky policies of modern civilization. He has a life of his own, a sphere of his own, and pleasures of his own. He may be designated coarse and impolite, but such epithets make little or no impression on him.

A person of considerable ability; often considered odd or peculiar; cares little about the world’s opinion; does his own work in his won way; a careful speculator; good sense of perception; right auricle.

Denotes one of understanding and power of purpose who is gifted with fine perception and a lively imagination. As a theorist he is generally correct in his deductions and he can quickly clothe his thoughts in material dress. It is a symbol of Knowledge.

21-22

It denotes that the native is his own enemy, and that he will suffer through want of care in his actions. Apart from this, which arises from a certain native innocence. he will be in danger of injuries in his own house and through his own kindred. The life is fraught with dangers of an incendiary character, and he should avoid risks of personal injury as much as possible. In business or profession he will be supplanted. It is a degree of INJURY.

This denotes one who feels most honored when he most serves. To serve in his day some of the numerous wants of a suffering humanity is the end and aim of his life. A transcendental sun impinges this degree with its rays. Its nature is Mercurial.

As we had to remark above (e.g., about 19 degree Leo, 24 deg Taurus, etc.) this degree also possesses such a transcendent influence that no soul less than heavenly can bear it with impunity. Such enthusiasm and blindness to the world’s mean ways, such candid artlessness as are induced by this sign can only be-without any possible compromise-the mark of a saint or that of a nincompoop. The native is his own worldly fortune’s worst enemy and he will let those who ought to respect him most fleece him and cover him with abuse.

This denotes one who feels most honored when he most serves. To serve in his day some of the numerous wants of a suffering humanity is the end and aim of his life. A transcendental sun impinges this degree with its rays. Its nature is Mercurial.

Astrology, medical fields; homicidal tendency; feels honored in being able to serve others; contemporaries who follow the same line are often jealous of this person’s ability and reputation; left auricle.

Denotes one who is in danger of being held in restraint of some kind and of being moved to different places at the will of others. There is no suggestion of unkind treatment, but there is that the native is not a free agent. He should never permit others to gain an influence over him in any way. He is very mediumistic, but can be controlled from the visible as he can from the invisible. It is a symbol of Restriction.

[benisasoftboi]

Gushing time.

Rune Factory 4 Special arrived a day early, so my entire day has been consumed in nostalgia. The original Rune Factory 4 was the first video game I ever bought on release day - I remember saving up all my money and making my mum drive me to like three different shops trying to find one that had it. I was already a fan of the franchise - before then, Rune Factory 3 had been my favourite video game, across the board. Aside from a playthrough of the first game last year, I haven’t played a Rune Factory game in a long time, certainly not RF4. But just starting up the game and hearing the music again, it was like it was suddenly seven years ago. Running around Selphia and seeing all the characters again - I love JRPGs, have played a lot of them, and I can think of very few that have characters that have stuck with me this long. And the aesthetics - the best thing about the Rune Factory franchise has always been the aesthetics, the music, the scenic and character design, just the general world. It’s a beautifully whimsical balance of urban and fantasy, and it’s the only JRPG world I think I’ve ever come across that I would genuinely want to live in. Rune Factory may no longer be my favourite game franchise - but I don’t think there has ever been another series that has felt so much like home to me.

Here’s a very long selection of personal highlights from the art book (by which I mean photos of the art followed by my rambling opinions):

Yeah, see, here’s the thing - Rune Factory 1 is not a good game. I could write an entire essay on why it’s bad (I actually started and got pretty damn far before realising no one’s interested in my two thousand word review of a game that came out over a decade ago - the short version is ‘Misty Bloom-fucking-Cave’. Anyone who’s played RF1 knows exactly what I mean). Don’t get me wrong, it has good qualities - excellent boss fights, for one, and also, as with the rest of the franchise, it is aesthetically wonderful. But ultimately, it feels less like playing a video game, and more like playing a proof of concept for a game. Which I guess it kind of was - and I can’t hate it because we wouldn’t have the rest of the series without it.

But it literally ends with a dragon spewing plant breath on a tank to make a turnip grow out of the gun. ‘Profound’, my arse. 

It’s Raguna! The “master sowrdsman!” (that is not a typo on my part that is a direct quote from the ending of Rune Factory 1 this game’s script had so many issues-). And Mist! My favourite of the ‘canon’ love interests!

Best girl! When I was a kid, my favourite love interest in RF1 was Rosetta. As an adult, it is Tabatha. I don’t know what it is about her that I find so likeable (she’s as lacking in personality as any other RF1 character), but... idk, I just like her a lot.

Camus’s big ambition is to leave town like even once. He will never achieve it

Fun fact about Melody is that she’s extremely depressed, a fact that comes up once in an optional side quest and is never addressed again. It’s incredibly dark for an RF game

Fun fact about Lukas is that he sucks (he’s one of those ‘obsessed with talking about how hot all the girls are’ characters, an archetype that thankfully doesn’t show up again in these games). But also, interestingly enough, thanks to one of RF1′s many, many script errors, if you marry Rosetta (the girl Lukas is the most obsessed with), he’s supposed to express disappointment that he lost her to Raguna - but instead, he implies that he’s disappointed to have lost Raguna to her. The translators typoed their way into giving him a sexuality change. Which is honestly kind of amazing.

LOOK AT THIS SLIME THIS IS SUCH A COOL SLIME LITERALLY EVERY OTHER JPRG SLIME GO HOME DRAGON QUEST GET FUCKED (jk I like Dragon Quest a lot and its slimes are cool too). Wish you could see in-game that this is what they’re meant to be like.

I just generally love the monster designs, they’re really charming

Rune Factory 2! The RF game with the most weirdly mundane protagonist name (Kyle. In the main four games of this franchise we’ve got Raguna, Micah, Lest, Frey... and Kyle). The two generations thing was actually very cool, but when they say ‘each chapter captures a different lifestyle’, what they really mean is ‘the first half is a weak Harvest Moon I’m sorry, STORY OF SEASONS game, and the second half is a pretty good Rune Factory game’  

lookit this little fuck

Yue Yue Yue! I love Yue so much, she’s great. She’s kind of like a much chiller version of Anna from Fire Emblem.

It’s really cool that we got to see grown up Cecilia (she was in RF1). I have this silly headcanon that if Kyle doesn’t marry Mana, Nicholas (her friend in 1) comes to visit Cecilia one day in the hazy-post game future, and meets Mana, and they get together. While Yue is my favourite, I do genuinely like Mana a lot, and I just want her to find love, I guess.  

Here’s original Barrett! There’s a reason he was popular enough to make a reappearance (well, aside from the whole grumpy pretty boy thing he’s got going on) - he was a great character in this game. His and Dorothy’s relationship is also definitely the most compelling of the rival romances. Bonus Max, who also has a little shout-out in RF4 (check the diary in what will become Dylas’s bedroom at the start of the game)

Ray is male, but apparently he was originally going to be a female character, as he has an unused portrait in a wedding dress. My friend and I agree that this makes him a Trans Icon

Monster designs remain excellent. Especially the goblins

Skipping over Frontier (and also Oceans later), as I never got to play it growing up due to not having a console, and still haven’t got around to it - might try this summer. Except I do need to point out that these guys should be memes. I don’t know in what way. But they should.  

Rune Factory 3! My first RF game. The transformation thing was very cool, even if it was basically useless outside the main story. My friend and I spent hours mucking about in the WiFi dungeon. I loved the desert settlement and all of the dungeon designs in general, and man, RF3 is just great. I hope it gets a remake one day.

Raven Raven Raven! I LOVE Raven (as do most). Her story with Micah is the first time I can remember getting genuinely invested in a video game romance. I’m so glad she cameos in RF4. I love her. She’s wonderful.

I have an odd fondness for Marian. When I was about twelve, I decided to do a playthrough where I deliberately romanced the least popular bachelorette. After poking around on forums, I determined that character to be Marian, and did a run with her. And... I actually came to really like her. I find her endearing. I get that people find her annoying and don’t like her... unethical medical practices, but doing that run has still made me a pretty protective of her. It’s been a long time since I played RF3, so maybe I’d change my mind if I replayed now, but currently, as far as I’m concerned,  Marian’s a good’un.

I think I also used to low key ship her with Collette lol 

Pia’s official art has always been super weird to me because it’s so not what her character is like in-game. She’s a ditzy airhead. This makes her look so serious

RAINBOW! Another character whose art makes them look way more serious than they actually are. Daria is great and would be a meme if this game was more popular. I think she’s also implied to be a relative of Margaret. 

I’ve always been super confused about what Kuruna’s skirt is meant to be. Is it fur? Is it part of her shirt? Is it even a skirt at all?

Check it out, it’s the guy everyone would ship Micah with if this game was more popular

I want Zaid to make a reappearance and interact with Doug. Pretty sure it’s canon that they’re from the same clan? Think it would be very interesting.

RF3 definitely had the coolest farm. Also, still love the desert settlement.

This is from Oceans, so I have no context, but it’s just so cool that I had to share

Rune Factory 4. Culmination of the series is right - when I was playing it for the first time, I remember being blown away by just how much it is a true love letter to the franchise. I have never come across another game series that so consistently grew and improved from entry to entry. RF4 was a perfect ending.

Not that I’m complaining about getting RF5. Quite the opposite.

But if it had been the end (as we all thought it was until about a year ago), well, like I say. Perfect. 

Well. Aside from soda can nipples. Can’t believe they didn’t fix those. Though in some ways, that would have made me sad too

Dolce has such a cool design, in both human and monster form. I’ve always kind of crack-shipped her with Margaret, for no real reason at all

Vishnal! I love Vishnal. Vishnal is pure as heck. Marrying him this time around.

Doug! My choice from last time around. Another character who looks more serious in his official art than he is in-game (well... most of the time)

And then there’s Dylas, who looks much happier here than he does most of the time. Kind of looks like he and Doug swapped bodies, actually. There’s a fanfic prompt for you.

Their ship name is Dyldo. I love them

Leon is nostalgic for me mostly because my friend and I used to get into a lot of arguments about whether or not he’s the hottest character in the game. She maintains that he is, because muscles. I maintain that muscles aren’t actually that attractive. It is a rift that divides us to this day

(He looks oddly... younger in this art though? Weird)

Sechs Empire is such an unfortunate name. Seriously. How rushed was RF1′s localisation team? All those script errors, and then this (the Sechs were the antagonists in the first game, and were only referenced in passing in the rest until RF4 - so it was a bit of a ‘sins of the father’ situation by then).

Seriously, try saying ‘Sechs Emperor’ out loud and tell me you can take this man seriously 

I??? Love??? Them???

I??? LOVE??? THEM???

Still confused as to why Kiel, Xiao Pai, Arthur and Margaret are on the cover now. Don’t get me wrong, I like them, but... Amber, Dylas, Dolce and Leon made way more sense? Even the Archival Cover makes more sense (Vishnal, Clorica, Forte), as those three are all kind of Lest/Frey’s servants (well, Forte for the whole town, but still). Of those first four, all but Arthur basically lift right out of the game with little-to-no impact on the story

NO HAT TABATHA NO HAT TABATHA

I’ve always really loved this Raven picture

And I am thankful for you <3

[omgviolette12]

After Hours- Chapter 10

Previous Chapter

Summary: Evelyn Monroe has been a TA for professor Laufeyson’s Calculus course for four months now. He was known to be quite strict, but that never deterred her from applying for the position in order to be close to the man she had been secretly pining for. One evening, she returns to his office after opening hours… and with her bountiful luck, she walks in on something not meant to be seen.

Chapters: 10?

Words: 2800+

Warnings: None

Tags:  @milkymaidme @dangertoozmanykids101@alexakeyloveloki @little-moonbeam-666  @marvel-ous-fics@clovermariear@lynnesm@bitchyikes@moon-child-of-a-poet, @allthecraftandthings@bubblegumspitt @shockwavee @blondekel77 @nerd–nirvana @valdemarismynonbinarylove@nightrose64 @pastelhexmaniac @iistormii

If you’d like to be added, let me know. I’ve also posted this on AO3

____________

It took a moment for Evelyn to realize what was happening.

He had a detrimental effect on her, this man - the warmth of his tongue that explored her mouth, the harsh grip on her jaw, and the growing heat in her body left her dim-witted to her surroundings.

She had no choice but to reciprocate the kiss, until he willingly broke apart from her. As soon as he did, her hand automatically flew to cover his mouth in bewilderment and panic, adrenaline pumping her veins.

“What… what are you doing?! We’re in the blasted hallway!” She panted breathlessly, her wide hazel irises meeting the dark, lust blown ones of her lover. What was with him, popping in out of nowhere, and then kissing her randomly without so much as a hello?

Loki merely quirked a brow in reply, as her hand still obstructed him from speaking coherently.

Evelyn yelped when she felt his tongue lick the inside of her palm, the action catching her completely off-guard. She withdrew her hand from his mouth in a hurry, a dark blush making its way from her neck, and unto her cheeks.

He gave her a wicked, dark smile,“ I haven’t seen you in a while, so I thought a proper greeting was sufficient.”

Evelyn was flabbergasted. “A..greeting? That’s what that was?!” He had the gall to look at her as if she was the strange one, “Is a kiss no longer considered a greeting…?”

“No..I mean - yeah it is, but the way you just -” she paused, the amusement on his face apparent. It took a second for her to realize that he was just messing with her.

Evelyn sighed, her tone filled with indignance as she spoke once more, “What are you doing all the way here? I’m just so confused…”

Loki didn’t answer her immediately. Instead, he tilted his head to peer from their secluded corner, and into the hallway.

Seeing that it was still empty, he took hold of her hand and strolled into the hallway without warning.

He headed rapidly into the direction of the studios, and she struggled to keep up with his brisk pace.

When they finally reached the entrance, it was then that he decided to answer her question in a quiet voice, “I’ve only ever seen you within my classroom, or the confines of my office,” he looked at her, raising a hand to brush an errant curl away from her eye, “So naturally, I wanted to see you in your element. And what kept you away from my office for such a prolonged period of time.”

Evelyn felt herself heating up inexplicably. He came all the way from the science department, a good 10 minute walk, to visit her despite his hectic schedule. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to that sort of attention.

“Sorry for not letting you know what’s up with me, this whole thing is a lot to take in…”

Loki only shook his head, dismissing her apology, “ No need to worry yourself about it, darling. I simply missed your presence."

He stepped further inside the studios, his eyes wandering in search of her work area, "In any case, I'm genuinely curious about your craft. Care to show me?"

Evelyn froze. She thought he just wanted to see her, and not her actual work.

She wasn't usually shy when others saw her drawings or paintings, but Loki was a different story…

She worried he might be overly critical, or not care for her drawings at all. Evelyn valued opinions greatly, so showing him her work that was so personal left a vulnerable, uncomfortable feeling within herself.

Perhaps because of his ‘professor aura,’ he still intimidated her to a large degree.

“Uh...I wasn’t really expecting anyone, so it’s...really messy. Like, very messy. I don’t really paint much interesting things either, so...“

Evelyn tried to muster up some lame excuse, but she knew she had better stop when she was met with a firm, silent look.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, then traipsed nervously in the direction of her little studio as his tall figure loomed behind her.

Thankfully, it was a Thursday, which meant mostly everyone had no classes in her department - so the studios were empty with the exception of the few absorbed in catching up with work. In addition, each student studio consisted of cubicles with tall walls built to hang artwork, so they were mostly obstructed from view.

When they finally reached her studio, Evelyn stepped inside with slow steps, her nervousness extremely palpable by this point.

If Loki sensed it, he chose to ignore it as his attentions were immediately transfixed to the unstretched canvas strung up on the wall.

It was an exceptional rendering of a fantastical, imaginative landscape, with an endless sky and billowing clouds. Vibrant hues of pink, blue, purple and orange swirled across the sky, with the trees and shrubbery reflecting similar shades in their leaves.

Loki could still see it was unfinished, as most of the brown underpainting still shone through, but it captured him nonetheless.

He gathered from her other paintings and drawings that she liked landscapes and nature in general, since that subject matter was the most prevalent in her work. He could also see that most of them had a whimsical, fairy tale like twist to them.

Loki smiled to himself as he perused. He loved learning more things about his little Evelyn, it made her that much more precious.

While Loki silently observed and analyzed, Evelyn was brewing with negative energy behind him. His prolonged silence was slowly killing her inside - the anticipation of his distaste for her paintings now the only thing that occupied her brain.

She got tired of waiting eventually, and blurted out her thoughts, “ I... know I have a lot to improve on...the colors are too weird, right? It looks pretty bad right now, but I’m gonna -“

“Forgive me my dear, but sometimes you ramble on a bit too much,” he cut her off quickly, putting down a loose sketch he picked up from her work table with utmost care, “ You lack much needed confidence. Especially when you’re this talented.”

Loki turned to give her a look, a look that betrayed his most darkest thoughts.

“It would seem that we have to work on that together, don’t you agree?”

Evelyn had to hand it to him. His ability to change the energy in the room from normal to horny was unprecedented.

She coughed lightly, hoping to bring it back to normal, " I'm, I'm sorry - I guess that means you like it, then…?"

"If I didn't, I would have been blunt about it." He stated simply. Her lack of confidence was slowly starting to annoy him, and he couldn't wait to rectify it in private.

Speaking of that...Loki itched to get her well and truly alone. He told her that he would give her time, to let her decide when to take things further...but surely it wouldn't hurt to subtly push things in that direction.

" You may not know this, but I'm actually quite taken with the arts myself," he began casually, “You could say I’m a collector, of sorts. And I happen to be rather fond of your type of work.”

That garnered her attention immediately, “ Wait, really? What other artists do you like, whose art do you have?” Evelyn blurted excitedly, a wide smile on her face. She didn’t know he was an art nerd like herself, and was happy to know they had one more thing in common.

“Among the favorites I’ve collected, it would have to be Georgia O’Keeffe and Thomas Cole,” Evelyn’s mouth widened in disbelief as he continued on, “ I do have some Bob Ross pieces as well, but I wouldn’t say he was a favorite...a bit too kitsch for my taste.”

Evelyn couldn’t comprehend the gravity of what he just said. “You’re...you’re actually being serious? You have an original Thomas cole painting? He’s one of my biggest inspirations! And...and Bob Ross?! Georgia O’Keeffe? Are you sure you aren’t messing with me…?”

“I’m being entirely serious, darling.” Loki did have a rather extensive art collection, but he didn’t know this useless hobby of his would actually work in his favor.

“But...but they’re so expensive! Even reproductions cost a shit ton… and originals are like thousands of dollars!” Evelyn still expressed some doubt. It was too much of a coincidence for it to be actually true. Not to mention, that was an absurd amount of money to be splurging about.

But his car’s fancy as fuck… maybe he’s just rich?

While Evelyn’s face was scrunched up in thought, Loki’s smile took a diabolical turn when he started to speak once more, “ If you’re that doubtful, I’m not opposed to showing you my collection.” His next sentence came off as strangely dark, “And as for their price... when I want something, no amount of anything will stop me from getting it.”

Evelyn’s head immediately shot up, "Wait, you'd really show me…?" Her focus was zoned in on the first sentence, completely ignoring the lustful inclinations of the second, " I wouldn't want to trouble you…it's okay if it's too much of a hassle," Although she said that, her eyes were extremely hopeful.

"Nonsense, it's no trouble at all. Even if it somehow was, I care about your happiness much more."

Evelyn blushed at his words, "...If that's the case, then I'd really appreciate it! Ooh... I'm so excited! Is it okay if I take pictures?"

She was bouncing with radiant energy, her happiness infectious. If Loki had known seeing art would please her this much, he would've suggested it much sooner. He found her reactions to be unbearably cute, especially when her eyes grew wide in disbelief, or excitement.

"Of course, take however many you want. In fact...would you like to see it this Sunday, if your schedule allows? We will have dinner beforehand as well..."

"Yeah yeah yeah! This Sunday's perfect actually! Thank you!"

Without thinking much of it, Evelyn went straight to give him a tight hug in her excitement.

Loki did not expect that from her at all.

He was nearly knocked off balance as Evelyn’s warm body pressed against his. Loki could feel her ample breasts against his chest, the sensation of which aroused him greatly.

He’d never thought his body would react this way from such an innocent gesture on her part - but alas, he desired her to a frightening degree.

Loki cleared his throat and shifted in order to help alleviate the sudden discomfort in that area, but Evelyn took that as a sign that he wanted her to back away.

“Oh - I’m so sorry, I forgot where we were for a sec…” She thought he didn’t agree with the sudden display of affection - despite the fact that he kissed her himself moments before.

However, much to her surprise, Loki pulled her right back into his embrace, “ As long as we’re plainly out of sight, it wouldn’t hurt to sneak in a kiss or hug. I made sure of that earlier as well,”

His tone was very playful and reassuring, and she couldn't help but relax into the hug. She felt extremely paranoid earlier on due to the group chat, but that melted to the back of her mind. As long as they refrained from frisky activities in public, no more problems should arise.

Much to her chagrin, he decided to pull back after a while, placing a kiss on her temple, " Now that my curiosity's been sated, I fear that I have to return."

Evelyn's disappointment showed clearly on her face, but she understood that he had work to return to.

And with a few more parting words, he left her to return in time for his lecture.

Loki was immensely happy he took the risk to visit the art department today - if he didn't, he wouldn't have been able to make such progress in so little time.

Unbeknownst to Evelyn, Loki fully intended to make her truly his this coming Sunday.

His mind went completely rampant with sordid thoughts of what was to come - Her naked, ebony skin dripping with sweat, and the way she would writhe and moan beneath him. He'd be sure to cover her body with bruises as she's restrained by various -

Loki had to stop from going down that train of thought, reminding himself that she may not be reticent to his...darker desires. He'd have to be patient and slow since it would be her first time, but he looked forward to it nonetheless. Sunday couldn't come any sooner.

It was Sunday when it truly began to sink in for Evelyn that she agreed to go on an actual date with her professor-turned-lover.

She honestly only thought about just seeing the collection at first, but then she remembered the second part of his sentence about them having dinner beforehand…

Evelyn didn’t mind spending more time with him at all, it was just that she was extremely unprepared for it.

She barely went out of the house even on holiday break, with either her friends or Candice dragging her out from time to time since she was practically a hermit. In addition, it would actually be the first time she ever went on a date, so she was nervous about that as well.

Evelyn decided to go to Candice for advice once more. She was nervous about her reaction to her newfound relationship with Loki, given that they talked about his sexual escapades prior - but as an adult, she was sure Candice would...get over it.

“You waited THIS... goddamn LONG… to tell me you’ve been shackin' up with professor fine ass?!”

Candice smacked her arm,” Are you outta yo stupid ass mind?”

Evelyn rubbed her arm, eyes narrowing in agitation, “ I didn’t tell you because this is exactly how you’d react. Hittin me n’ shit! Ow…”

Candice tried to calm herself down, “ Look, I got a lot of shit to say about whatever y’all got going on, but it’s honestly not the time, and you’ll do whatever you want anyway,” she sighed, pacing up and down the living room floor, “ Do you even have shit to wear? Were your nails done? Is your hair done? Did you even wax ya coochie?”

Evelyn’s eyes widened, “ I...I gotta do all that? Even the waxing part?”

Candice closed her eyes, “Lord have mercy on me today - YES you fool! You’d really have that man navigate the Amazon jungle? Because I know for a fact you got a whole forest down there.”

Evelyn subconsciously covered her privates, “What! We’re not even doing anything like that...he’s just gonna take me to dinner and show me the art collection…” Evelyn’s voice grew quiet, because she wasn’t even sure herself.

“Well, better be safe than sorry. I’ll even wax it for you and help you get ready. When is he picking you up?”

Evelyn picked up her phone that was beside her on the couch. He texted her earlier that morning about the time, and the form of attire that was expected, “ Uhm, around 7 pm…”

Candice glanced at the time on the tv, “ So we got about 6 hours or so. Come come, get up. We’ll get the wax over with first.”

It was 6 hours later, and Evelyn felt thoroughly violated.

She honestly should’ve skipped the waxing, hairy pussy or not - it hurt like a bitch, and she solemnly vowed never to put herself through that again. Not only that, but she spent nearly 3 hours in Candice’s room to look for an appropriate outfit, one that was apparently nonexistent within her own wardrobe.

In the text, Loki said to just dress casually, so she was going to throw on any dress in her closet. Which worked to set Candice off on another tirade.

So now Evelyn sat on the couch, waiting for his arrival. She did have to hand it to Candice though - she actually liked the outfit she picked out.

It was a black floral bell-sleeved dress, with slits at the sides that exposed the skin of her waist. It had a modest V neckline, and she was grateful that Candice didn't choose a more daring outfit.

She also wore a jean jacket to ward off the spring chill, so she was extremely satisfied. The only discomfort was the dull throb from her nether regions…

Before long, a loud ping came from Evelyn's phone, causing both her and Candice to jump at the sudden sound, "Is it him? What does it say?"

Evelyn was annoyed when others looked over at her phone, so she hid her screen from view, "Can you please back up?!" Kissing her teeth, she looked back at the screen to see the message.

I've just arrived. I can't wait to see you, love.

She stared at the message for a long moment, before standing up on shaky legs.

Well...here goes nothing.

________________

A/N:

*crosses fingers for smut next chapter*

Thank you all once again for the comments, they seriously make my day. Blown away by the support!

Bonus picture : Evelyn's date fit, minus the jacket - https://imgur.com/a/xYHdHx5 Photo cred: kishmycurls

[benscursedkid]

9, 10, and 12 for Olivia asks, please?

thank you for asking! hope this doesn’t disappoint!

***long post ahead, still no computer :((

9. What was her relationship with Jacob?

Well, I like to see my Jacob as not having had any romantic feelings for either Duncan or Olivia. He liked to call them his platonic soulmates. The three of them were truly best friends and they all made a good team. They were a well oiled trio and each of them cared for each other.

Really, to put it simply, they were best friends. The boys always went to her when they needed advice and Jacob was very fond of her. He saw her as a bit of a sisterly figure for him and actually reminded him a lot of his own. They’re also housemates, so they would always lounge together in the common room when they had down time and Duncan happened to be busy. They didn’t really bother anyone seeing as Jacob was well-liked among his peers during his school years and Olivia was a very polite person. But they were known to goof off and mess around every so often. The professors hated having both of them in the same class, let alone the ones they shared with Duncan. It was practically impossible getting them to focus some days. They were the jokesters of their little group and were very comfortable with one another. They’re the type of friends who people would probably think are dating... and then get disgusted when they realize they give people that impression. Jacob is rather tall, especially compared to her, and always liked to tease her by hanging off of her or draping his long limbs across her lap or shoulders. They love to get lost in their own world together, as Duncan really isn’t one to indulge in his imagination and could spend hours having existential thoughts and bouncing what if questions off each other. But they’re also quick to console and reassure one another when one of them is down and very protective of each other. Very caring and loyal friends, but first years might not always get that impression as half the time they’re just teasing each other and trying to have the last word.

However, this Olivia was absolutely the type to tell it like it is. She’s not one for sugar-coating things and she values honesty in others so she likes to give it in return. She definitely got onto him when he started behaving erratically and didn’t give him any excuses. Honestly, I really don’t think I can stress enough just how close they were and how much they meant to one another. He would do just about anything for her and she’d gladly do the same.

10. What was her relationship with Duncan?

So, I decided to take the teeniest, tiniest page out of JK’s book— I know, I know, but hear me out —and considered adding a bit of a romance into this trio. And while Jacob Roberts would make a good match with both Duncan and Olivia, I didn’t really want him to have feelings for either of them. Now, I’m personally not a Romione fan, but I do rather like the trope. I am weak for f2l, so...

I can see them starting out as friends at first. Where Olivia and Jacob almost never shut up when they’re together, Duncan and Olivia are either perfectly content just sitting in silence and enjoying each other’s company or bickering like an old married couple and will not stop until one has gotten through to the other. But they never push or disrespect each other’s boundaries and make sure not to say anything that might offend the other. And if they do think they’ve crossed a line, they’re quick to apologize and make it up to them. But they like debating with each other as they typically have different opinions on most things. They learn and challenge each other while also being able to remain who they are. Olivia is able to help him step out of his comfort zone without pushing him past his limits and is respectful of his boundaries. Duncan is good at listening when she has things she wants to say and ideas she wants to share, even if he doesn’t quite understand, and can also bring her back to reality if she starts to wander too far. Things start out really casual and it’s comfortable for them.

Though, after spending all that time together, Olivia comes to admire his ambition and dedication, and surprising loyalty to her and Jacob. She begins to appreciate the little moments when he can relax and forget about the vaults and when he feels comfortable enough to crack jokes. She also loves to shamelessly flirt with him, just to see him stutter, all blushy and cute. And she absolutely loves when she catches him humming as he studies or when he’s making a potion or doing research. Her favorite moments to admire him are when he’s completely unaware and just content to be himself. He’s rather grumpy and introverted normally so she loves it when he doesn’t feel the need to keep himself guarded. He’s interesting and I think that’s what drew her attention initially. And while those feelings were repicrocated, they spent so many years too afraid to admit it and just continued to dance around each other, avoiding possible rejection. In the end, they didn’t get anything more than one kiss before he died and she went missing. It was one of their biggest regrets and they can both attest to that.

12. What was her role in the trio?

Personally: Olivia is a very good mediator. Her personality is a good middle ground between the boys. Jacob Roberts is a very independent, head-in-the-clouds kinda guy. He knows when to stop and think things through, but he can get pretty distracted and side tracked sometimes. While that normally isn’t a problem with the vaults, because he’s so committed to this search, often times the opposite becomes true. He’s been known to get tunnel vision and overwork himself and his friends if left alone long enough, especially when they’ve hit a snag. Duncan, on the other hand, is normally very single-minded and logical and for a wizard he’s very much in the mindset of “seeing is believing”. He sticks mostly to facts and what he knows to be true. But he can, every now and again, get frustrated if it takes him a while to make progress in their search. And, really, this usually isn’t much of a problem between them, as their strengths and weaknesses balance each other out without clashing. However, there are a select few times where they catch each other at the wrong moment— while Duncan is frustrated and in need of a break and Jacob is persistent and tries to push him a little harder than what’s probably necessary —and Olivia is needed to calm them down. She’s whimsical, free spirited, and ambitious enough to understand where Jacob is coming from in these situations, but also responsible, open-minded, and generally practical in her thinking to be able to consider Duncan’s view and his feelings on the matter. But when she gets into an argument with one of them, she usually just adheres to the “if you don’t have anything nice to say��� policy and takes time for herself to calm down. It typically doesn’t take long for Jacob or Duncan to come to their senses and reach out to her first and when that happens she is quick to follow with her own apology. Even so, while Jacob is the mood maker of their trio, Olivia is good at indulging him and his ideas and thus breaking Duncan a bit out of his shell, while also not pushing him past his limit and taking time to do things that the other boy enjoys as well and grounding Jacob when the need arises.

Business: When it comes to their search for the vaults, everyone has their own jobs, but sometimes they can overlap. Duncan, for example, does most of the “super secret work”. If they need something to get in the vault, to use against whatever is inside it, or getting out, he’s your guy. He is adept at potions and fairly competent in other areas such as Charms, and Tranfiguration. However, while he scores very well in the class, he lacks a bit of field experience when it comes to DADA. But he is eager to get better and he tries his best to be a Jack of all Trades and serves them well as their strategist. Jacob, does a lot of the research. If there’s a clue to be deciphered, something missing in their puzzle, information that needs to be discovered, he is all over it. His ability to consider every possible scenario, even the unlikely ones while still having the common sense to know when he’s heading down a dead end makes him very efficient. Him and Olivia also will team up from time to time to do reconnaissance or to talk outsiders or people who are getting too close to their secret activites down and dissuading a potential liability. Despite his generally whimsical personality, he’s extremely good at reading people and controlling a situation when it gets out of hand; doesn’t buckle under pressure and he’s a good duelist. Olivia, also happens to be very skilled in martial magic, but she tends to do better when dealing with multiple people while Jacob is more efficient in one on one combat. Olivia works as the trio’s collector. If Duncan needs a material he doesn’t have on hand? Olivia can steal it from Snape and face the possible consequences. If that’s for whatever reason not an option, she’s the one making the trip to Knockturn Alley to apprehend it. Someone stole something or happened across one of their clues? She’s on it and it’ll be on your desk within the hour. She’s a fairly pleasant person and while Jacob is naturally friendly and charming, he can be a bit loud sometimes so they send in Olivia instead, just in case.

^Of course this all changes when R gets involved. Suddenly everyone is more on edge and prone to start fights and much quicker to snap or accuse. Normally they are able to recognize their mistakes and rectify the situation, but sometimes it takes Jacob longer now that his sister’s life is on the line. And without his friend, Duncan gets moodier and more stubborn when giving out his apologies. Olivia also gets frustrated with them faster and will sometimes refuse to help them compromise if it takes too long. She’ll leave them to their own devices and be done with it, wait for them to own up themselves. And Jacob, for his part, slowly begins to act irrationally, even for him, the longer R is around and the more involved they become. He’ll hide his research from them, over analyze Duncan’s work and sometimes redo it (even if it ends up worse), and do recon without Olivia. He eventually even ends up doing her job himself altogether. He becomes more mistrustful and paranoid of betrayal and of their work being revealed. He suddenly becomes insanely and scarily perceptive. He studies them and their tells, their habits and what makes them tick– what makes everyone tick for that matter. He loses his trust in his professors, his peers, and eventually them as well. It takes both of them a while to admit it to themselves, but one day they wake up and realize that they don’t recognize who he is anymore and they’re not sure he even knows who he’s become and that just breaks her heart. He was her best friend.

And that was her last thought of him before she disappeared.

[i-am-the-market]

King And Queen Of The Losers American Squalor Review

Hello! I usually don’t do this BUT I wanted to do a kind of review for the new King and Queen album because I fucking love this band and I’ve already listened to the album over 10 times since I came out this morning.  If you DO NOT want to see spoilers if you haven’t listen to the album, go listen to it and then read this really crappy review. (Honestly Nate’s review is probably better but I wanted to review it too) THIS IS COMPLETELY OBJECTIVE AND IN NO WAY AM I SAYING THAT MY OPINION IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS OK? Black Hole: This is the first song on the album and since Scooter is the main one singing, we can assume that he’s the one that wrote this (they mentioned before that they sing whichever song they wrote). Right away you can hear the synth sounds in the background and during the chorus mostly. Scooter already mentioned he wanted to work more with that before so, it’s nice to hear the first song of the album dive into it. The lyrics have a morbid type of undertone that is honestly pretty standard with their songs but, this feels different since it’s hidden mostly in the chorus with the line “Everything is ok” or some variation of that.  This song took me a bit to really get into so, 7/10 for me.  Swing State: This is probably the most political-esque song on the album but, even with that it mostly is about the millennial/Gen Z struggle of living in this modern day political hell. This song highlights very real struggles of dealing with the capitalist bullshit that we have to live through by having our congressmen spend money on useless shit and not wanting the patriarchal company that is Apple to take over the modern day bullshit that is America.  The lyrics, which were written by Kiwi, have this very anxious and nihilistic (Which is now called apathy) vibe that her songs from Crutch had too. This differs from Crutch though because it has a more anxious and having to deal with grown-up shit vibe instead of a “fuck everything life sucks” vibe that Crutch had (if that makes sense???) A solid 8/10  Hospitality: This song sound the most like a story than any other song. Much like Another Rehab song, Scooter talks about recovering from addiction and finding another wake-up call by landing in the hospital from a bad trip. They lyrics are very solemn and it crashes with the tempo and the key of the song in a tasteful way. This is a nice change of pace from Crutch since it shows a kind of growth that Scooter had from one album to another, with the last verse being hopeful in that he will get better.  Because I liked Another Rehab Song, this is a 9/10  Jean Luc Godard: This song very much has Kiwi’s signature “fuck the government” and nihilistic attitude about everything (not to mention she sings this song too). This song mostly talks about finding comfort in similarities and differences but most importantly, realizing that most people in this generation can relate and come together over the need to fuck over capitalism but, not finding enough energy to do so. The lyrics really show justice to the apathy that young adults hold now and how the system has done nothing but fuck them over in the last 20 years with Jeff Bezos existing (”We both want to kill Jeff Bezos”) and how gas prices are insanely high. Although, this song is not one of Kiwi’s most political songs (*Cough* see Swing State *Cough*), it is very much about accepting that even though politics deem this generation as “lazy” and “useless”, it’s ok to find comfort in things that you can relate to with friends and just being straight up lazy.  Overall, an 8/10  Electric Boy: When first listening to this song, It reminded me of Nine in the Afternoon by Panic since it like has that weird piano part (not entirely relevant but, I really like that song nonetheless).  Since this song was a pre-release, I had more time to listen to it than the other ones so, I may sound a little better when talking about it. This song is mostly about Scooter finding that he is very much a source of comfort for other people even though that in the back of his mind, he is very nervous and insecure about living and trying to make it through this fucked up world. I believe this song is him saying how at most times, he has to step up to the plate for making other people happy but, neglecting his own feelings at times. You can tell by the lyricism in this song that he is growing as a musician and a writer. Especially if you compare this to his (arguably) best written song, Detox Days, from Crutch. Also, the fact that he tastefully uses the synth and auto-tune in this song makes it even better musically.  This is a solid 10/10 for me.  Lackadaisical:  This song is very much the millennial/gen Z mood of the century with the work lackadaisical meaning “lacking enthusiasm”. Again, Scooter mostly talks about feeling a sort of way about life and living. Very much the apathy we are all extremely used to in KAQOTL fashion. The lyrics are a bit solemn but, as the rest of the album, hidden behind a curtain of major keys and high tempos. Not one of Scooter’s best lyrically written songs but, it’s still good. A solid 7/10.  Up On Yr Feet: This song sounds more like Kiwi’s “Fuck you” letter to her job. She is very tired of having to put on a brave smile for everyone else and most likely is warning everyone else to run away from the fucked up-ness that is working a regular 9-5 job.  The lyrics are a great warning for anyone else just settling to work a 9-5 job. They are very real and raw since Kiwi herself works a job like that but of course since she is in KAQOTL, she is looking towards just quitting her job and becoming someone who she WANTS to be instead of someone she HAS TO be.  Great song. 8/10  Burning Building: Again, you can hear another band’s influence in this song (since in the beginning it really reminds you of Good Riddance by Green Day). Plus, the fact that the “Burning Building” talked about in this song is supposed to reference how Kiwi felt trapped in a mind-fuck where everything around her feels like its all crumbling around her. The building representing Kiwi’s mind while the fire represents her state of mind and how she feels that her mental health is collapsing from this metaphorical fire. The fire could represent many different things but, overall it’s a story of her wanting to stop that fire and save herself even though she feels like she is unable to.  The lyrics are well-written by making this building come to life and manifest in a way where we, as the audience, can easily see what’s happening and how anxious and upset Kiwi is over all of this. This is easily her best written song by making her mental health come to life in this fire that seems to have a mind of its own. “I fought wild fires in prison but I didn’t qualify to be a firefighter when I got out” is easily my favorite line of lyrics in this whole album since it shows how even though she may have beat this “fire” before, that doesn’t mean that she is able to do it every time.  Favorite song of the album. 10/10. I need the chord sheet right away. Stargazer: A H H H THIS IS THE ONE THAT SCOOTER GOT THE ORCHESTRA ON!!!! Honestly this song sounds fucking awesome with the orchestra and because of that, it gives this song a nice whimsical vibe since this song is about stargazing and is another love song between both Kiwi and Scooter. This mostly talks about the feeling of dreaming about being with your significant over and being love struck over anything and everything they do. This is a nice change of pace from the rest of the album and Crutch since it feels more complete and finalized as opposed to Detox Days (which I still love).  The lyrics are amazing and beautiful since this song is another love song between them and in KAQOTL fashion, there are nihilistic undertones but, it still is very much a nice song between those two and I love how the orchestra in the background accompanies the guitar.  10/10. I’m a sucker for love songs.  Deep Dream: This song was one of the pre-releases and I gotta say it’s a bop. This song is mostly Scooter’s manifesto about being in a dream-like state of going through the motions of living in this capitalist society. Having to go through the motions of a job for material possessions and being deemed “greedy” by the rich who forced him into taking part in this vicious cycle.  The lyrics are very monotonous and this feels like an amazing artistic choice to really embody the hell that are capitalist jobs. These lyrics are amazing and do the song justice.  9/10  Apologies to the Hollow Men: Finally, we finish at this gem of a song sung (and presumably written) by Kiwi. This was one of the pre-releases and the first moment I listened to it I fell in love. I feel like this song is a sort of love song to the younger fans of KAQOTL who are caught up in societal standards that are detrimental to anyone’s mental health. Although Kiwi is saying that we don’t have to live up to the world’s standards of who we should be, she’s most importantly saying this to herself and I commend that.  The lyrics of this song are amazing and I love how most of them start with “You don’t owe it to...” and I think that’s insanely important. You never owed anyone anything and you never will and I love that this is the message that ends this clusterfuck of an album. Also, always be as honest as you can with your doctor because it is helpful!!!!  “This is how the world ends, with both a bang and a whimper”.  Amazing song. 10/10  Overall Review of Album: I feel this is an amazing second album. KAQOTL took all of the feedback they got from the first album and used it to better themselves when creating this album. The overall tone of this is just a big middle-finger to capitalism and I fucking love that.  Although this album tends to kind of repeat certain aspects, they did it in a way where it’s not super annoying so, every song feels like an entirely new experience and I love that. I definitely recommend listening to this album in it’s entirety cause it’s a roller coaster of a ride from start to finish. Most of the songs you’ll have to listen to more than once to really understand how great they are.  Sure, this album has a few kinks to work out and the band is still so new that they don’t necessarily have a strong footing in the music industry but, this is a strong second album and let’s hope it doesn’t take another 2 years for another album.  Overall score:  8.7/10 

@kingandqueenofthelosers (Idk if they’ll see this but I hope they do) 

[firstpuffin]

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake

-Note: It’s kind of embarrassing to admit but my comments around the visuals of A Link to the Past and Link’s Awakening are straight-up incorrect. The two games did not share the same visual style and I honestly don’t know why I said that; I most definitely knew better. Still, I’m not going to get rid of it because the internet needs more examples of people admitting to be being wrong.

I say a lot that I want to be positive, but it’s really gonna be hard with this one. See, at the latest Nintendo Direct it was announced that they would be releasing a remake of the 26 year old game, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. As it happens I was already considering writing something about this game in a “Games from my Childhood” article, but that would actually have been positive! This one is… well, I’m going to at least try and balance every negative with a positive.

-at least the title screen looks good-

  So where to begin: I won’t cover the story because spoilers but how about some personal background? The game came out a year before I did (ha! bad jokes) and I have no idea when I got my grubby little paws on it, but it was a part of my life genuinely for as long as I can remember, along with the Pokémon games. I never completed it as a child, but my memories of it were so good that I returned to it as an adult and completed it, learning its sad secret.

-hey! according to this it released the same year I did; me getting my years mixed up I guess-

  Link’s Awakening (LA) was originally a pet project made outside of work hours which is why it borrows resources from other games such as the Mario series, but it was eventually released to critical acclaim. The gameplay is much the same as its immediate predecessor A Link to the Past (LttP), but with a number of new items and a unique soundtrack. Visually it is much the same as well, although its original release was black and white for the GameBoy with Link’s Awakening DX adding colour for the GameBoy Colour.

  So let’s start with the visuals as that is most of what we have right now: the original shared its visuals with LttP what with them using the same assets (tools, resources etc) and LttP had a sequel recently that looked really nice. But the upcoming LA remake looks nothing like it; I wouldn’t expect it to but when a defence of the artistic choice is that “it’s an update of the original graphics” (so why not use the assets from the LttP remake?) or that it somehow “reflects the atmosphere of the original” except there’s no reason for it to be any different to, again, the LttP remake. And in response to the “atmosphere”, LA was one of the darker yet in some ways more whimsical games; this new style is childish to the extreme.

  Don’t get me wrong, I love something that is good and childish, but there is a level when it stops being great and starts to feel like they condescend to the player. Bright colours, simple faces, high pitched noises- Oh god the noises!! I’ll expand on the sounds later but I’m still on the visuals. I’ve heard the game described as looking like Claymation, which isn’t wrong, but my immediate thought was that it looked like cheap plastic. And after watching it again and again as I discussed it with a friend, this opinion stuck.

-tell me this doesn’t look like claymation; this isn’t a game, it’s an animated short film-

  You know how shiny and tacky cheap plastic usually looks? Imagine an entire game like that; an entire world like that. Fans of anime may understand what I say next, but there is a large element of “chibi” in this new game. Large head, tiny body. It’s often seen in short 4 minute spin offs of popular series.

-as you can see, chibi is hardly meant to be taken seriously-

-just to hammer things home-

  So shiny plastic, silly chibi art with a soulless expression. Oh yeah, that. Link’s eyes have zero soul behind them. Zero. He’s a freakin’ monster. Have you seen those Funko Pops? You know how empty they look? Some have said it somehow reflects the original game’s art again, but back then they didn’t have the technology to make him look soulless and young me always thought he looked determined; it was really cool.

-determined; dead inside-

Okay, so I said I would try and be fair, and I have shat upon the plasticine toy-box long enough, so here’s what is good visually. The areas are actually really nice. 

Ignoring the nail varnish sheen on everything, things are really detailed. There is an unfortunate trend in games, likely due to technical limitations, to have flat textures. Basically, imagine the difference between a tile or wood panel floor, and a picture of a tile or wood panel floor. But this game looks to have really tried in these areas. The grass looks thick and lush, tiles look like more than a photograph on the floor and even the flat flowers on the ground look decent. Just a shame it all looks like LEGO. Actually, a LEGO Zelda game would be awesome. But this is not that.

  I haven’t explained that very well, it’s an area that I am new at but I will say that clearly a lot of care has gone into the assets and the world. It is not a lazy game in any way.

-don’t tell me those trees and rocks and- well, everything, don’t look like LEGO-

Next I’m going to talk about the sound. First of all, I’m convinced that they have artificially increased the pitch of Link’s voice so it is painfully sharp to the ears. I’ll admit, I have an unusual sensitivity to lights and sound and thus I prefer darker colours and quieter sounds; I avoid clubs like the plague and not just because I’ll likely catch it there. So maybe, just maybe, I’m noticing something that won’t be a problem for most, and is just unfortunate for me. And let’s ignore that it doesn’t match the darker tone of the game.

  And the music? Also quite high pitched. And super cheery. It doesn’t have either the dreamlike or dark tones that could be expected (and just thinking of how it could be dreamlike gives me shivers; it could be so good) but is instead inanely cheery. In fact, I hope they sped everything up for the trailer and the pitch is just an unfortunate side-effect.

  On the plus side, the trailer opens with a cool cinematic and I swear the music changes from a nice, cheerful rendition (I don’t dislike cheerful in-and-of-itself) of the Zelda main theme to the death squeals of various instruments that I mentioned before. On top of that, it ends on a really nice vocal version of the LA theme, Ballad of the Wind Fish. If the trailer had been the cinematic and that closing song alone then I would be beyond excited about the remake. Thank heaven it wasn’t, I’m not sure my love of the series could survive such a plummeting disappointment.

-and here’s the actual trailer for your perusal- 

So I’ll finish here. I was originally very pleased, excited even that they had decided to remake what was a favourite, underrated and apparently forgotten game, but I kept my expectations low because I knew what to expect from these companies. I thought I did anyway. I was still disappointed. I thought I had prepared for the worst. Still, at least it gave me something to write about.

  But, the game has clearly had a lot of work put into it and gameplay-wise it actually looks to flow really well so I’m sure it controls like a treat. But the visuals and music are too big of a deal for me to let slide; if it keeps up like this then it could literally be painful for me to play. Still, games do change a lot from the initial trailer to its release and I even put forth an idea of why the sound may hurt me so much here. Maybe the final game will be a lot better. Unfortunately, the things I want to be done in games and such rarely are, and I am often alone in my complaints.

And finally, yes I am aware that the famous and incredibly popular Wind Waker entry in the series also had similar complaints and became, as I said, incredibly popular. I wasn’t a part of that crowd, I was too young and honestly, Link’s Awakening was the only Zelda game I had actually played at that time. 

[hallelujuh]

shay’s favorite tv shows from 2017

this has been in my drafts for.... nine months.... fuck.

Written in December 2017, updates are from September 2018.

Considering how many new, innovative shows are around these days, I didn’t get too adventurous this year, but I’m satisfied with the ones I did watch. I discovered new shows, I was impressed by the shows I’ve been following for years, and I learned to appreciate the work that goes into television more. Here’s my top ten TV shows..

10. Thirteen Reasons Why - In all honestly, this is only here because I haven’t been able to watch Peaky Blinders yet, and it’s probably too late. (UPDATE: Watched it in Jan and it was amazing.) This show received a lot of backlash, and for good reason, although it had its moments. The characters were well-written, the relationships were given depth that is often lacking in other high school-set narratives, and the tone was great. I’ve always loved watching things that make me profoundly sad, and this show did just that. (UPDATE: Season 2 was fucking garbage lmao.)

Standout episode: Tape 1, Side B. It’s a cripplingly depressing show, but this episode stood out as a moment of light in Hannah’s dark reality. Her friendship with Jessica and Alex was nice in the beginning - their banter, them having a spot in the coffee shop. I remember assuming Alex was gay (I believe his actor is, so I wasn’t too off) and thinking that’d be good for Hannah, to have a guy friend who wasn’t interested in her and wouldn’t add relationship drama to her life. Boy, was I wrong. Still, having seen the show at the beginning of the year, this episode is the only one I remember as enjoying, so it gets this spot.

9. A Series of Unfortunate Events - I read the books in elementary school, and they’re one of my favorite series of all time. I’m also a huge fan of the film, though I know most aren’t. So I was very excited for this series, and it didn’t completely disappoint. While I found myself longing for the actors from the 2004 motion picture, and some of the directing decisions weren’t choice, it was cool to see The Miserable Mill finally come to life, and I loved the Baudelaires just as much here as anyone else. I’ll be tuning in to next season, since I’ve very, very excited to see how they handle the next three books. I can’t wait to meet the Quagmire triplets, and Esme, and Jacques! It’ll be awesome. I hope they portray it well, but there’s no film to compare it to from here on out, so maybe it’ll be different.

Standout episode: The Reptile Room: Part One/Two. Like I said, I wasn’t a huge fan of how most of the characters were portrayed in this adaption, but I did love Uncle Monty. He was just as wonderful as he was in the film and books. Watching his interactions with the kids was really nice, and as always, made me wish they could’ve remained with him. Stephano wasn’t as menacing here as he is in the film (that knife scene is the point in the film where you go, “woah, this dude’s for real. he’s scary”), which was a bummer because I still thought Olaf was a laughably bad and incompetent villain by the finale, but I did like Poe’s hysteria, and I really loved the movie theatre scene.

8. Riverdale - Oops I never wrote this dfdsbfjdbfjds.

7. South Park - While we all can agree the last season was a mess, and this one was only a slight improvement, it did have it’s moments. I’ve been a fan for five years now, so at this point, they’ll never disappoint me, tbfh. 

Standout episode: Doubling Down. While Put it Down was wonderful, both satirically and because of Craig and Tweek’s adorable relationship, the eighth episode of the season was my personal favorite (UPDATE: Not sure why ‘cause I didn’t specify then and I’m not sure now.)

6. Dear White People - I didn’t do this one either damn. 

Standout Episode: Chapter V. While the show is a comedic take on racial relations, this episode is an emotional, serious change. The Barry Jenkins-directed episode shows us that the subject is no laughing matter, and it very clearly deserves this spot.

5. Rick and Morty - Yet another show I discovered this year, during the summer. I’d been meaning to watch it for ages, and I finally got around to it. While the fanbase is pretty much poison, the show is pretty damn good. Maybe not what it’s hyped up to be, but great none-the-less. I’m a big fan of adult cartoons, and RaM isn’t entirely satirical like South Park, and it’s not self-aware like BoJack, but it holds up. It’s probably so popular because of how unique it is.

Standout episode: The Ricklantis Mixup. While my personal favorite of Season 3 was The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy, because I adore Jerry, I think we can all agree that the was the best episode of the season, if not the series. Like, really. Holy shit.

4. Gotham - I began watching this show last year, and caught up to season three around halfway through it. It began to drag a bit, admittedly, like it couldn’t carry it’s own weight - but now the show’s on season four, and it gets a little wild sometimes, but it’s holding quite a bit better, I’d say. I was pretty fucking impressed, especially with the Nygmobblepot stuff.

Standout episode: A Dark Knight: Queen Takes Knight. Although Mad City: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies from Season 3 is a close runner-up, for all the loose ends it ties up, and so cleanly, too - the winter finale gets this spot. It had me on the edge of my metaphorical seat (since I was actually curled up in bed) the entire time. While Sophia’s character and her motivations had remained muddy since her introduction, her badassery finally came to the forefront, and it was awesome. The way she tore down Penguin from his throne? Incredible. We know he’ll return, as he has so many times, but really, that was so incredible. Considering he’s my favorite character, I should feel worse. However, Sophia executed her plan so well, I was too awed to hate her. Also, Jerome’s back! I’m extremely excited to see Jerome’s role in the upcoming episodes. (Update: Oh, honey, you got a big storm coming...)

3. BoJack Horseman - I binged the hell out of this show just before season four came out, because it was so creative and thought-provoking and hilariously depressing. The fourth season was notably wonderful in a lot of ways, particularly because of Todd’s sexuality arc (the first out asexual character in a TV show!) and how well it was handled, but also because of the mature themes they took on. Princess Carolyn’s miscarriages, Diane and Mr. PB’s failing marriage, BoJack’s struggle to forgive his mother, Beatrice’s own troubled upbringing, Hollyhock’s eating disorder. I watched the whole season in three days when it was first released, four months ago, and I’m currently considering re-watching it after rereading the summaries of each episode to refresh my memory. I’d forgotten how phenomenal it was. It’s on another level - it really is.

Standout episode: Time’s Arrow. Though there wasn’t a single weak episode this season, this one definitely stood out. Following the tradition of uniquely depressing eleventh episodes, Time’s Arrow focuses on BoJack’s mother and how her turbulent childhood affected her. Gorgeously executed, it makes us pity the woman who made our favorite alcoholic horse the way he is, and it concludes with BoJack making peace with his mother, who he had spent so long resenting. It’s just a gorgeous episode. I think I’m going to rewatch it right now, haha.

2. Mr. Robot - I’ve wanted to watch this show since it came out, but I finally began and finished the first two seasons just weeks before Season 3 came out. Since I’m discussing my favorites of 2017, I won’t be talking about those first two seasons here. I’ll be focusing on Season 3, which has been, in my opinion, incredible. What began as a modern, nerdy take on Fight Club has become so much more; a masterfully dark and suspenseful fictionalized look at the looming political state of our world. We’ve gotten new characters (Irving, who’s a gem), we’ve learned more about older but mysterious characters (poor repressed Dom), we’ve had to say goodbye to old characters (I’m still mad about ******), and best of all, this season has been Tyrell heavy, and we even got to see Elliot make peace with Mr. Robot.

Standout episode: S3/EP8, eps3.7_dont-delete-me.ko - The previous episode had already established a gorgeously melancholy setting through the use of Mac Quayle's gorgeous production 2.0_6-madame3xecutioner.oga, which, as a huge fan of film scores, I instantly fell in love with. The song is featured during a scene I watched several times - the scene when Angela repeatedly rewinds the explosion, unable to cope with the reality of it. It left me feeling similar to the way I had after watching American Beauty for the first time - like the world was a different shade. I thought this would be the only moment the show could invoke that response from me, but then the next episode came out. Unlike Ep. 7, Ep. 8 didn’t have a single moment. The whole episode brimmed with pain and sadness. The show’s already sad, but the lonely, isolated feeling is often overwhelmed by the suspense, drama, and excitement. This episode let the characters hurt without interruption, and it was wonderfully emotional.

1. The Get Down - I was so thrilled when I discovered this show in April, literally a few days after Part 2 had aired. I downloaded all the episodes for a road trip, and literally could not put it down the entire tme. It blended all my favorite things - the art of rap, the origin and evolution of hip hop, how battle rapping/deejaying came to be. The music was stellar, the cinematography was breathtaking, the acting was (for the most part) wonderful, and the cast was fantastic. I’ve seen some criticizing it, because of its occasionally choppy narrative and the fact that Baz Luhrmann added his usual whimsical take on something that was historically fairly dark, but I thought it was flawless. It was definitely groundbreaking in its amount of representation, and it was fun and colorful and emotional and, overall, just absolutely wonderful. Like many others, I was pretty devastated when they cancelled it. I understand why, but I wish it could get the Sense 8 treatment and receive a movie. There’s too many loose ends - it’s a real bummer. Still, I’m grateful we were blessed with this gem of a show at all.

Standout episode: S1/EP11, Only from Exile Can We Come Home - The final episode gets this spot for a single scene; the one where it alternates between Mylene singing “I’m my #1″ in the hotel room with Jackie and all the drag queens, and the scene where an unreleased Miguel song is playing while Dizzy & Thor paint on each other, and then Shao calls Dizzy his “alien brother.” That scene was easily one of my favorites I’ve ever seen in any show, in my entire life. If that episode was a film, that scene alone would guarantee it a spot on my favorite films list. It was that good.

[justsoyoudonthaveto]

So the world is ending, and we’re all inside, and I’ve already watched Tiger King, so I’m dusting off the laptop to get back into Hallmark movies. My heart hasn’t been in it the last few months, but the stats are saying that readers need recaps – so here we go!  As it’s a lovely day today, but I must be near my phone inside, I’m tackling my DVR with this world premiere from a few weeks ago – In the Key of Love, starring Tony Nominee Laura Osnes, who I totally voted for on that Grease You’re The One That I Want show when she won for being Sandy.

We open with “You Can’t Hurry Love” and some kind of bridal photography cliche montage. Aww, Laura is the photographer. She can’t help the overuse of mason jars and burlap. Her name is Maggie Case, and she drives a beat-down blue truck because she’s whimsical. She’s got a lot of boxes from Nashville, including a guitar case, and her wedding planner friend Sasha begs for Maggie to sing, but Maggie don’t do that anymore, not since she left Nashville. Sasha leaves, and Younger Son says “I’m guessing she’s the Sassy Friend?” Why Yes, Younger Son. She Is.

Sassy Friend makes some kind of pithy statement that you need to do what your passion is. So you know that Maggie does not have a passion for photography and needs to go sing for her supper. Speaking of which – what’s everyone making in day 99999 of quarantine? Today its Tacos, and I know it’s weird because Today is Monday, and it should be Taco Tuesday, but I don’t live my life to abide by those kinds of dinner rules. We’re rebels in this house!

Cut to Nashville, and Jake is some kind of music producer (the guy who does a lot with a soundboard) and there’s some girl named Ashley in a big floppy hat who is making serious eyes at him but he’s all business. Jake is heading to Piedmont Island for a wedding – is it his? Is he just a guest? It’s unclear.

Cut to Evelyn, Maggie’s grandmother, who owns the Wedding Industry thing at which both Maggie and Sasha work. Evelyn wistfully watches a Youtube video of Maggie and Jake singing and makes sure that Maggie meets some kind of ferry – so much so that she shuts down Sasha and her ambition to chose entrees for the Blake Wedding. Maggie gets to the dock of Piedmont Island, which has a sign that says 3,996 I Dos and Counting so Piedmont Island is some kind of wedding destination, I guess. And before we can think that Jake and Jennifer, currently onboard the ferry, are destined to get married and it’s going to be one of those groom leaves his bride at the altar for our plucky heroine movies, it is revealed that Jake and Jennifer are in fact, brother and sister, and he’s there for support, not vows. Whew!

Jennifer is marrying Kyle, and we’ve already upped the diversity in Hallmark movies by 3 whole guys! I don’t know what to do with this information! Groom and Best Man!  AND the Mayor!  Way to go Hallmark. Jennifer planned this whole wedding at Piedmont Island in order to get Maggie at her wedding which seems WAY too much. But whatever. Plot, and it’s obvious she missed Maggie a lot, isn’t it?

This Island is just too precious – there’s a trolley car to bring guests from the ferry, and the trolley car trip is narrated by the mayor.

Maggie is all about confronting her grandmother/boss about not giving her the heads up that Jake was coming to a wedding. And Grandmother is all Fiddle Dee Dee, whatever, I’m in charge. Of course you are, that’s why you trample down all of Sasha’s ambition, to retain control in your manicured hands.

The Mayor is also the Minister. Of Course.

Jennifer spends more time with her brother than with her fiance, but we do find out that their parents or dead, so that makes some kind of sense. Grandmother Matchmaker hands bride with a whole list of things to do, and wouldn’t you know it, Maggie is included in all of them, so we’ll just have to watch Jake and Maggie fall back in love with each other. This week of wedding stuff is going to wear me out and I’m only watching this movie.

Heads up – after the commercial break, Maggie shows up in HORIZONTAL STRIPED PANTS. Costumer, what drugs are you ON??????????????????? There were no pictures available online, so I had to take one with my phone while watching this movie.

You’re welcome.

Oh my God, they are SHORTS and she’s wearing a blazer with them. WHAT IS GOING ON?????

Jake and Maggie discuss their lives over benches with tulle, and we find that Jake is the control freak, and Maggie was not, and that was one of their many issues 2 years ago. Jake seems to be killing it in life – he’s a music producer and doing great. Maggie has to admit that she’s not singing and he offers his man opinion that she should sing for weddings on the island, and it’s not like that opinion is needed, Jake.

Note – Sasha’s bangs are way too heavy for her little face.

Next day, Jake finds Maggie in an outdoor cafe, and he has to lay his problems at Maggie’s feet – he’s worried about this album he has to produce. But you know, Jake, you’re a grown up, figure it out – Maggie’s off to shoot Jennifer get her hair trials done for her wedding.  As someone who likes to organize, I have NO idea how someone waits until the week OF her wedding to try out hairstyles. Jennifer spills the beans on Maggie and Jake to a delighted Sasha and some unnamed bridesmaid. Backstory – Jake hosted an open mic night, and they chatted, and then Jake made her sing in front of a crowd, which is So Not Cool.

Jake is not having the slow WiFi at this place, so he goes to play Wedding Pictionary with everyone in the salon, and my GOD kill me now. Jake has to draw “Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride.” And Best Man Gets It. Good job, Best Man! Still, though. Kill Me. And Jake is still pissy about the WiFi, and he demands to know why Maggie doesn’t stress over anything. Maggie’s philosophy – don’t borrow trouble, and don’t stress about what you can’t control. Enjoy the process, not the result. Whatever, Mags, you don’t have to produce an album from bumf@#! island.

Grandma Boss is totally blocking Sasha, and I do not like this storyline at all. Sasha has a new job offer but she doesn’t want to take it because she likes bumf@#! island. And Jake finally listened to his album and is going to go to Paris when the album launches. Yay for Jake. Even though he’s going to the same theater that they dreamed of playing in together, and it’s kind of weird. But Maggie is super supportive because that’s the type of girl she is.

Cut to a Salsa Lesson at this Godforsaken Island – the wedding party is learning, but Jake took a Salsa Class in College, so you know, he already knows. But then Bride makes Maggie dance with Jake, and Jake SUCKS as a partner – mansplaining everything and if you want to throw a chair at this guy, get in line. But wonder of wonders, once they close their eyes and not worry about dancing, they are Fred and Ginger, if Fred and Ginger ever did Latin Ballroom.  BTW, there is only one way to do Latin Ballroom and it is THIS.

We also find out that Jake’s extreme Type A behavior didn’t gel with Maggie’s laid-back way, and they lost out on their one big break. And so Maggie lost confidence and hasn’t sung at all since.

Beachfront evening – Bride demands that Maggie sing something with Jake. And I have HAD it with this family trying to make Maggie do things she doesn’t really want to do. But then voila – Maggie gets a-singing, and Jake plays the drums on her guitar case. I love Laura Osnes, and good for her to put up with this crap just to be able to sing some more on TV. She’s also in Broadway Princess Party and she’s delightful.  Her “10 Minutes Ago / The Next Ten Minutes” medley is GORGEOUS – Check it out here with dreamy Jeremy Jordan. Oh, back to the movie – now Maggie has to sing while Bride and Groom have their first dance, and sure, fine.

Grandma Boss is having coffee on the terrace in this paradise area of the world. She’s subtly pushing Maggie to go back to singing – subtle as a sledgehammer, but it does prompt Maggie to go back through her boxes of Nashville memorabilia, which include sheet music,  scrapbooks, and lots of pictures of Jake and Maggie looking lovingly at each other.

Uh oh, Jake’s album’s release is canceled, because they lost the right to one of the songs, the lynchpin to the album, etc. Oh, he’s devastated, and needs a new song PRONTO and isn’t it great that Maggie is a songwriter? But meanwhile, Maggie gets to go flower shopping and cake tasting, and Jake shows up at the baker with a cake topper – that is “beautiful” but looks like it is made of paper. You want a cake topper?

That’s a Cake Topper

Jake’s had a change of heart about the album and how he should only worry about what he can control, so that’s nice. His change of heart leads to Maggie digging out her song notebook, and rewriting lyrics.

Finally, it’s almost wedding time, and Maggie gives good advice to Sasha who’s going to talk to Grandma Boss about her job offer. In these turbulent times – please do not mess around with job offers. But cut to an emergency with the florist – her fridge broke and there are no flowers for the wedding! So Sasha didn’t get to tell her about her job offer and at this time, I say cut and run, girl.

Sasha has to work the rehearsal, and the wedding is going to be held by the dock. Weird. And Jennifer’s wedding is going to be ruined because of the lack of flowers, but luckily enough, during the weird Trolley Tour with the Mayor, he mentions that he has a lot of flowers in his garden, and so Jake and Maggie head over there to eat cookies at the Mayor’s Open House and beg some flowers off of him. But seriously, in all honesty, my wedding was almost ruined by a freaking Hurricane – where they said just don’t stay near windows – and the reception was in a glass-paneled room, and even I didn’t freak out as much as Jennifer did about the lack of flowers on her archway.

Meanwhile at the Mayor’s:

(They get the flowers because the Mayor is nice.  They could have just had the ceremony in front of the Mayor’s house, which is a pretty Victorian, and then SAVED all the flowers, but whatever, you do you, Maggie.)

Maggie saves the day on Jake’s album because she’s amazing.

Rehearsal Dinner! Every couple who gets married at Piedmont Island has to sign a shell the night before. That’s just weird. The rehearsal dinner is a lot like a shower, with games, and it’s weird. Sasha is still upset because Grandma Boss still hasn’t listened to her. Maggie has some words of encouragement that were completely drowned out by both Darling Husband who showed off his forage to the liquor store (essential service) and Younger Son, who just bought a Batmobile on Lego Batman 3.  But now Maggie and Jake are going canoeing and that cannot be a good idea – didn’t you see the news this weekend?  They fell in the lake that is literally 2 feet deep, and they are magically dry in 2 seconds, except for Jake’s phone – bring on the rice!

Jake asks to see more of Maggie and “she’d like that.” Kiss blocked by Maggie saying “he should go” because it’s Hallmark and we can’t have a kiss until the final reel.

Wedding Day! Maggie is so swept up in everything she barely remembers to do her job and take pictures.  But it is the fastest ceremony every and then we’re back at the manor for reception!

Posed photos on delay because Maggie’s memory card needs something, or whatever. But in the meantime, rice phone works, and Jake’s album is saved because of Maggie’s song.

Jake has to fly the red-eye back to get the album up and running, and he has to go, but Maggie’s not there, so what are we going to do? Jake’s full of conflict because he wants to tell Maggie about his good fortune, but he has only 7 minutes to make the only ferry that goes out from this island. But he makes it, and Maggie is putting a very brave face on the fact that with a song on the album, Jake will then go on tour for a whole year, and a girl can only take so many pictures of other people getting married.

Sasha picks the middle of the reception to have her moment with Grandma Boss, and Grandma Boss immediately backs down and Sasha wins. But then Grandma Boss lays down some harsh truths to Maggie and basically kicks her off the island to go be a songwriter / singer / whatever.

  Jake comes back to the reception mid-song! Harmonizing on Key! YAY!

The entire wedding party is singing along with this random song that no one is supposed to know, so you know that they sang this over and over and over during the scene and everyone has it memorized it.

Jake says singing with Maggie makes him happy and he wants to be happy. But he magically also gets to go to Paris because he and Maggie can be the opening act on this random tour.  AND We’re Done.

So this was a nice one to ease back into the magical world of Hallmark movies. As we live in an uncertain world, it’s nice to know that there are some things that are certain, be it The Sad Times, Sassy Friends, FairyTale Weddings on Exotic Random Locations, and Type A and Relaxed People getting together and Making.It.Work.  While I don’t know what will happen next month, next week, or even tomorrow, I do know that I watched In the Key of Love, just so you don’t have to.

Hey Cool Cats and Kittens - Oops, Wrong Message. I'm back to Hallmark, and it's just in time! We've Got Weddings! Photography! Songs! Beautiful Scenery! All of this, plus Cake! I watched In the Key of Love, just so you don't have to So the world is ending, and we're all inside, and I've already watched Tiger King, so I'm dusting off the laptop to get back into Hallmark movies.

[livixbobbiex]

YOI Hogwarts House Sorting (and accidental deep character analysis)

So I’ve yet to see anybody actually disagree with me, but with all the HP buzz at the moment I really want to back myself up. Warning that this is obviously my own opinion, and whilst I think I’m right, it’s alright to have your own headcanon. (Strap yourselves in because this became a deep character study)

Why I see Yuuri Katsuki as a Slytherin 

I have, to be fair, seen this around quite a bit. First and foremost, Yuuri Katsuki is a Slytherin because he hates losing. Not just dislikes it on a healthy level, but becomes devastated (even being the sixth best figure skater in the world threw Yuuri into months of depression). Yuuri is ever only truly happy with gold, which is very, very Slytherin. 

Secondly his friendships. Yuuri, in general, surrounds himself with a small group. Although often we see Slytherins grouping together (especially in the Harry Potter books) as a means of survival, in general a Slytherin will only have a few close friends. Trust is very important, as a Slytherin wants to remain on top, the less people who know your secrets, the less there are to potentially use them against you. Slytherins very much value the close relationships they do have, and will extend their loyalties far. You can blame this somewhat on anxiety, but we see it takes Yuuri a lot to trust people that do approach him, ultimately allowing him for form pretty deep relationships, in contrast to the many acquaintances a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff tends to make, with those who he does let in. 

Let’s not forget that he does show his cunning side too. It’s not the most obvious of all his traits, but we do see it. An example is the way he reacts when Yurio is insulting him in episode two, asking where Viktor is. Yuuri, in that scene, recognises that Yurio is underestimating him, and leads him to Viktor with the full knowledge that he is right and Yurio is wrong. There’s the fact that Yuuri knows he’s never going to win as the playboy, and pretty cunningly changes his tactic in a way that will give him the edge. Not to mention the episode 10 “take me sight seeing” demand, which, especially with the BD added wink, comes off as a tiny bit manipulative to me. And most importantly, the fact that he performs Viktor’s signature move to get his attention. Not to up his score to ensure a win, but literally because he knows it will get a reaction. 

And the clincher for me is his ambition. Because seriously, it takes a certain kind of person to watch the best person in the world at something, and not only pursue that career path, but become obsessed with the idea of becoming just as good. This plays into the fact that he hates losing too, but seriously, even for a Slytherin Yuuri gets a bit extreme with this. (And I do think it’s much different from simple inspiration, otherwise Yuuri would never have fought so hard in the first place) 

Why I see Viktor Nikiforov as a Ravenclaw 

This seems to be incredibly rare. And whilst I do see the arguments for the other houses more than I would with putting Yuuri in another house, I always think Ravenclaw fit him pretty nicely. 

So Ravenclaw are often regarded as ‘book-smart’ which is something Viktor kind of isn’t? He’s pretty ditsy and whimsical in his portrayal. However, one thing that people often forget is that genius isn’t always sitting in a classroom. Viktor is easily a creative genius, more so than any of the other skaters. He choreographs himself, chooses music himself, tells a story himself etc. etc. This is what makes him so untouchable, because nobody else can even come close to this level of inventiveness and creativity (also important Ravenclaw traits). Also individuality, which is another part of the Ravenclaw personality, which is pretty obvious with the way Viktor wants to surprise his audience so much every time. 

Not that I want to put a downer on Viktor’s obvious intelligence either. As we saw from the BD release, Viktor’s apartment is filled with books. He speaks three languages fluently, and likely at this point speaks a fourth conversationally (considering he lived in Japan for nearly a year). And whilst we all joke about him splurging on Yuuri, he’s obviously pretty good with money to be as comfortably rich as he is (he even says “I wish we could have gone shopping when the Euro was weaker” which signifies that he cares about that kind of thing). His knowing how to work an audience is also pretty Ravenclaw. 

He also does display he has the typical quick tongue of a Ravenclaw too within the series. A particular example that comes to mind is his episode ten conversation with Yuri, when he quickly responds to his insults of Yuuri. 

Why I see Yuri Plisetsky as a Slytherin 

The reasoning here is clear as Yuri is absolute text book. He’s ambitious, pretty cunning (manages to leave Russia without anybody noticing, starts raising his arms in jumps to secure himself more points), resourceful in that whilst he’s not the best skilled skater, he manages to win anyway. Again, like Yuuri, doesn’t have a large group of friends. He’s also always seemed a bit elitist to me in the way that he treats Yuuri, at least at first. First and foremost, being on top is Yuri’s priority, so whilst he does have his loyalties, they don’t come naturally to him (case and point with the whole Agape drama in episode three). 

Why I see Otabek Altin as a Gryffindor 

Again, this is pretty textbook. He doesn’t have enough screen time and isn’t characterised complexly enough to tell us otherwise. He’s literally called ‘the hero of Kazakhstan’ which practically screams Gryffindor. We see him act chivalrously on multiple occasions, in saving Yuri from the crowd, or in the manga in not wanting him to come clubbing for moral reasons. Even though he doesn’t have the natural talent of the other skaters, he doesn’t give up. It also seems pretty brave to me that he toured the world from a young age in pursuit of training. If anybody has any doubts, just listen to his monologue during his FS in episode 12, it screams Gryffindor. 

Why I see Christophe Giacometti as a Ravenclaw 

I think this is a little disputable and feel I could put him in any house, again due to a lack of screen time. However, I would mainly default to Ravenclaw. Though he’s not as creative as Viktor is, he knows his own strength and channels it in everything he does. He has an advantage, and intelligently uses it. We also see him saving his performances for a later peak in the final, which is pretty tactical and intelligent. 

Not to mention he kind of gives off a pretty sophisticated air that I’d naturally associate with a Ravenclaw. 

Note that I do recognise he certainly has the ambition of a Slytherin. However, I don’t think it’s quite enough on its own. 

Why I see JJ Leroy as a Gryffindor 

JJ, I think, largely is a Gryffindor as he doesn’t fit into anywhere else massively. However, he displays the negative arrogance often associated with the house, and likes being the centre of attention in that kind of way. I also think he was pretty brave to do so when in his FS at the GPF after falling so hard during the SP (during which he didn’t give up), which takes a lot of nerve.

Why I see Phichit Chulanont as a Hufflepuff 

Phichit just kind of feels like he’d belong in Hufflepuff to be honest. Although he’s obviously ambitious, the rest of his personality cancels it out. It never really feels like personal success with Phichit, though, always more like he’s doing it for the sake of his country. His huge group of friends and relationships also scream Hufflepuff; he’s friendly and accepting. And regardless of not speaking to Yuuri for months, he keeps that loyalty and talks to him like no time has actually passed. 

[journeysintowebcomics]

Scary Go Round: Epilogue

The Scary Go Round liveblog started on July 15th 2015, and ended on February 12th 2017, with one hundred fifty-six updates Almost two years! What did I say in the first post I made about this webcomic?

It’s a webcomic with supernatural elements. Nice, I thought, that could be fun. It had ALTERNATE DIMENSIONS, and yes, he said that with overexcitement. Neat, I thought. He does know what I like. There were also other few details he talked me about, but they were pretty vague and I understood the point: the series is filled with fantastic elements.

That’s how the webcomic was recommended to me. Well it wasn’t outright false, yeah. ALTERNATE DIMENSIONS, which I admit helped seal the deal, were in this for...what, two chapters? I think the importance of ALTERNATE DIMENSIONS got a bit overestimated, hahaha. Curse you for that, Alfred, you kinda lied to me on that.

Supernatural elements, though, it did have a lot of that, and for the most part Mr. Allison gave a spin to many concepts, making them original and fitting for this universe. Other chapters were more everday things, grounded into reality and based on the characters’ reactions and personalities, but most of them were rather good, the lack of fantastical elements didn’t hinder the quality of the plots. I think that speaks well of Mr. Allison’s planning skills, especially during the latter half of the webcomic.

Here’s my final opinion about the whole webcomic, in general terms: it’s worth it. It’s true that Mr. Allison’s first...nineteen chapters or so don’t have the same level of quality than the rest, but in my opinion anyone who manages to go through them will find themselves rewarded with the rest of the webcomic. And that doesn’t mean those first nineteen chapters are awful! There are a lot of good moments, and some of those chapters are of quality. This is a webcomic I’ll definitely recommend to people, although with that small caveat.

There are a few things to talk about.  The characters, the plot, the setting...so let’s go ahead with that! Let’s start with the characters themselves.

CHARACTERS:

Shelley Winters could be said to be the main character of this webcomic. She didn’t have the starring role in many of the chapters, as Mr. Allison did a good job mixing up the cast and giving many of them a chance to shine, but Shelley was a presence in almost the whole story, whether it was by being mentioned, by appearing and talking to the characters, or merely by virtue of her shenanigans influencing the situation in some way.

That’s a bit of a dangerous thing. If the character that permeates the world is one the reader loathes or would rather not to see, that can change one’s perception of the whole story. However, I can say I liked Shelley a lot and I think she’s a good character!

Shelley’s has all the necessary traits of a classic heroine: she strives for justice, she’s determined, and she has charisma, getting most people to like and accept her. And of course she has her bad traits, too. In my opinion, Shelley can be rather short-sighted regarding the consequences of her actions, and sometimes what she does can affect her friends in such negative ways she can come across as a bit callous at times. Leaving Fallon stranded in Portugal is the first incident that comes to mind. The incident with Heroditus in Atlantis is this trait carried out to the most extreme end, where she intentionally inconvenienced a friend, and that’s saying it lightly. Shelley can also come across annoying or nosy, traits that aren’t a secret to anyone. Tessa and Rachel, particularly, but I also sensed that even among her friends Shelley’s whimsical and wish to help can get a bit overbearing. Wasn’t it said so often that Shelley was insane, after all?

And she was! Well, not really. ‘Whimsical’ is the right word, as Erin called her. Shelley isn’t afraid of being in contact with her more childish side, something that allowed her be the center of many situations. I think that’s a big reason why the characters and readers like Shelley, because she’s willing to do a lot of stuff, and does it with enthusiasm and joy. You know what’s the most common comment I have seen around about Shelley, even from people that don’t know everything about the canon?

“Shelley is a treasure”

I agree with such assessment. Shelley is a treasure, and after reading everything this webcomic had to offer, I see why she’s such a likable character.

Her character didn’t change that much between her first appearance and the last chapter, in terms of personality and progression, but I’d say that she was more about affecting the people around her and the environment than about changing herself. In fact, I think that her employment changes were what changed the most about her. She started being, hm...dead, was Hamilton’s assistant for a little bit, worked as the mayor’s assistant, was a journalist, and finally worked for Hugo in the diner. Yeah. I think that worked for the better, giving her a chance to interact with different environments.

As a whole, yeah, I definitely liked Shelley.

---

Tessa Davies and Rachel Dukakis-Monteforte were supposed to be the main characters of Scary Go Round, but they got punted aside for the benefit of Shelley, Ryan, Tim and Amy. These two gals were in...Chapter 1, 2, 7, 8, 14 and 34. Pretty bad deal for the two that were bound to be the main characters, if you ask me. The worst part is that during most of their stay, their bad traits kinda encompassed everything they were. Many readers may not have a good opinion from them, from those few appearances, and Rachel is mostly the one to blame for that.

Rachel was the main force in the duo, the one calling the shots, that’s the impression I had, and she was mostly motivated by two things: journalistic enthusiasm, and money. Oh, and being ordered around by the Devil in Chapter 34, but that’s out of her control. It wasn’t really the best impression the reader could have of her. Tessa...she coasted around. It isn’t to say that Tessa was a satellite character, in fact, Tessa had the guts and personality to stand for herself. I think that’s one of the reasons why I liked Tessa more than Rachel. The problem is that I always had the impression Tessa did a half-hearted effort on trying to stop Rachel from indulging in her worst traits, like she didn’t really care about it.

The most representative moment of this is when Rachel intentionally led a gang of vengeful bikers on Shelley. Tessa showed she clearly disapproved it, telling that to Rachel’s face. Yeah. Nice, Tessa, but what’re you going to do about it? Nothing, really. Once the word comes out that Rachel’s shenanigans almost made Shelley die – and how Rachel was completely unrepentant about it – Tessa willfully ignored it. Heck, William suggested calling the police, and Tessa made him forget about that by using her feminine wiles. Sigh.

Oh, yeah, there was this guy named William. He ended being a complete nonentity. I literally can’t remember a thing other that he died horribly.

So yeah. I think Tessa and Rachel could have been good enough as main characters. Rachel, in particular, had the chance for character development – and she did have some! Even if it was in the negative sense, which isn’t bad. But...yeah, their very few appearances compared to other characters hurt them more than help.

---

Tim Jones is this brilliant inventor that was introduced in Chapter 2, and then was shunted aside in Chapter 32, much to my chagrin.

At first I wasn’t really convinced about Tim as a character, but by the time of the Time Teapot chapter I had warmed up to him. He has some qualities that contrasted well with Shelley’s whimsicality and Amy’s general personality, and his inventions and skills were good catalysts for a few stories. Tim as a character made a few plotlines be original and fun, and I appreciated that.

However, I liked him as a person, too. Running for mayor and his problems with such role were the best times to see Tim’s general personality. He worked especially well with Ryan as a friend, as Tim was the more responsible half of the equation. Tim’s character in the story was driven more by his inventions and skills than by his personality, but enough of the latter was shown for him to be someone the reader could grow to care about.

I wish he hadn’t been left aside. Oh well. That’s how life goes, and I’m sure Mr. Allison had his reasons to decide to pull Tim away from Tackleford. I simply wish it didn’t happen.

---

Amy Chilton is what Rachel could have been and never was, kinda.

Amy was never the type to care that much about things like lawfulness and general decency towards friends and people, so to say. My assessment is that she cared more about herself than about how she affected the people around her. However, she isn’t a bad person. She can be a good friend, and she cherished Shelley, Ryan and other friends with sincere appreciation. Amy was also willing to lend a shoulder and show support, and she could do all that while still having her bad traits. Yeah, she’s what Rachel could have grown into, a person that can be kinda immoral in some way yet not be a bad person.

I like Amy. I think at the end of the day I liked more the perspective of Amy being the main character than Shelley being it. Amy’s chapters without Shelley focused more on the mundane side of the world, didn’t they? Cannibals, her antiques store...it worked very well. Amy has a more down-to-earth behavior and view of the world, and so she had to use her wits and personality in her chapters more than Shelley had to. I think that’s what makes me like Amy more as a main character.

At the beginning I don’t think she was much of a voice of reason, but soon she was the one making sense and trying to rein in Shelley’s shenanigans. Not that she was immune to letting herself be carried away by her desires! Heck, Amy decided to go to Atlantis because of the perspective of invaluable antiques and lots of cash by selling them. I thought that was funny.

Honestly, I’m going to miss reading about Shelley and Amy as often as I did during the past one year and half. Thanks, Mr. Allison.

---

Ryan Beckwith, boy, I don’t think a character has gone from ‘so that character, I can take or leave him’ to ‘I like this character a lot’. During the first ten or so chapters I was pretty much ‘meh’ about him, he didn’t even have that much going about him. Not even his involvement with Shelley being a zombie made him be interested in him. My opinion of Ryan started to change with the Expecting to Fly short story, though. That’s when I started recognizing that yeah, Ryan is a pretty sweet and thoughtful young man.

He was never exactly the spitting image of a successful person, but Ryan has a lot of good qualities. He’s loyal, he cares for the people in his life, and it isn’t like he intentionally runs away from work. He embraced rather well jobs like working for the mayor! But his bad luck in life, work and romance make him not be as great in life as he could be, and it’s truly a shame. Some say good people have a lot of bad stuff happening to them, and Ryan is one of those good people.

Ryan wasn’t as involved as other characters on the supernatural side of Scary Go Round, and I have the impression he didn’t want to have anything to do with it, but he was willing to get into it and help his friends. Heck, he went to Ireland to hunt a leprechaun for Shelley. That’s not something anyone does. He was willing to put his life at risk just to see Natalie in the afterlife one more time. That’s loyalty, kinda hardheaded and imprudent, but loyalty nonetheless.

Yeah, Ryan is a very good person. A shame he wasn’t dealt a better hand. Good luck, Ryan.

---

Fallon Young came, meshed well with Tim and Shelley, botched up a couple missions as a spy/mercenary, and...and well, that’s how it went for her.

I think being left behind in Portugal may have affected her for the worse in terms of liking for everyone. Heck, Shelley, hm, Shelley called her insane. Shelley Winters refused to ask for someone’s help because that someone was insane. Can you believe that? And I can’t really see why Fallon would be considered insane by anyone’s standards, though. Highly imprudent and not very good when it’s about being of help, yeah, but not insane.

She got a harsh deal with Mr. Allison, simply not appearing until she was in Hugo’s diner, and that was for like a page or two. Then she just wasn’t seen ever again. Yeah. At first I missed Fallon, but the more time passed the more I forgot about her. Guess she wasn’t that memorable of a character as I thought.

---

Riley Beckwith came by and left without glory. She was mostly a satellite character towards Tim. Her main trait was her dislike towards practically the whole population of Tackleford, and then she managed to lie and do stuff so Tim was banished to Wales with her. Other than her dislike and her relationship with Tim she wasn’t exactly the most interesting character.

I think the one time she had the chance of being a character on her own right – when I thought she was going to be the star in the Abductions chapter, since she seemed to have an interest on aliens – she just...did nothing of value.

There’s just not much to say here.

---

Let’s start the teenage cast judgment with Esther De Groot or as she’s widely known: Dark Esther. She’s not a goth stereotype, and that’s excellent! Thanks for your good judgment with that, Mr. Allison, well done. Esther does have many gothic traits, but they don’t define her as a person. Esther is cheerful, very loyal to her friends, willing to lend a hand, and overall it’s no surprise Esther, along with Shelley, is one of the two most cherished characters in this webcomic.

I said already how her very first appearance doesn’t fit that well with the rest of her appearances in the webcomic. I wonder what led Mr. Allison to give her such a notable role in the webcomic. Esther is a great character to follow in the adventures that happened to the teenager cast of Scary Go Round, as she showed the same determination Shelley showed, without turning into a copy of Shelley. Remember how she dragged the Boy to go to Wales and prove to Tim he was unfairly banished? Not just any person would have done that. And they did it, they got to Tim’s door! And she got laid along the way, too, but that has nothing to do with it. As a whole I think Esther was a pretty good character, and someone I really liked.

I did notice that her gothic traits and tastes seemed to have progressively vanished the longer the webcomic went. At least by the time everything about her resembled more a completely normal and everyday teenager she had achieved such status as a character in her own right the lack of ‘gothicness’ didn’t hurt her at all.

Her relationship with the Boy was very sweet, and I’m glad it endured everything that happened, all the way to the end of the webcomic. They’re a good couple. They complement each other well! Her friendship with Erin was a good one, too, Erin providing a rather sensible and grounded companionship to Esther. It’s not to say that Esther had her head on the clouds or anything, but she was different enough that being with Erin worked well, despite their similarities in personalities.

Sarah and Esther’s friendship received a lot more focus near the ending of the webcomic, right when Sarah started being a character on her own right. Although it didn’t last long in the spotlight, I think Mr. Allison did a good job in making them look like intimate friends, different to how she was with the Boy and Erin. The fanzine is the epitome of this, I think Esther wouldn’t have started it with anyone else other than Sarah.

All in all, it’s not for nothing that Esther is so liked by the general population of readers! I seriously like her. She’s awesome.

---

The Boy – Eustace Boyce, as he was revealed to be named – started not very good. His crush on Amy wasn’t well handled, in my opinion, and honestly I wasn’t sure if Mr. Allison would be able to write a teenage character without making him unlikable as he had seemed he’d be.

But then when Mr. Allison started focusing on the teenage population of the Tackleford high school – chapter 25 or so – the Boy started being a good character. He wasn’t just some kid that had a crush on Amy. He was more than that! The Boy took the many shenanigans of Tackleford with the same attitude Tim and Ryan had: leave that stuff away or so help me. Too bad he was forcibly involved in all that a few times, hahaha.

He wasn’t defenseless or anything, though. It doesn’t mean he knew what to do, but he wasn’t completely helpless either. Personality-wise, the Boy is the one that received the most focus on development, in my opinion. He had to juggle his feelings for Esther, his doubts, his wish to make her happy, with everything that was happening. While a few times this relationship is what kickstarted a few of his adventures, it doesn’t mean he was exclusively defined by this relationship.

All in all, I grew from disliking the Boy to actually liking him. Good job, Mr. Allison, you write teenagers well, despite my doubts. Well done.

---

Erin Winters had the bad luck of being disliked by Mr. Allison, or so I heard. That was why she was thrown out of the cast via portal to hell. I’m not completely privy of why Mr. Allison didn’t like her, but I think it’s a shame she was shunted away too.

Erin shared traits with Riley, more concretely how fed up with the antics of Tackleford they were. However, unlike Riley, Erin had a lot more stuff to do than grouching about Tackleford. Her relationship with her sister, her friendship with Esther, the pain of having a crush with the Boy and being harassed by Sarah and Big Lindsay...Erin had the makings of a good character.

To this point I’m still bummed out she was completely erased from the Scary Go Round continuity. There wasn’t even a chance of Shelley, Esther or the Boy growing as a person from Erin’s disappearance into Hell, Mr. Allison simply erased her. That’s the biggest missed chance there was in this webcomic, in my opinion: Erin Winters.

It’s a shame, really.

---

Desmond Fishman is pretty much the character I liked the least. He didn’t start badly. I was interested when he appeared the first time, the second, the third...and then the infantilization started. He slowly started turning into a manchild I honestly despised. I think the point that started was when he started living with Shelley and Amy? I don’t even remember how that happened.

I don’t really know what Mr. Allison’s intentions with Des were, but whatever they were, I don’t think he intended to create a character readers could hate. I think he wouldn’t have placed him under the spotlight of some chapters if Des was meant to be unlikable.

I think Chapter 50 was his highest point? The Atlantis story. He was actually funny during that chapter, and he wasn’t some sort of insufferable bastard. It’s a glimpse of how I wish Des had been during the webcomic. If during all his appearances he had been like he was during that chapter...I think he’d have been one of my favorite ones. But nope.

So I’ll just give him an imaginary kick in the rear and say good riddance.

---

Sarah Grote, Charlotte Grote, Shauna Whatshernameagain, Shelby Winner...they either started being characters too late for it to count, or they didn’t have enough appearances. I liked the little I saw of them.  Oh well.

---

Everyone else who I didn’t name. Guess either they didn’t make an impression on me – Milford being the face of them all, despite his realistic teenager-ness – or there’s simply not much to say about them. Or I forgot about someone, in which case that doesn’t say much about their memorability.

SETTING:

The world of Scary Go Round is a world of infinite possibilities. Not only there are so many supernatural elements around the whole world, the people in this world can be so talented and influence the cryptid beings around. Even when they’re not involved in anything weird, they can also be interesting enough to propel plots by themselves.

Mr. Allison did a great job making this world, even if it was mostly Tackleford. That is a town that sometimes experiences so many weird things I’m sure no one bats an eye to it anymore, yet it doesn’t seem like a bad place to live in. The weird and the normal meld together and create a great breeding ground for shenanigans.

Other than that, it’s an everyday town and world, like many others. It isn’t like they live in a different planet to Earth, after all. But despite that, it has this constant sense of marvel that makes me wonder what kind of stuff happen in other places of the world. So well done, Mr. Allison!

PLOT:

Unlike some webcomics, Scary Go Round was more of an episodic webcomic with a continuity that lasted the entirety of the webcomic. I don’t think anyone reading the last few chapters would be clueless, although there indeed are hints of continuity and references to past events.

It’s hard to talk about the plots as a whole, so I think I’ll summarize the plot quality by making a ranking of sorts. The chapter I liked the least to the chapter I liked the most! And a few words about them, not that many words. So let’s see...

50 Crock O’ Gold: The less said about this chapter, the better: HELL NO.

49 Down: I don’t think this chapter had much of a plot? It seemed more like a transition between Chapter 4 and Chapter 6

48 Rock Action: This seemed to me a disjoined bunch of moments without much continuity. I don’t think there was much Rock Action, anyways. The only moment I remember was the fight between Amy and Big Lindsay, with Esther and Sarah encouraging from a side. Yeah, that moment stuck with me, hahahaha

47 The Captain Beefheart Story: It was more or less a biographic story told by Ryan about a man I don’t remember the name of. Nothing that held my interest for long.

46 The Estate: A potentially good story soured by Desmond being himself. Really, it could have been better than it actually was.

45 The Woods: I don’t think words can summarize how frustrated I felt that it was a retelling of Hansel and Gretel with characters from Scary Go Round.

44 Incoming: It went from the Boy looking for a job to...to other stuff. I don’t think even the plot about the Boy got solved at all? He got the money, and that was it.

43 Learn to Read: Thank goodness it was short. Go away, Desmond.

42 Carrots: Hmmmm...right, the chapter that saw both the start of Sarah and Esther’s fanzine, and the introduction of Carrot as a character. His mother sure ended that schoolyard fight! But yeah, nothing to write home about.

41 Science Fair: Ah, yeah, the chapter where many characters that weren’t Tessa or Rachel appeared for the first time, and Shelley got murdered for the first time. Rachel and Tessa did a decent job investigating, yeah, but other than that it wasn’t top-notch quality. There are many chapters better than this one.

40 Ballad of the Man: Natalie appeared for the first time, set the ground for a relationship with Ryan, and then was horribly killed when those awful old women made her trailer explode by making a primate do that. Hah! To be frank I’m not sure if this is the chapter where that happened, but eh.

39 Isle of Wight: Hah! The first time characters went on vacation just because they could. Also devil bears are a thing. Nothing that really stuck in my mind for long.

38 The Big Broadcast: It was a rehash of an old story Mr. Allison had stored in a shoebox somewhere deep in his closet, right? Including hand-drawn frames that I’m sure are older than the start of Scary Go Round. It had all the traits of the starting chapters of the webcomic, without many of the good traits. It wasn’t terrible, though.

37 The Gas: The very first chapter had an intriguing plot regarding the skeletons in that place, but the execution left a lot to be desired. I don’t remember my impressions once I finished reading that first chapter, but in hindsight this was a flawed chapter, with unnecessary pages and jokes that don’t really go anywhere nor are anything special. It’s good enough as an introduction for the world, though.

36 Oldbourne: Shelley went to another town to get Amy to return to Tackleford...I think. I don’t really remember the plot of this chapter? But I have the feeling it was better than the rest of the chapters in this ranking.

35 Romania: Doctor Petrescu, was it? He was a strange man that liked monkeys a lot and had a skull for a face. I think he was the main attraction of this chapter, but he wasn’t that good enough of a character for one to want him to return often. It was a nice chapter, though.

34 Robot Town Hall: Robotania, what’s up with a communist country or robots? Points for originality, Mr. Allison, nice. And Shelley was a competent enough helper in the mayor’s office, too. I don’t know how things would have gone if it hadn’t been for her.

33 Dimensionality: If I remember right, this was before Tessa and Rachel entered the other dimension. I don’t think I had any complaints about this part? But nothing too memorable either.

32 Pa: Ryan’s father is a character that was interesting enough for me to wish he had appeared more often. I wonder what happened to him.

31 Traveller: There’s something very amusing about knowing that Santa Claus lives somewhere in New Zealand. But yeah, I think the chapter lost steam the more it went, so I don’t know what to think about it. Shelby Winner was interesting, though.

30 Shaggy Dogs: A short chapter that summarizes well Shelley’s whimsical self.

29 Super Crisis Quests 1 & 2: I heard Mr. Allison didn’t want to draw caves for like a month. This led to these chapters’ plots being quickly broken apart. The sudden interruption of a few points hurt the chapter’s quality. I can’t say it’s a great couple of chapters, but it was nice to read, and that counts.

28 Winterlude: I completely understand Mr. Allison not wanting to get involved in something like American politics, even if it is in a wacky webcomic like Scary Go Round. I really liked what I saw until the sudden interruption of the chapter, though. I wish it could have continued in a different plot.

27 Beyond the Veil: Ryan risking his life to go to the afterlife for a while was a testimony to his recklessness and his loyalty to Natalie. Too bad it didn’t end well for him, and that Natalie was pretty much bones and nothing more.

26 Happy End of the World: Frankly I don’t remember what this chapter was about...besides Bob Crowley brainwashing Erin and Esther. However, I remember that Erin was trying to adjust to her new strong body, and how she was trying to cope with the Boy being with Esther. I think it was in this chapter, at least? But yeah, I had liked that.

25 Battle of the Bands: Poh and his dad’s second appearance involved trying to hypnotize men via a sinister song girls couldn’t hear. Also Milford revealed his overwhelming love for men via synth pop, or at least that was the girls’ opinion. Hah! I don’t think he ever found out the gals said that. But yeah, I liked the concept of Poh’s father’s scheme, and bands are always fun.

24 Most Haunted: Ghosts are cubes of jello, and they’re awoken when the descendant of someone they hold a grudge against waltzes into their resting place. Lesson for life: never build anything on a cemetery. Never demolish anything that was built on a cemetery. It’s never good. Luckily Esther is a resourceful young gal and was able to scare ghosts!

23 Shopgirl: I admit Mr. Allison successfully fooled me with the red herring regarding the old man who owned the department stores, and I didn’t expect the real culprits to be cannibals. I’m still not convinced of the effectivity of how they managed to defeat them, but since the alternative was death I can’t say I’m saddened about it.

22 Bad Religion: I don’t remember much about the plot, but I remember it involved Ryan being brainwashed by the awful old harpies that made Natalie’s trailer explode, and turning him into the classical religion-following boy. Also there was a human trafficker and Fallon tried to wake up Ryan from the brainwashing with the power of being attractive. Fun for the whole family!

21 Meddling: In hindsight how easy Ralph was able to do necromancy was kinda a hint he was actually the Devil, huh. That and the camaraderie between ‘The Devil’ and him. But yeah, Ryan resurrecting Shelley and trying to deal with the consequences of that along with Tim was the first great story I read in this webcomic. It was when I knew there were many gems to be found in this story.

20 Chilton Takes Charge: I find rather satisfying when a character manages fights the world and tries to succeed. The awful old harpies and the ruthless competitors in the antiques business tried their best, but Amy triumphed! And she’s turning hella rich from that. You sell that noseless bust of Captain Picard, Amy, you deserve success.

19 Bulgaria: Bulgaria is full of vampires and disguising oneself as nuns is necessary to survive. Guess that’s what happens when one gets a curse! It was one of the few chapters where one got a glimpse of what kind of madness happened in other places of the world, and Shelley and Amy were a good couple to fight it all.

18 Man O’ War: In which Shelley could have done nothing and the jellyfishes would have needed to accept their squishy wet bodies don’t fare well on land. But nope, she got too involved and decided to fight them. Hilarity ensued. It was impressive, to be honest. Not anyone decides to fight a colony of Portuguese man o’ wars.

17 Where the Dumb Things Are: It was one of those rare occasions where Mr. Allison had complete liberty of going as crazy as he could, by virtue of this being a completely different universe populated by outlandish creatures. Also there’s something cool about Amy triumphing as a poetess with her not-so-good poetry. The one great Tessa and Rachel adventure.

16 Abductions: I’m still sore this wasn’t about Riley and her apparent belief in aliens, but the plot it ended having wasn’t unappealing. The return of Petrescu and Whatshisname from Chapter 2 being evil towards Tackleford – or Tim, more specifically – and creating a zombie Shelley from her blood was a rather interesting plot I enjoyed reading. And it ended with Shelley and Fallon making a volcano explode and destroying a supervillain complex. What else can one ask?

15 The Election: Every Villain is Lemons is officially a political party, and it almost overtook Tackleford through the power of democracy. Elaine Wu was a rather underestimated villain, and she had that ruthless quality not many in this story have. Too bad she only appeared twice. Also Tim Jones as a mayor is a good idea, too bad he didn’t enjoy it.

14 Goodbye: The ending to the webcomic and the test drive of Lottie and Shauna as main characters. Rather good way to end the story, in my opinion. I said what I had to say about this chapter just one update ago, so I’m not saying much...it’d be repeating myself too soon.

13 Big Ideas: I’m convinced that propelling a bus filled with cripples to a false Lourdes would have been the epitome of strength, and Tim would have won. Too bad the Boy was too busy with his moral concerns and his hormones to be of help, and that Riley had sabotaged stuff so Tim would be banished. Elaine Wu gave Shelley a rather harsh beatdown, too, and the EVIL political party took over Tackleford. Too bad not much came out of that, but it allowed some character growth and setting up plots for future chapters.

12 Schoolin’: The first time the reader can see that the Boy, Esther and Erin were good characters for their own stories. I can’t believe the teachers were willing to condemn a whole class of students to Hell just so they could have money for coffee, but that’s up the par for Tackleford. Thank goodness there were three teenagers prepared to deal with that and try to stop them, even if ultimately they didn’t do that much at all.

11 Looking for Atlantis: In which Shelley single-handedly manages to destroy a civilization through the power of stubbornness. It was not her best moment. However, it was Desmond’s best moment. Amy was good. Atlantis is a great setting for stories, and seeing the situation grow out of control was fun to read. Mr. Allison underestimates his own work, at least about this chapter!

10 The Cove: Somehow it led from Ryan getting a job as a postman to him finding out the postmen were a bunch of smugglers who assault ships and let people die. Not what I expected! And that’s precisely something that helps make a chapter great. Also Melanie shooting people, Gibbous Moon’s last appearance showing that she wasn’t an evil intern for nothing, Ernest...um, Ernest was there.

09 Great Tackleford Show: Shelley was out of her mind what with being high from smelling jam, the mayor was being a major embarrassment to the population, Mike Savage was drunk, there had been a murder, and a giant bee flew over the Tackleford rural show. Amy gets caught in middle of all that and it’s awesome because it was one of the few times Amy gets to play damage control. She didn’t do bad at all! It may not look like that big of a chapter in the first read, but I think it has a lot of merit.

08 Your Taxes at Work: Erin and Esther freed the minotaur and it turned into a big sensation. I honestly was expecting it to go wrong in some horrible way, but thankfully it didn’t, even if to me it looked like it was going to snap at any second. Also Tim deals with the robots, now not-so-communists. It was great, mostly because Mr. Allison integrated both plots in a truly grandiose way. I didn’t think it’d end with the robot ambassador roasting the minotaur with his laser eyes, but it did. Jolly.

07 The Child: Poh managed to throw the town into complete anarchy with the power of naïve innocence and repeating ‘things are going to change’. Also Shelley was hit with a missile fired by the Queen’s Secret Service, and that’s something not many can say. Too bad her best efforts of keeping the town from not crumbling down didn’t go well because it all turned into a major disaster, but it was one of the chapters where she showed that she could be rather competent...when she isn’t getting drunk at lunchtime and getting fired for that. Also the Mayor shaves children’s heads to protect his political status.

06 Aw Hell: Rachel embraced evil with both hands and both legs, hanging onto it like a koala. I wish I knew how she and Tessa managed to climb spots in the Sisters of Belial nunnery, but that’s a story I won’t ever hear about. Rachel ended burnt alive in a reference to the Wicker Man, and Tessa walked away rather sadly, and the rest of the characters...well they found Ryan so it was a major success. What goes well ends well.

05 Giant Days: As I said, not many would have the guts to journey to Wales to try to convince Tim to return to the town and prove he was unfairly banished. Sure, Esther and the Boy didn’t succeed, but they tried and that’s what matters. Also this was the chapter where their relationship solidified, and I don’t say it because they got laid. Anything where the characters turn a rickety trailer into a ship to brave a flood is good in my books.

04 Inevitable: I honestly had thought Shelley would manage to keep at bay her zombie instincts, but she didn’t! She slowly lost her mind and started craving brains, and it ended with her biting Hamilton’s head apart. He survived, and she was hit by lightning and turned alive. The second part to the first great Scary Go Round story finished the Zombie Shelley plot masterfully, and although it had the general flaws of the early Scary Go Round chapters, it was very good and one of the stories I’d give people to read as an introduction to the Scary Go Round webcomic.

03 Count my Toes: Shelley Winters visited the afterlife and all she got was a measly t-shirt. Okay, not really, but she may as well only have gotten that because all she actually got was a stay in the hospital. At least she fought a version of herself as a zombie, and went in an adventure in the Land of the Dead with Natalie. It’s one of the rare occasions where Mr. Allison went wild with his ideas, and it was great. Seriously, kudos to you, Mr. Allison.

02 Time Teapot: No story of the same genre than Scary Go Round would be a good fantastical story without some time travel at some point. And they did so! Tim should be freaking rich, he invented a time machine with a teapot, that needs skill. And so Amy and Shelley visited the 1800 years, and antics happened. I don’t think anything got defined regarding Bob Crowley’s schemes back then, and that’s disappointing, but everything else was of such quality I’m willing to look away and pretend it all was satisfying. Sing with your squeaky voice and plagiarize all those Beatles songs all you want, Shelley, have fun.

01 The Bell: Somehow my favorite chapter is one where the Boy and a one-time character are the stars, and that’s something I didn’t really expect. Can anyone blame me, though? Mr. Allison outshone all his past efforts with this chapter. The wendigo disguising as the Easter Bunny, the Boy trying to decide if he should pursue a serious relationship with Elodie, the fact this story took place outside of Tackleford, the sheer hilarity of a flying bell with a mustache that shoots chocolate eggs like a machine gun...it all came together to craft a truly memorable plot. Seriously, I loved it. Everything that makes Scary Go Round great is in this chapter, it had excellent character development, and Elodie was a one-time character I wish could have stayed in the cast. The Bell is a chapter I’d love to show people, even if it was the first introduction they had to Scary Go Round. Excellent work, Mr. Allison, seriously.

---

So, in conclusion: I’m so glad I read Scary Go Round. I had a lot of fun with it. It had its ups, it had its downs, it made me smile, it made me want to bop Mr. Allison’s head with a meat mallet for making me waste my time a couple times...

...but overall it’s something I’m going to cherish. Honestly, I’m going to miss reading it. Hey, you know what? This isn’t the last thing I’m going to read of Mr. Allison. In fact, I bought the Murder She Wrote story and the WHAT story in Comixology a few months ago. I have them stored for reading! I think it’s likely in the future I’ll read them and share my thoughts, like I did with Expecting to Fly. When, exactly? Hm, that’s something I’m not going to make a hard promise on. It’ll happen when it happens.

In the future I also plan to read Bad Machinery and Giant Days, but those’d come after Murder She Wrote and WHAT, so it’s going to be quite a while before any of the longer stories John Allison has done grace this website.

So...thank you, John Allison, for having created this fun experience. It was excellent. Thank you so much.

[fungus-amongus00]

Where Your Loyalties Lie (8)

Also available on Ao3 under my username: celestial_seraphim ^^ 

Finally got another update 

Col was extremely apprehensive of just letting Link go into that colossal Divine Beast by himself. However, whenever he tried to voice his opinion on it, he was met with a bunch of other voices saying how only Link could do this.

  “He has the Sheikah slate..Mipha had a connection with him..only he can free her.”

He still had no idea who Mipha was besides being one of the champions who died in the great battle long ago against the Calamity. Eventually, he just accepted it, knowing there wasn’t much he could do to change things. He had been a part of the Yiga clan. Of course they wouldn’t fully trust him..if ever, but that was the fate he accepted. It was why he had chosen wander the wilds on his own. He wanted to live out the rest of his life in as much peace as he could manage or until the world fell apart. But of course, he had to run into the hero of legend. He still wasn’t quite sure what Link saw in him. At first, he had thought it was simply out of gratitude for saving him, but Link continued to let him stick around, even joining him on his quest.

Now, he sat on the edge of a cliff, looking over the Zora domain and Link as he made his way to the Divine Beast. The downpour continued as it always did. Col shivered a bit as the water began to soak through his clothes. It was a feeling he had gotten used to by now. His body would be fine. The chain mail underneath might get a bit uncomfortable, but he could start a fire and dry it out later. There was a moment of eerie calm as Link was in there. The rain continued, but there was no wind. Everything seemed completely still around him. He changed his focus from Rutah to Hyrule castle way in the distance. It was barely discernible, but knowing these lands like the back of his hand, he knew it was there. A flash of light suddenly emanated from it like a beacon. Col’s entire body tensed up, having never seen it do that before. It was usually surrounded by an oppressive, dark aura, but this..this was a brilliant light. Along with the flash, there was a sudden voice that pierced through his mind along with an image. For a moment, he saw a young woman surrounded by light, but as suddenly as it came, it was soon gone.

  “Help him..please.” The voice had said in a whisper.

  “What the hell..” Col muttered to himself. His eyes remained fixated at where the castle was, but no other visions or voices came to him. “It couldn’t be..maybe the princess is still alive..like Link..” He found it near impossible for her to be alive still within that castle. He himself could barely get close to it without feeling mind numbing dread wash over him, and there were the Guardians as well. Was it a warning for what Link was doing now or merely a request for the quest Link was on? Col found it hurt his head to think over all the meanings. Link should be able to handle Rutah and free Mipha. Besides, if he tried to run up to it, it might fire on him or more likely, the Zora would stop him before he could get close.

It seemed like ages before something actually happened. Rutah raised up its trunk, and Col nearly froze, thinking it was about to start firing weapons, but it pointed it right at Hyrule Castle. A beam shot out, and it stayed just like that. Not long after, he spotted Link coming down from Rutah. He looked okay but rather beat up. Col’s sigh of relief didn’t last long as he saw a group of Lizalfos closing in on him. He watched as Link weakly held up his sword.

  “No! That’s not fair at all!”

Without even thinking, Col drew his sword and started skidding down the hill. He utilized his teleportation technique, poofing frequently to get closer. Before the first one could make a strike at Link, Col intercepted. There was a clang as metal blades crashed together. Col teleported again, pushing the Lizalfo right off the cliff. Not even daring to take a break, he went at the other ones, gritting his teeth as he fought back with all he had. Poof, poof, poof. All that was left were weapons strewn about the ground, and Col still clutching at his sword, panting and trying his best to not collapse. He didn’t know why he always fought so fiercely to protect Link. When it came to protecting him, it was like his body was possessed by something fierce, and he’d throw himself into a fight, not caring how powerful the enemy was. It was unlike him. Before, he was always careful and chose his battles with strategy in mind. If he could avoid a fight, he would. But with Link..he wanted to fight no matter what. What..what was this?

  “Col..” A soft voice behind him snapped him away from his own thoughts. Lizalfo blood still dripped down from his sword, mixing with the rain. He was sure he had some splattered on him, and he probably looked more like a monster right now. He hesitantly turned around to face Link, still catching his breath. His body felt like it was on fire from teleporting too much.

  “I..I’m sorry. I got carried away. You probably could’ve taken care of them.” Col looked down towards the ground, finding it best to focus there. His breath caught in his throat as he felt warm hands cupping his cheeks and lifting his face up.

  “Don’t be. I’m grateful. I had a rough fight in there and trying to fight them all would have been careless. You protected me, so thank you.” Col felt like the warmth from Link’s hands alone could heal him. Without even really thinking about it, he placed a hand over one of Link’s. With the gentlest touch he could manage, he took a hold of the hand and knelt on one knee.

  “It’s an honor to protect the hero.” He placed a kiss on his knuckles much like one would do for royalty. He stayed calm and collected on the outside, but he was a mess on the inside, feeling like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. That whimsical little laugh from Link wasn’t helping at all.

  “Thank you, Col. It’s nice to be protected for once.” Col felt another warmth wash over him, but it was from something else. Gazing up, he saw that the sun had come out. The gloomy clouds that usually hung over this place were gone as was the rain. The lakes around them sparkled even.

  “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this place look so beautiful. I mean..I enjoy the rain yeah, but this definitely changes the look of it.” Col managed to get himself to stand up again.

  “Yes. Rutah is free now, so the rainy weather has stopped. The Zora are safe..well for now anyway. My quest here is done. I just need to go talk to the king again, and we can head out. You can stay here and wait if you’d like.” Prince Sidon had accepted Col, but he knew the others weren’t as forgiving.

  “No, I’ll come with you. I’m not going to change peoples’ minds by being a loner forever.” Col was surprised as Link held out his hand to him. Even more surprising was how easily he held his hand now.

  “Keep it together,” he thought to himself.

[greggreaen]

I GOT MARRIED!!! How I Planned my Wedding | Enchanted Oasis Part 1

AHHHHHH!!!!! I am officially married to my best friend, the love of my life, and my partner in everything…Sam Livits! After 10 years of being together, we walked down the aisle, said our vows in front of all of ur friends and family and had THE MOST MAGICAL day of our lives! The ceremony was so emotional for both Sam and I. I don’t know what it is about weddings, but it heightens all the feels. I was laugh-crying (but like a different kind than I had ever experienced) as I was walking down the aisle. I am so grateful to have found my soul mate and am soooooo happy that we got to spend our day with the people we care about most.

I am currently in a state of bliss but also majorly crashing from the high. No one tells you about these post wedding blues. Ugh. I never wanted it to end!! So that’s why I NEED to do a lot of blogging – to keep the happy feelings alive!

So, this is part 1 of the Enchanted Oasis Wedding series! In this post, I will tell you everything I did to plan the wedding of my dreams! And let me warn you…I let my creativity and extra-ness run wild! Ready!!???

#1. FINDING THE DRESS

As soon as I got engaged in Kauai, my sister IMMEDIATELY booked some bridal gown try on appointments in LA! OMG I cannot tell you how fun this was. I truly felt like all my princess dreams were coming true. Like, can I just do this for fun all the time as a hobby!!???

I decided to keep my “audience” small for this. Low drama. Not too many opinions. So the only people in attendance were me, my sis, and the person helping me put on the dresses! The mission? To find 2 gowns. An ultra grand one for the ceremony and a whimsical, romantical one for the reception!

The designer we ended up choosing was Galia Lahav! Walking in to her store was like walking into a haute couture dream. Here are some of the stand outs I tried on!

This is the Gia. I was so close to getting this one! The corset fit so well and the skirt was just so flowy.

Okay, I just had to try this on. A bridal cape!!??? Why not!!!

As soon as I put the Lidya, I knew this had to be my reception dress. I loved the little polka dots and how the dress hugged my silhouette. It was the definition of romantic. I ended up customizing the dress by adding fluttery drop sleeves to soften the look.

The train on the Ms. Elle was DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA and I LOVED IT. I mean, when else in life can you really drag a huge train behind you?!!??  I loved how the exquisite little beaded details on the dress elegantly complemented the low back before it waterfalled out into a longest tulle train I have ever seen!!! This was TRULY GRAND.

To customize the gown, I ended up changing the color to blush, I added in a dramatic low V detail to the sweetheart in the front, changed the low back to a V shape as well (to help make my booty stand out!), and then added fierce side cut outs to accentuate my waist.

Then I waited several months to even get a first look at my gowns! They were all hand crafted in Tel Aviv!

#2. FINDING THE VENUE

This was really hard. We spent several weekends driving all over California trying to find the most magical, whimsical venue that “hadn’t been done” before. I basically wanted a modern day castle on the West Coast. So, my sister and I looked into renting out private estates.

The problem? Well, at first, a lot of the listings we ran into were fake! Some websites collected pictures of gorgeous venues in Italy and France and then put it in a gallery to trick brides! Then when contacted, they told me to pay a fee to see the venue. Like…what!!??

So after running into a bunch of those scammers, scouting numerous hotels, countless wineries, and some beautiful homes – nothing felt right.

I was exhausted from looking, so I took a break for a couple months.

Then one night…I came across a random real estate listing that ended up leading me to the PERFECT venue: The Solomon Estate in Rancho Mirage, CA.

When Sam and I first walked onto the property late January 2018, we fell in love!! It oozed glamour, class, and Gatsby vibes all with a west coast feel.

The best part? We found our dream wedding planner. When I first met Laurie Lund of The Events Department (she’s the planner for this specific estate), I was drawn to her positivity and her energy. She’s such a happy person!

I told her everything I wanted to do (which included miniature horses and other crazy wild ideas at the time), and she was ALL IN. To be completely honest, I do not think our dream Enchanted Oasis wedding would have happened as seamlessly as it did without Laurie. Not only is she an experienced veteran in the wedding planning business, she’s so giddy and happy about all the details as if it were her own wedding! The woman is amazing and truly made my journey to wedding day as fun as can be.

(Oh yeah, and just for fun, there’s a “mini” lake in the front :P)

Finding the venue is what set the tone for the wedding theme. Three themes that really stuck out to me were “Enchanted Forest”, “Boho Desert” and “Tropical Jungle”. I cannot tell you how many hours I spent on Pinterest (probably thousands) trying to figure out what I wanted. When I couldn’t find a theme that was exactly what I was going for, I decided to mesh them all together to create our own: “Enchanted Oasis”.

#3. THE INVITATIONS

Now that we had our venue, and we knew what the theme was going to be, the next step was to create the invitations! I wanted to set the tone for Enchanted Oasis RIGHT AWAY so that our guests could start dreaming up what was waiting for them!

I knew from the beginning of time that we HAD TO  have acrylic invitations! (Thanks Pinterest.) I also wanted it shipped in a classy box so that the whole opening process would feel luxurious.

The logo you see of “Sam & Cassey” came to be from a bunch of doodles I was making back in February. I had an issue with “Sam” looking like “Jam”. It took a while to figure it out!

I am fortunate to have learned graphic design and how to use Adobe Illustrator back when I was an intern at a fashion design company in college. Those are the same skills I use today at work! And the same skills I used to draw the custom monstera leaf cut out for the acrylic. (The leaf was my sister’s idea by the way.) There wasn’t anything like that on the market (boy don’t I just make wedding planning so easy on myself…LOL) so I had to find someone to custom laser cut the acrylic leaf shapes for me!

Then I ordered supplies, DIY’d hard, and made an assembly line at home. My sister became a pro at folding cardboard boxes and I fine tuned the art of stuffing small boxes with live moss. It was tedious labor.

Though oftentimes unsure of why I have to make things so complicated for myself, Sam understands my hunger to embrace art and design. He’s always so supportive! I am proud to say that Sam and Jackelyn’s boyfriend Nick helped on the assembly line too!

#4. THE FOOD

Sam and I are foodies. We love eating. A lot. In fact when we first met, we both gained so much weight because we explored restaurants and even fast food joints as a hobby. Hahaha.

Since Sam and I are of two totally different cultures, we wanted to unite our guests through food. So, we worked with Fusion Flair to create a totally authentic menu that would represent both the Chinese and Vietnamese flavors for my side while also paying tribute to the Israeli and Jewish side for Sam. Instead of doing a sit down plated dinner, we got everyone up and tasting “cultural tapas”!

Ah yes, the tacos. No they are not Asian or Mediterranean, but they were there to represent our life in LA okay!!??! And we didn’t end up going with the tomato soup and grilled cheese (though it was super good) and opted for a vegan gazpacho instead to be more veggie friendly!

The tasting was SO MUCH FUN and we were SO FULL. Chef Heng did an incredible job with the food. Everything was extremely flavorful and delicious.

#5. THE CAKE

The one cake that Sam and I both equally love is Blue Velvet Cake. Have you ever tried? If not, YOU MUST. We first discovered it at MILK in LA when we first moved here together. It’s so buttery and dense! With fresh blueberries and thick cream cheese frosting (ugh I am salivating as I write this), you cannot go wrong!

So we knew even 5 years ago that our wedding cake HAD TO be blue velvet! I called up MILK to ask if they could make our wedding cake, but unfortunately they’re not in that business. So we asked our wedding planner to help us find a bakery out in Palm Springs that could help make our cake. Laurie recommended Exquisite Desserts and they did not disappoint!

Here’s what our tasting looked like. All sorts of cake flavors and a wide variety of frosting flavors. Everything was SOOOOOOOO GOOD. But nothing beat the blue velvet. So, we decided to go all in and get the ENTIRE 4 tiered cake all in blue velvet with cream cheese frosting!

#6. THE MATCHA BAR

Sam and I LOOOOOOOVEEEEEE matcha!!! So much so that we even made a shirt that is one of our best sellers on POPFLEX:

Since I don’t drink alcohol, and I know some of our friends don’t either, I wanted to create a unique bar experience. We thought that in addition to the regular bar bar…why not also have a matcha bar!!??

I reached out to my friends at Midori Matcha and asked if they’d be down to make this happen. They had never done a matcha bar for a wedding before, but were excited to make it a reality for our cocktail hour!

Midori also catered the matcha desserts table for the reception! Above is a photo from our initial tasting. OMG everything was SOOOOOOO GOOD – but ESPECIALLY that matcha croissant. I basically LIVE for it.

If you guys are ever in Southern CA, check out their newest Midori Matcha Cafe location in Old Town Pasadena at 165 S. De Lacey Ave #1049, Pasadena, CA 91105! They also have a cafe in Little Tokyo and Orange County!

#7. THE FLOWERS

Did you know that the amazing person who did the flowers for our wedding also did the flowers for the Bridal Bootcamp series?

Jeany, the owner of Lovesome Blossoms is also a POPster and she reached out when she found out that I got engaged! It was so special to have a florist who I felt connected with!

The photos that inspired everything floral for the wedding were this cupcake photo from Baker P (OMG look at that color palette)…

…and this whimsical chuppah photo from Mark’s Garden.

To create the “oasis” look, we decided to incorporate some tropical greenery! We specifically chose to decorate with the Monstera leaf – yes, the same leaf that I drew out for our acrylic invitations  – to bring out the tropical-ness!

#8. THE LIGHT BOX TENT

In 2016, Sam and I went to Australia for my POP Pilates tour and while there, we walked through one of the most beautiful structures I had ever seen!

This light tunnel was so magical. It never left my thoughts. So when it was time to design the outdoor tent for our dinner reception, I knew we had to recreate some version of this!

Here’s a picture of me admiring the tent construcuted by BRIGHT 2 nights before our wedding. At this point, it was totally still in progress and did not have the hanging florals and glass orbs that Jeany would later suspend from the top!

#9. INCORPORATING PETS

Before we got our puppy baby love Sir George the Magnificent, I wanted to have a miniature horse walk down the aisle with our flower girl! Yes, totally leaning in to that magical theme. But then…in January 2018 we were blessed with our first puppy, so we canceled the horse idea and began thinking of interesting ways to have Sir walk down the aisle!

(Don’t mind his back arm – he just got a shot at the vet and they had to shave him!)

At first I was like, maybe he should float down the aisle in a hot air balloon! Then we deemed it too dangerous.

Next, I was like, let’s have 4 men in tuxedos carry him down the aisle in a Cleopatra style bed! Jackelyn and Sam were like NO.

I thought I was close when I decided that we should construct a mini rose parade float for him to ride on! But there was no way we could find someone small enough to “drive” the car beneath the float.

Finally, Jackelyn had the genius idea of having him drive down the aisle in a fancy car.

BOOM. So that’s what we did.

#10. THE FIRST DANCE

Sam knows I love dancing, so when it came time for first dance discussions, there was no negotiation that it would be a choreographed number! I was so surprised at how much Sam embraced the lessons and the rehearsals. In fact, most of the time, it was HIM who initiated dance practice at home!!!

“New Light” by John Mayer was our song of choice. Why? We just liked the song! We learned a fun two step by our dance teachers at Your Night Choreo!

#11. THE CALLIGRAPHY

My goal for 2018 was to learn how to do calligraphy. I NEVER expected to do it for our wedding, but when the person who was supposed to do the calligraphy bailed on us, I was left with no choice but to do it myself! Through numerous YouTube videos, one live class, and tons of practice, I eventually got here:

Not bad, eh!?

I am still trying to find my style, but I am proud of how far I’ve come in less than a year! I’m glad that person bailed because the situation made me a better calligraphist!

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Cassey Ho (@blogilates) on Oct 13, 2018 at 10:08am PDT

#12. THE SURPRISE

Concerned with cocktail hour (I’ve been to so many weddings where this time period is just so awkward and boring), I wanted to have an activation that would get everyone talking and having a good time!

First I thought…tethered hot air balloon? We tried, but then found out we didn’t have enough space.

Ferris wheel? Eh, but then kinda scary.

Maybe a rotating swing set!? Someone’s gonna be whacked.

Then I thought…wait a minute…a carousel!!! A carousel would be so whimsical and magical! The imagery of our friends in their evening gowns riding the horses with their legs swept to one side was all I needed to lock down the idea!

This was no easy feat though. The Solomon Estate did not have a carousel. We had to bring it in. It was almost impossible at first because we were told that the big semi truck could not fit through the side of the house to get to the backyard.

But then Laurie had an incredible idea. Bringing in the pieces one by one, by hand. Amazingly, Christiansen Amusements agreed and made it happen!!!!

YESSSSS now that is the level of commitment to excellence that I’m talking about!!!!

Oh boy.

That concludes part 1 of the Enchanted Oasis Wedding series! The planning!

If you loved the visuals but want EVEN more, watch me and my sis talk ALL wedding deets with over the top giddy-ness in my latest YouTube video!

Until part 2…tell me…what would your dream wedding be like?

The post I GOT MARRIED!!! How I Planned my Wedding | Enchanted Oasis Part 1 appeared first on Blogilates.

I GOT MARRIED!!! How I Planned my Wedding | Enchanted Oasis Part 1 published first on http://www.blogilates.com

[theinfiniteabysses]

Sunday and Monday, Sept. 6 and 7, 1998, and the few days following were like none other in central New York. In the early morning of Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, the derecho which came known to be called The Labor Day Storm shook Onondaga County and surrounding areas.

Source: syracuse.com

In my opinion: CNY is lucky when it comes to weather. That’s not to sound smug. What I mean by lucky is that we upstate New Yorkers don’t really have to worry about frequent drastic instances of nature we can’t control. The frequent arguments include rants about winter being too long and there’s too much snow.

People will forever complain about the amount of snow that falls, and the majority of these winter naysayers have yet to move away. Hypocrital whining has evolved into white noise. No amount of snow can compare to such natural duress brought on by tornados, hurricanes, and the like.

Cue Hurricane Irene’s unwelcomed and destructive appearance in 2011. Mother Nature, you’re drunk. Go home. Oh, wait…

After the bludgeoning, I headed down to Hunter, NY, to assist with cleaning up. Wear clothes you don’t care about, it was told to us.

The region looked like a surrealist’s painting. Streets and sidewalks that once lied flat throughout the community of rolling hills were now cracked, pavement separated from the ground, and uplifted sidewalk/street sections broke down the center to and met at a point.

Sewage, mud, and septic tank contents coated the ground like brown icing. Homes were in left in various conditions, safe to inhabitable. The residents were in the best spirits as they could have been.

Yet, a baker’s dozen years before we feared, albeit temporary panic. What yielded was minute anxiety compared to our Catskill, downstate counterparts.

I also had never seen my father jump into action as quickly.

The derecho entered very early in the morning. The rain and wind started simply as the equivalent to knocks on the door, but the kind of knocks you didn’t want to open the door for. Instead of dealing with the [type of occupation] salesman, the politician or lackey looking for signatures, the religious folk, or whoever, it was best to turn off the television and pretend as if no one was home.

But the severity of the storm escalated. The rain picked up. The lightning flashed. The thunder clapped. The wind whipped up and grew stronger to the point where the whistle changed from panflute to the intensity of a train’s.

Cue my father. Get up!, he yelled, not sugarcoating the concern. Go down to the basement!

What I do remember is quickly a beloved childhood stuffed animal. There was no telling of how severe this storm was going to be. In the midst of panic and while fearing the worst, there was justification with instinctively grabbing some semblance of positive memories.

The four of us sat silently in the dark basement. It wasn’t after the storm had passed my father explained himself a bit. He didn’t spend a lot of time in Nebraska but briefly went to university there before moving back to northern New Jersey. He said the winds there were fierce, and when the kettle whistle wind sounds more like a howl from a train — get your ass to safety.

My father and I spent some quality time walking around the neighborhood, checking out the damage and if anyone needed help with anything. My father has never been afraid to lend a hand, and this situation was definitely no different.

The power was out throughout our suburban commune. Homes, vehicles, and other possessions were affected, but trees and other weaker natural aspects took the brunt of it all. We ended up losing five or six trees that year. A few exterior issues were noticeable.

My bowl cut was still intact. (See below.)

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Sophomore year of high school was postponed for three days. At the same time, the storm extended summer, but it prolonged the inevitable. Tenth grade wasn’t a bad year, especially since my teeth were relieved of braces and I decided to get contacts.

As terrible as it was to have to endure something unfamiliar as the storm, the neighborhood still speaks highly of the few days. We had a heck of a lot of fun. There was no thought of a resurgence. As previously stated — this storm was a rare one. It was a freak occurrence.

So, it’s 1998:

Cellphones were just starting to take off as a thing.

Video game consoles were in their fifth generation:

Nintendo 64

PlayStation

Sega Saturn

Some music that came out that year:

Beastie Boys, Hello Nasty

Beck, Mutations

Big Pun, Capital Punishment

Elliot Smith, XO

Garbage, Version 2.0

Jay-Z, Vol. 2 … Hard Knock Life

Kid Rock, Devil Without a Cause

Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Marilyn Manson, Mechanical Animals

Massive Attack, Mezzanine

Placebo, Without You I’m Nothing

Outkast, Aquemini

Pearl Jam, Yield

Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come

Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe

Smashing Pumpkins, Adore

Movies in 1998:

What a great year for movies. Too many to list. Google it.

Transitioning to what present youth would whimsically refer to as life off the grid or an effing nightmare wasn’t bad.

Face it, change is inevitable. I’ve put up resistance numerous times. I still do. The concept of time isn’t voluntarily learned. Even as a mid-teen, the rotating hands of a clock didn’t [seem to] have as much momentum as they do now.

We were always outdoors. Not waiting for AOL to buzz and hiss for what seemed like forever was not a big deal. Not having lamp posts made the neighborhood extremely dark, which was perfect for rounds of flashlight tag or Ghost in the Graveyard.

Importantly, the neighborhood never felt more like a family. We’d eat meals together (the food had to be used up before it went bad) — I ate 16 slightly larger than saucer-sized pancakes one morning — and we’d have community bonfires at night. There were no worries. The majority of people in our part of the neighborhood — our borough, whimsically — of the development was present, laughed while seated in a circle beneath the stars.

  BLOG UPDATE: "September 1998" -- A look back at the Labor Day Storm derecho #labordaystorm #derecho #FBF Sunday and Monday, Sept. 6 and 7, 1998, and the few days following were like none other in central New York.

[emilyemcnabb]

Sarah and Ramez’s Destination Wedding in Florence

Sarah and Ramez were accustomed to the large weddings of their culture—they even met at one! When it came to their own nuptials, however, they preferred an intimate affair where their guests felt like they were on vacation. And what better vacation than the breathtaking scenes and stunning views of Florence?! Planned by Exclusive Italy Weddings, vows were said in a traditional Coptic Orthodox ceremony at Chiesa di San Salvatore in Ognissanti followed by an incredibly romantic celebration at Villa di Maiano. Garden party vibes were accentuated by florals EVERYWHERE by Tuscany Flowers and guests enjoyed the outdoor dinner seated to view the sunset over the city. The couple enlisted the genius of Katie Mitchell Photography to capture all the details of Sarah and Ramez’s stunning destination affair and we’re thrilled to be sharing the photos with you today.

How did you meet, how did you become engaged and for how long had you been engaged before your wedding day?:

Ironically enough, we met at a wedding! It was about 5 years before we got married, and we were actually both unsure if we were going to be able to make it (it was in Canada!). At the time, we both were focusing on catching up with old friends and family and weren’t in the “single and ready to mingle” mind set but another guest: “Mike from Toronto” introduced us and we will forever be indebted to him. We talked a while and Ramez tried to drag me out to the dance floor a few times but we missed each other at the end of the night and didn’t say goodbye. I came home to a Facebook message from him and while it was a little cheesy, much to my surprise I had no inhibitions talking to him. We would have long chats about our closest family and friends, our life aspirations, and eventually what we expected from the friendship. At the time, he lived in California and I in Virginia so long distance was difficult at times but we knew it was worth trying. One of my favorite things about him is he was bold enough to express his feelings for me yet allowed a natural progression of our relationship. A few months went by and he came to visit me in Virginia. My family fell in love with him just as much as I did and I knew it was right.

Ramez proposed about 1 year before the wedding, he had an elaborate plan for us to go skydiving and on the way down he had his friends hold up life- sized signs asking if I would marry him!! We were all set to go but before we got on the plane to jump, the winds changed and it was considered too dangerous. He was able to come up with an alternative, and took me to a winery where his friends emerged from the background with the signs! It was one of our favorite days but we’re still due for our skydiving date!

What was most important to you when planning your wedding?

In our culture, we tend to have extremely large weddings (think +300), but we wanted our wedding to be more intimate and make our guests feel like they were on vacation with us which is why we decided on having a destination wedding, so location was very important to us. We came up with Italy because it was the perfect location that gave us the romantic vibe we were looking for but also had ancient roots and and a rich culture.

We wanted our wedding venue to have amazing views and what’s a better backdrop than the city of Florence?! Villa di Maiano is perfectly positioned on a hillside that overlooks Florence so for dinner, we had everyone seated so they could view the sunset over the city.

Your outfits and accessories – what made you choose them and what did you love about them?

I always had a vision about my dress, I wanted something dramatic but romantic and tasteful. I imagined a lace dress with a low- cut back, I must have visited 10 different bridal stores before finding the perfect dress but when I tried it on, I knew it was the one! I love the dress because to me, it’s elegance is timeless yet it still had a “wow factor” to it that made it unique.

RAMEZ: We wanted a break from the norm of grooms in black tuxes so I wore an royal/electric blue, and thought it would make me stand out that much more from my groomsmen who did wear the traditional black tux. We also love how sharp the groomsmen looked wearing their ivory pocket squares which matched the bridesmaid dresses. The list goes on and on for accessories! I wore Pantherella merino wool socks, Calvin Klein loafers, a T.M. Lewin Marcella wing collar tuxedo shirt, a Tissot watch given to me by my father. Perhaps my favorite accessory though were the Italian flag cuff links I purchased for me and my groomsmen. They were elegant, but also very fitting for a wedding in the Tuscan Hills!

What made you choose your flowers/general decorative arrangements?

We wanted lots and lots of flowers at our reception, so the idea of a pergola with hanging flowers over the guests tables captured the garden feeling we were looking for, we hung lanterns from the pergola for warm lighting at night. We wanted to match that with floral table arrangements that were full and lower to the table to balance out the look. From there, with the help of our planner and florist we came up with the gazebo floral arrangement for the sweetheart table and around the chandelier on the dance floor. We were blown away by the results!

I initially wanted a bouquet of peonies but our florist told us they were out of season in July but then I saw this amazing round bouquet of garden roses on Pinterest that my florist was able to replicate. I fell in love with it and wish I could have brought it home to the states with me. The bouquet was simple, pale peach garden roses with no greenery, but since my dress was intricate, I thought it was the perfect balance.

Tell us more about your ceremony including any readings, any special moments and your vows:

We are Coptic Orthodox which is one of the most ancient denominations of Christianity so our wedding ceremonies are very traditional. We are robed and crowned as a symbol of becoming king and queen of our new home together as we take the responsibility of making our home in a sense, a Church, where God will be the center of our marriage. We embrace our traditions and couldn’t imagine doing it any other way.

  Where there any DIY elements?

Though it was difficult to transport items from the US to Italy, we wanted to give our guests a favor that would be memorable to our location so we asked Villa di Maiano for bottles of olive oil that they make and we tied “Grazie” notes to each one for our guests. Since the wedding, many of our guests have told us they use the olive oil when they cook. We love that our favors were a little taste of Italy and something our guests could use when they came home.

My sister, Marina Salama, was pivotal in our wedding planning. We were both first years in residency and dental school so our hours were long and we were exhausted by the time we came home. She was so helpful in keeping us encouraged and worked to make our vision into a reality. A lot of the time, she was the point person that would be speaking to our planner and vendors and did a lot of research with our vision in mind, this wedding truly couldn’t have happened without her help! She understood what we were looking and worked tirelessly to make sure we were happy and we are forever thankful for her. By the way, she did this when she was 7 months pregnant! Talk about superwoman.

What was the vibe of your day? What colors/styles/themes did you use?

We wanted the vibe of the day to be whimsical and romantic which is why we wanted our reception to be outdoors with an emphasis on the flowers to make it an elegant but airy garden party. We kept the color scheme simple, mostly shades of ivory, white, and peach with gold accents seen in the flowers, the tableware, and the decorative pieces on the tables. Our tables were full of vases and delicate candle holders and votives. While it was a formal event, we still wanted everyone to feel relaxed so we decided to have long tables to make it feel more family style.

        What was the most memorable part of the day?

This is an almost impossible question to answer, but if we had to pick we would say we loved the moments we had alone after the ceremony. Driving through Florence in an old school Bentley and taking pictures at some of the cities most famous landmarks had to be the highlight for us. It was the first time in the day when the nerves seemed to settle and we were able to just catch our breath, and process the fact that we just got married. Those private moments we spent together, and the undying smiles on both of our faces in the car on the way to the reception were moments we will never forget for the rest of our lives!

If you could impart any words of wisdom to a couple planning their marriage and their wedding day, what would they be and is there anything you would do differently?

We would tell anyone planning their wedding to try not to stress too much. That’s certainly easier said than done because ultimately everyone has different opinions and there are just so many options out there it’s hard to pin it down! Pick the most important 3 elements for the wedding day to your (ex: the food, the entertainment, the decor) and focus on those initially then tackle the rest. Be prepared for a few set backs and always be open to other options. Ultimately, your wedding will always be the most memorable to you, no matter what!

  Wedding Video at Villa di Maiano Florence from Marcoabba on Vimeo.

Photography: Katie Mitchell Photography // Wedding Planner: Laura Frappa of Exclusive Italy Weddings // Second Photographer: Fontaine // Floral Design: Tuscany Flowers // Stationery: Minted // Preparation Venue: Florence with a View // Ceremony Venue: Chiesa di San Salvatore in Ognissanti // Reception Venue: Villa di Maiano // Videography: Marco Abba // Dress: Pnina Tornai, Dress 4372 from Kleinfeld Bridal // Veil: Kleinfeld // Jewelry: Swarovski // Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo // Groom’s Shoes: Calvin Klein // Groom’s Watch: Tissot // Groom’s Attire: 3 Day Suit Broker // Hair and Make Up: Laura Navarinni // Décor, Styling & DJ: The Alma Project // Transport: Alterini // Caterer: Galaeto // Cake: Sugar & Spice

  The post Sarah and Ramez’s Destination Wedding in Florence appeared first on Grey Likes Weddings | Wedding Fashion & Inspiration | Best Wedding Blog.

[opalmothnightingale]

Me and You and Our Separate Battles (Opposites Deactivate and Deflate Each Other, Oftentimes, Sorry to Say)...

1- 23- 18 - 

Me and my daughter are sometimes opposites.  Me and my husband too.  What was common and shared, the bind, the core, between my husband and I included similarities as well as opposites...  Because it was a case of like, pendulum between togetherness and separateness.  We liked to see the separate spheres the other excelled within, even if we couldn’t partake of that dance and felt a degree of envy or vulnerability..  To be so inept where the other had so much potential and skill.  We had dreams, of supporting each other in our dreams...  Each in our separate dreams, but also together dreams, which was the only thing that really kept us together.  If we’d been all only opposites, it would not have worked for us, because I have never been drawn to total opposites and partnering with them intensively...  I am too individual and intense in my expressions which would be put out like fire under water... Destabilized and deactivated, dismantled my kingdom, my dreams and visionary schemes, my projects...  and, my ideals...

Which my husband pretty well did, extinguished the spark.  He changed so that little did even remain for me to feel was in common even though truthfully it was not so bad as that at all, but just my narrow interests and compulsive drives and obsessions weren’t satiated by him any longer...  What compelled, wrapped our lives together and obsessed us together no longer did that for him...

Who had lost his spark, his spunk, his drive and compulsion,..  Burned out the last bit of the wick and no more was our fire mutual, but his earth and his fire, his fire the fire of force and opinion, recklessness, impulsive activeness, no longer the fire of thought and creativity and soul searching and deep darkness exploring...

All abandoned by the man who had decided he could become something else that suddenly riveted his whole existence...  So practical, so mundane, pragmatic,..  Dull as dust, to me...  Even as he kept a lot of his open mindedness, but not so much he could live it daily in a visionary lifestyle, that was what I felt I needed and was compelled towards, but was what he felt bored and tired and intolerant of...  And abandoned completely...

Even telling me he didn’t know I had only wanted to be with him because of the idealistic, dreamy, inspired, passionate visionary life we shared, intellectual and creative.  

He said he forgot or that he never knew.  I wanted to strangle him, over and over over the years...  Because I had told him this repeatedly, emphatically, and in great depth.  I felt he could not have possibly not known or forgotten.   I was raised to think people were dependable, promises could be kept, devotion could be for a lifetime and people wouldn’t just “forget” such emphatically discussed, mutually pulled apart and built together things,... dreams.  Plans.

And I wonder if he was lying.  Surely he didn’t forget.  He just was trying to play with my head,...  to make me feel there was no way to discuss it with him, ... because he could use the excuse... and,...  so, of course, then he left me with no sensible reply to his big fat lie and escape of responsibility.

I should have known if someone had taught me to never trust and never depend on people for your future,... your dreams, partnership,... loyalty, devotion... 

And dependability...  Perseverance.  Focus.  Deeper values and integrity, instead of distractible hyper running around looking for fun and laziness all the time or pursuing extravagant amounts of money and social impressiveness, at the cost of friendship, family, deeper thinking, relationship problems and sincere efforts at conflict resolution, deeper or more extensive learning and development of their hearts, minds, selves, visionary dreams... 

It’s kind of like they just gave up,...  My friends...  They just found it too difficult and found it too easy to fall in line...  with the rest of life and the world...

It was like my husband couldn’t try to resolve conflicts and instead would play endless psychopathic games and level extreme misery and extreme insane levels of stress, agony and dehumanizing hate and emotional violence, on me,..  rather than try to really dive deep and work on his problems...  

Taking out his frustrations with his work or his lack of achievements he had wanted...  Like my dad was with my mom, only over much more trivial junk my dad attacked my mom... Not enough salt on the peas, and other insane ridiculous garbage, leading to hours of fuming abuse... Nightmare revisited...

Taking this out on me, in the form of controlling attempts to change our lives according to his whims... as if his whimsical changes would grant him happiness, but really the happiness he wanted could only be found through inner work..  and he didn’t have the patience or inclination for that... 

And also he developed a severe inability to work on our conflicts...  Rather it was always his way or the highway,...  He could never be wrong.  He could never bend,...  on many issues...  Not that he never did ever work together or change but it’s like we worked out some conflicts, and he cooperated but with many conflicts, he became completely intractable, controlling, dominant and excruciatingly

I don’t know why...  Maybe after so many years of pain with me and him, he shut down and lost his mind...  He became so abusive towards me...  Even though he was not like that in the early years, several years, of our relationship...  Why do people change like this to become hateful abusers to those they once cherished and nurtured?

He had vast extensive control over many issues of our lives...  Even though these were totally valid and huge issues that he should have been willing to work with me on...  It was as though he made the choice to shut down and never again open his mind and heart and become a hard headed, hard hearted person.  

As though narcissistic fears of inadequacy or fears of abandonment made him lose his mind and turn into an attack dog for hours, weeks, however long till I gave up and let him tyrannically control the issue at hand.  

So people abandoned what seemed most meaningful and important and relationships, deep caring and working together...  Marriages fell apart, friendships were abandoned, idealism and visions were totally forgotten in favor of materialism, fun and distraction and work and normal social behavior, normal chit chat, normal interests, etc, etc...  So I have not a shred in common with these people any more...  (though my husband is not totally normal or I likely would not be able to even stay married to him at all...  truthfully,...)  

But, for me it is the opposite, I found it totally unbearable to fall in line.  I would rather become a underworld dweller, a drop out of society than to fall in line. 

I guess my sense of extreme authenticity is bizarre and totally extreme...  Lol  I guess it’s not that I’m better because left to my own devices I might have self desctructed.  

Because, yes,...  This world can be so hard and disillusioning for visionary types when they see so few visions and ideals are actually realistic in the world and many areas of life and for many people...  

So instead, most people fall in line with society’s roles and normal behaviors when they see how stifled and oppressed idealistic visionary things are in the real adult world...  

So.  They fall right into line with the normal stuff,...  Yes,...  Just the same old stuff...  Stuff they once mocked and shunned and cringed from...  Like me...  Like I still do, but they embrace them while I still run far the opposite way...  They now embrace the very things I have felt repelled by from the start \

...and thought my friends did...  thought their values, passions and visions would last through their adult life too, instead of turning to unidentifiable, unmemorable mush...   until they fell in line with the rest of society as they grew up...  Ugh!!!  

How could they just change so much to something entirely different?  I don’t know.  I guess they were not ever as extreme as me, in their passions, maybe.  In their drives, obsessions, narrow interests...  The absolute compulsion towards authenticity,...  Lucky them because they were not destroyed by the drives that had no outlet...

Lucky me now though because my drives are finally finding an outlet, one that they thought, I thought never existed... But it does, it’s just only very rare, extremely rare... 

I want my daughter to see this reality, this rare world and self expression, from a young age and on through life, as she grows up and never feel like the world has crushed and consumed, rolled her up into its ideas...  

Yes...  I want her to always know what is possible and her ideas and ideals and visions do have a place in this world, after all...  And, they always will...  

A rare window into this world of possibility and depth and flow so generally abandoned, denied and attacked.  

Maybe the people who taught me that others could be dependable and consistent...  My parents, who taught me to fall into another’s world, with trust, and blend my life so vulnerably...  Maybe they could teach me this, leave me so open to being destroyed and used totally... 

Maybe they grew up in worlds and times when such things were actually dependable.  Maybe their whole worlds were so small that the dependable rules they believed in were more commonly followed...  Being a dependable consistent idealist is much more uncommon.  Being a dependable normal person like they were, conservative, fundamentalist-tinged,..  it is common.  

At least, somewhat... More so in the past maybe.  

Which had pros and cons, because some of the fundamentalist beliefs and values were really truly good values and behaviors.  

But these days,...  

These days, it seems,...   T to me, that flaky cop out avoidance and abandonment are common, and looking back all my friends did this to me,...  

Or most of them.  Others changed personality and became delusional so I couldn’t stand to hear them and they wouldn’t listen to reason,... Just continually bombarding me with extreme intolerable hate the world, can’t do anything about my misery with my life, kind of stuff that made me want to just hurt myself if I had to listen to it... 

Urgh!  So contagious and smothering was their mire on my already frail mental health...  Oh well then...  I tried but I can’t be misery in company...  It would be the death of me, quite truly literally..  

I have to find how to keep this inertia and misdirected, undirected chaos from overtaking me or my daughter,... Even if we’re opposites in many ways.  I can’t change or teach my husband who has hardened into self righteous narrowness instead of cooperation and learning...  But my daughter still has a chance to not be like the narrow, self-destructing or other-destructing ones, but can learn to thrive where others shut down their minds or hearts and forget anything else is even possible...  

We don’t have to be opposites that fight, but only if we each choose to work together...  That goes for any opposite type personalities.