#I don't hate the concept of romantic-comedy;

[m34gs]

call me weird but I think rom-coms without the forced "hate each other but also wanna fuck each other" chemistry (let's be honest, there's some where it's such a stretch it's ridiculous) and without the "love interest does some sketchy as fuck shit that should really have this story end with a restraining order or is entirely stupid/offensive but gets played off as The Most Romantic Thing Ever" can totally be great.

[sapphic-agent]

Let's Talk About How Book 3 Ruined Aang

If you've seen any of my prior ATLA posts, you know that I don't hate Aang. In fact, I quite liked him in Books 1 and 2. He was flawed, as all characters should be, but the show didn't shy away from those flaws or justify them. He was called out for burning Katara and rushing his firebending, Sokka and Katara were rightfully upset when he hid Hakoda's letter, he willingly owns up to the fact that his actions helped drive Toph away, and his entire arc after losing Appa and finding hope again in The Serpent's Path was beautifully done.

(Hell, even in The Great Divide Katara says what Aang did was wrong and he agrees. It's played for comedy, but the show still makes the effort to point out that what he did wasn't the right thing to do. You're just meant to understand that he was fed up and acted off of that)

Those flaws and mistakes were addressed and improved upon and helped Aang to grow as a character.

But for some reason, that aspect of Aang's character was completely flipped in Book 3.

The best examples of this are in both TDBS and EIP. Both the show and the fandom are too quick to brush off that Aang kissed Katara twice without her consent, one of which after she explicitly said she was confused about her feelings.

(And yes, she is angry in response and Aang calls himself an idiot. But after this, it isn't really addressed. They go on like nothing happened for the rest of the episode. Aang's lamentation comes from screwing things up with her romantically, not that he violated boundaries)

The show never really addressed why what he did was wrong. Not only because he wasn't given consent, but also because both times he isn't thinking about what Katara wants. In both instances, Aang is only thinking about himself and his feelings. This is something that persists through a lot of the third book. And by Sozin's Comet it ultimately ruins any character development he had built up in the second book.

One thing I feel was completely disregarded was the concept of having to let go of Katara in order to master the Avatar State.

For me, the implication wasn't that he had to give up love or happiness necessarily. He was emotionally attached to and reliant on Katara, to the point where she was needed to stop him from hurting everyone around him and himself. This is obviously detrimental to his functionality as the Avatar. And the point of him "letting her go" wasn't that he had to stop caring about her, it was that his emotional dependency on her was stopping him from being the Avatar he needed to be and that was what needed to be fixed. I don't even think it's about the Avatar State itself, it's about being able to keep your emotions and duty as the Avatar separate.

(If you look at Roku, he loved and had a wife. It wasn't his love for her that messed everything up, it was his attachment to Sozin. He wasn't able to let Sozin go and not only did he lose his life for it, the world suffered for it. It's the unhealthy attachments that seem to be detrimental, not love itself)

And Aang realizes that in the catacombs, which is how he's able to easily enter the Avatar State and seemingly control it. He let Katara go.

So then why does it seem like his attachment to Katara is not only stronger, but worse in mannerism? He liked Katara in Books 1 and 2- obviously- but he was never overly jealous of Jet or Haru. He only makes one harmless comment in Book 2 when Sokka suggests Katara kiss Jet.

But suddenly he's insanely jealous of Zuko (to the point of getting frustrated with Katara over it), off the basis of the actions of actors in a clearly misrepresentative play. Katara showed a lot more interest in Jet and Aang was completely fine with it.

(Speaking of EIP, Aang's reaction to being played by a woman was interesting. He wore a flower crown in The Cave of Two Lovers. He wove Katara a flower necklace. He wore Kyoshi's clothes and makeup and made a funny girl voice. He willingly responded to Twinkle Toes and had no issue being called that. And for some reason he's genuinely upset about being played by a woman? Aang in Books 1 and 2 would have laughed and enjoyed the show like Toph did. His aversion to feminity felt vastly out of character)

I guess my point is, why did that change? Why was Aang letting go of Katara suddenly irrelevant to the Avatar State? It felt like him letting go was supposed to be a major part of his development. Why did that stop?

Myself and many others have talked about The Southern Raiders. The jist of my thought process about it is his assumption that he knew what was best for Katara. And the episode doesn't really call out why he was wrong. Maybe sparing Yon Rha was better for Katara, maybe it wasn't (the only one who's allowed to make that choice is her). Pushing forgiveness? That was wrong. But the episode has Zuko say that Aang was right when the course of action Katara took wasn't what Aang suggested.

Katara's lesson here was that killing him wouldn't bring back her mother or mend the pain she was going through and that Yon Rha wasn't worth the effort. That's what she realizes. Not that she needed to embrace forgiveness. How could she ever forgive that? The episode saying Aang was right wasn't true. Yes she forgives Zuko, but that wasn't what Aang was talking about. He was specifically talking about Yon Rha.

And that was wrong. Aang can choose the path of forgiveness, that's fine. That's his choice. But dismissing Katara's trauma in favor of his morals and upbringing wasn't okay.

I know it sounds like this is just bashing Kataang. But it's not simply because I don't like Kataang, in my opinion it brings down Aang's character too, not just Katara's. But let's steer away from Kataang and Katara for a minute.

The one thing that solidifies Aang's character being ruined in Book 3 for me is the fact that he- at the end of the story- does the same thing he did in the beginning.

He runs away when things get hard.

Aang couldn't make the choice between his duty and his morals. So he ran. Maybe it wasn't intentional, but subconsciously he wanted an out. And this is really disappointing when one of the things he was firm about in Book 2 was not running anymore. His character went backwards here and that's not even getting into the real issue in Sozin's Comet.

There's been contention about the Lion Turtle intervention. For many- including myself- it's very deus ex machina to save Aang from having to make a hard decision. And that in turn doesn't reflect kindly on his character.

Everyone- Sokka, Zuko, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen (who was another Airbender and was raised with the same beliefs he was and would understand which was the whole point of him talking to her)- told him he had to kill Ozai. They all told him it was the only way. And he refused to listen to any of them, rotating through his past lives until he was given the answer he wanted.

And before anyone says that I'm bashing Aang for following his culture, I'm not. Ending the war peacefully, in my opinion, wasn't the problem. In a way, I think it allowed the world to heal properly. However, that doesn't make up for the fact that Aang refused to make a choice and face the consequences of that choice. Instead, he's given an out at the very last second.

Even if he couldn't kill Ozai and someone else had to deliver the final blow, that would have been better than the Lion Turtle showing up and giving him a power no one's ever had before. It would have been a good compromise, he doesn't have to have blood directly on his hands but what needs to be done needs to still get done. It would also show that being the Avatar isn't a burden he has to bear alone. That when things get hard, he can't run away but he can rely on the people closest to him to help him through hard decisions.

All these issues aren't necessarily a problem with Aang. Aang prior to Book 3 didn't have most of these problems. This is a problem with the way he was handled

[starry-bi-sky]

for clone Danny, Clone Damian

I give you

Edit Clone Talia as somehow Girlfriend of Danny, just think of the comedy

nah brO BECAUSE LITERALLY I HAVE THOUGHT BOUT THAT. Literally since the conception of Clone Danny, I have thought about it. If only for, as you said, the COMEDY of it all. Plus I love writing romance.

Literally my motto for my aus is: A) is it plausible, B) is it FUNNY (and a secret third option C) is it ANGSTY)

Clone Talia would be an offshoot au of Clone^2 because idk how she'd fit into the original timeline, bUT, she'd exist. And to avoid confusion I'll call her Nasra - I thought about Tameka (which means twin) but I like Nasra better. "Talia and Nasra" just flows so nicely doesn't it?

Idk WHY there's a clone of Talia running around -- maybe the LoA made her, maybe n unknown organization who hates Batman and knows he has romantic ties to Talia, and started making a clone of her to fuck with him and then she got nabbed by a portal when she was still Danny's age and in the middle of training. She might be like Connor (??) and have memories and thus her training is more proficient than baby Dames.

Either way, regardless of how she was made, I think it's hilarious if she, much like baby Dames, immediately attacks Danny on sight. She falls into his city and Danny only has a moment to go "goddammit not agaIN" before he's fending off a very confused, very violent Nasra. Fortunately he's able to actually try and talk to her and be at least somewhat successful -- Nasra knows english. although even if she didn't, Danny would still be somewhat successful since he knows Arabic.

Also Bruce and Danny are the battinson bat because i think that is also hilarious and 'wet rat' is STILL the perfect energy for Danny as Phantom - especially in the early days when he's running around in all but jeans and a hoodie. (and god watch me go on a rant in a separate post about his outfit and reasonings for being Phantom when he has no powers later on because it makes me go FERAL. and his active choice to look as inhuman and ghost-like through his behavior as phantom and the decision to wear such a creepy mask as possible)

(like seriously, imagine walking home late at night while danny was still in his early vigilante days (and even now when he's got damian and a better suit) and seeing a skinny figure in the shadows with sunken in black-and-glowing-green eyes, and a bone white, skull-like face, crouched on all fours like a wild animal about to pounce. THAT is the level of creepiness I was going for for clone danny)

In my head, Sam offers to house Nasra and Nasra stays with her. SAm is able to convince her parents to let her stay, or she pulls a Danny and just straight up smuggles her in and her parents are none the wiser. I also think it's funny if they have unspoken BEEF with each other. Only to later become like sisters. Nasra teaches Sam the martial arts she knows, and also Danny joins in too with Damian because goddamn he needs it even IF he's learning stuff from his mom (as per the most recent snippet post I made).

OH AND DAMIAN AND NASRA. I think it's equally as funny if they ALSO have beef with each other. Nasra is a clone of his mother (of whom he might have complicated views on due to being a clone but still is his mother) and Damian is a clone of Nasra's "son". This beef largely starts from Damian's own refusal to want to share his Danny with another clone, especially with a clone of his MOTHER.

Danny and Nasra don't become lovers for a good, long while I think. They're besties first before they even consider the idea of dating -- not only just because of the whole "uhhh our counterparts dated so it'd feel kinda weird and forced if we dated" and also because Nasra, with her newfound freedom, is busy trying to figure out herself.

A big theme here in clone^2: discovering your identity and who you are as a person when the only thing you own that's unique is your name (which isn't even the case for Damian), and figuring out if your choices are your own or because you're a clone and its something your original would have done. Nature vs Nurture and the illusion of choice and whether it really is one or not.

Also Nasra also becomes a vigilante. Danny appreciates the help but is also tearing out his hair because what the fuck is up with these assassins and becoming vigilantes?! Nasra goes by "Nesha". She's similar to Red Huntress at first where she kinda does her own thing, but is lowkey forced to team up with Danny about it because she doesn't have any proper ghost hunting equipment with her.

And then a duo becomes a trio, and Danny is spending more time with her. And they steadily become friends. Very snarky friends who are very bratty to each other, but friends. Damian still doesn't like her so Danny spends extra time during patrol keeping the two of them from making insults at each other.

"Nesha please stop fighting with a nine year old. Wraith, quit insulting Nesha."

Nasra also uses like, weaponry as Nesha which exasperates Danny a little because why are you using swords??? They're already dead its not gonna kill them,,,, If you cut off their heads its just gonna piss em off, its re-attachable. Let him ghost-proof it first too. But well, its still gonna HURT he supposes. He's still a little exasperated.

And MMM i'm sorry lmao im so focused on Nasra becoming her own person than the actual romance aspect of it all. Nasra cuts her hair short for the same/similar reasons that Danny keeps his long - to try and gain a semblance of autonomy and identity that's away from their original. Danny has his alternative rock-kinda geeky look and Nasra's got, from influence from Sam, a more alternative fashion style. Although she still leans into being feminine, which is a good challenge to Sam's belief that feminity = bad, and gets her to unlearn those bad habits since her new adoptive sister is feminine while still being an unapologetic badass.

And ykw I think Nasra gets into rollerblading and loves it. She rollerblades constantly. Damian is furious because skating is his thing (even if what he gets later on is a skateboard - skater boy damian ftw. i can see him wearing flannels and graphic tees as a teenager. very grungy/skater aesthetic. He also has a much more relaxed and teen-y speech pattern compared to DW's more formal way of talking. He also spray paints as his form of artistic medium.) and he refuses to have Nasra be a copy of him.

They will sort out their differences eventually. LMao.

Anyways they eventually do get together, but not before Danny finally has his run in with Mister Wayne. Which, they only meet because Danny starts destabilizing, and thus needs Bruce Wayne's DNA to help stabilize himself. Which that meeting in and of itself is pretty chaotic on its own, but then add clone Damian and Nasra? Bruce needs coffee.. or alcohol.

Because picture this: its late at night, you're on patrol with the rest of your family. It's like, two in the morning. You suddenly get a call in from your butler, Alfred, informing you that not one, not two, but THREE children -- two of them in their late teens and the other one not even ten yet -- showed up on your doorstep. One of them is unconscious. They are all clones.

The girl and the boy are twins - and are clones of YOU - and the girl isn't even technically YOUR clone she's a clone of your clone - and also this clone of you is your college friends' kid. And then the youngest boy is a clone of your youngest SON. Bruce is running across rooftops when he gets this call and does a literal 180 degree turn and touches the ground because he basically did a figure skating turn, and sprints back towards the manor because what the fuck? He needs to check this out.

And then half a day later a clone of your fucking ex shows up on your doorstep demanding to see the clone of you - the boy that is, not the girl - and then immediately gets into a verbal lashing with the clone of your son. Like what a fucking DAY. Your kids are equally as baffled but also laughing their asses off -- except your bio son, who is very unhappy about this turn of events and keeps getting the stink eye from his clone.

Like??? I'd quit right then and there.

While Danny recovers he's staying in Wayne manor and Damian is very reportedly not leaving his side. Ellie has to leave to help take care of Amity Park with RH, and then Nasra is also very determinedly not leaving his side either. This is her friend dammit. The first thing she does when he becomes lucid is insult him, and he insults her back - they're bantering. It's how they flirt later on. None of the Bats know how to deal with this situation.

[thebreakfastgenie]

I got a little ranking request for you: What are your Top 5 best and Top 5 worst Billy Joel music videos?

Omg okay. This is so hard!!!

Top 5 best:

Turn the Lights Back On

This is the one that makes me the most emotional. It's not even the AI younger versions of him, although those are great, but the old footage they put in at the end. Oh my god. It gets me every time. And when he turns the page from Famous Last Words at the beginning.... it gets me every single time. It's really beautifully made and I'm so glad we have it.

2. The Longest Time

This is a nice simple concept and I really love it. The old age makeup is a little goofy but it's worth it to me. I love seeing the band singing together in this one! The lyrics are romantic but the video is about the group of friends and it's nice.

3. You're Only Human

Billy Joel called this video terrible but he's just mean. It's cheesy but it makes it work. I think the cliche of homaging It's a Wonderful Life actually helps, because it doesn't take itself totally seriously. I like the narrative videos, which he would hate, but too bad. This is the only song of his that I enjoy significantly more with the video. He's great in it! He gets to ham it up and be silly and then he does the scene where he takes the kid to see the cops informing his parents that he's dead and he gets that look on his face. My heart. Playing the Piano Man riff on the harmonica is such a perfect touch. It really personalizes it and takes it from being a straight It's a Wonderful Life scenario to being a message from Billy Joel himself.

4. Pressure

This one is a really great example of surreal music videos that raise more questions than they answer. I think it's just really well-done and the effects are cool. It has some funny little easter eggs too, like "William Joel, age 29, occupation computer software."

5. A Matter of Trust

This is more of a performance video, but it has just enough narrative setting to it to make me interested. I like the rehearsal concept, even if seeing him play a guitar is weird. The comedy beat with the lady yelling at them to shut up is fun. Everyone in the street stopping to listen is predictable but it works. And the cameo from Christie and Alexa is adorable. "Okay girls, A Matter of Trust!" my heart!!

Honorable mentions that I adore but didn't make this list because I think these 5 are better: Keeping the Faith, She's Right On Time, Uptown Girl, We Didn't Start the Fire, Tell Her About It.

Top 5 worst:

Zanzibar

I don't even know what's going on here. He's released two other animated videos in recent years and those are both pretty good. This one is just weird.

2. Piano Man (1985)

I don't think either Piano Man video should exist, but between the two of them this one is worse. I hate how literally it interprets every line, I hate how brightly colored it is. I don't know if it's supposed to be comedic or it's just 80stastic but it's not dark and gritty like the song is in my head. This video represents everything he's ever said is bad about videos. I have my own extremely clear vision of the piano bar in my head from the song and this is getting in the way. Among the reasons this one is worse, it's very obvious when you look at him that it was filmed in the 80s, not the early 70s. His hair is completely wrong.

3. To Make You Feel My Love

There's no point to this, they just needed a video because they put this out as a single with Greatest Hits Volume 3. It works slightly better for Hey Girl.

4. And So It Goes

I have nothing against this it's just completely pointless. It doesn't add anything to the song. The only good part is the shot of his hands playing.

5. The Downeaster "Alexa"

I just don't like how it's edited and I really want this song to have a better video.

The only ones on the worst list I really feel strongly about are the first two though!

And then there's Sometimes a Fantasy which is both the worst and the best.

There's a video limit but I can link it.

I honestly think it's pretty well made and I really enjoy it but it's weird and it makes me feel a little gross. It just... is.

Thanks for the ask!

[house-of-tykayl]

Is there a mandate in Teen Titans Go where they say Robin and Starfire are never allowed to be an actual couple in the show?

I don't understand why they don't want them to be together they make Starfire reject Robin.

I don't think it would cause any problem if they become a thing, they can still make comedy jokes in the show while being in a relationship at the same time.

i think TTG is a low effort parody show, so to change something fundamental to the original concept (having TTG robin chase TTG starfire) would take too much effort. the show would have to replace the conflict of unrequited(?) love with another conflict funny enough to move an episodic story forward for an infinite number of seasons.

so yeah, there probably is a mandate/rule (in the show bible or something) to prevent TTG robstar from becoming "official"

(also if you dont find the idea of TTG robstar being unrequited funny, then tbh i feel like TTG's kind of humor and even the original concept of TTG just isnt for u... it's not the 2003 cartoon v2, it's a parody and always was. by this point i feel like it (TTG's parody elements at least) are such a specific kind of humor that 89% of people won't enjoy it, and thats fine)

anyway there's also how TTG had more sincerity in season 1 when it was more like a really weird sitcom, where the titans' relationships (while still subversions of the 2003 cartoon) were mostly genuine bonds even if they acted like lobotomy patients sometimes. the comedy had limits and the characters had empathy. so if TTG robstar would ever have a chance at becoming anything near canon, it would have been back in s1, though still unlikely

but later seasons of TTG can be very mean spirited, overly cynical and deconstructive, depending on who is writing the episode (assuming the episode is even character focused at all, which became less common over time). the show went from a parody of the 2003 cartoon to a parody of everything besides the 2003 cartoon lol. sometimes i feel like post season 1 some of TTGs writers took the mob hate to heart and let negativity poison the original sitcom premise before slowly selling out

so i dont think genuine relationships between the TTG titans can happen anymore, some of the writers hate the characters enough to have broken up their friendships (someone even messed with cyborg & BB once omg), let alone the romantic relationships. except maybe that doesn't matter either because TTG resets most of its continuity every episode?? ironically TTG could still turn the ship around in terms of the series' tone and direction, though i doubt they will if the current direction makes more money

weirdly enough whenever TTG shits out another AU thing, like the big 2018 movie or the night begins to shine universe, suddenly theres unironic robstar shipping/hints in it that are soooooooo cute. besides being shipper bait this is probably because those TTG AUs feel removed from the main TTG series, so their stories feel more free like they're allowed to be sincere again, like the main show's original season 1.

unless the romance is supposed to be a joke, it needs sincerity in order to work. and its impossible to write sincerely when youre a contractual writer buried under 300 layers of irony and cynicism who doesn't even like the show youre writing for... and thats what i feel happened to the main TTG show ,compared to some of its AU stuff

tl;dr i just cope and pretend like TTG is still the goofy sitcom it used to be, partially coz season 1 TTG robstar had the (admittedly very low) potential to be real, and even if it didnt happen at least their friendship was consistently sincere. and very cute

[merakiui]

Here is one for you!

⚡️Lightning - Have you ever spontaneously added something to your story that you wouldn't have added normally? If so, what made you do it?

And a surprise addition! Are there any WIP you have unfinished that you aren't sure you will even come back to? If so, why?

(ask game)

⚡️Lightning - Have you ever spontaneously added something to your story that you wouldn't have added normally? If so, what made you do it?

I have! When I first started writing DRU last summer, I wasn't sure how to begin the story. Riddle and Cater weren't planned to be in the fic, as it was mainly a story focused on the trio and the reader. In the early version of the story, Idia was intended to play a role in the plot. I had very basic ideas in mind, but none of them were satisfying enough.

In the midst of my agonizing over where to start, I found an unfinished wip titled "Mimicry," in which you're stalked while you work at an old-fashioned diner with Riddle and Cater. The very first diner scene you read in DRU is actually taken from that wip! I was reading it again and I liked the aesthetic of The Devil's Delight so much that I thought to add it into DRU along with Riddle and Cater. I'm very happy I did because from there the story took such a lively shape!

As for the surprise question, there are quite a few unfinished twst wips I have that I'm not sure if I'll ever return to. There aren't any reasons for why they're unfinished. Although maybe it's because I'm not sure if anyone would find these plots interesting. >_< I'll list some of them below.

the devil and his halo -> it was a story in which you escape an abusive relationship only to meet Jade, and he offers you stay with him in the meantime. He's so creepy and you think he's living a double life of some sort, and after a week you think anywhere would be better than here. But Jade won't let you leave.

npc syndrome -> a story in which Idia traps you in a virtual world and you have to find a way out within a certain timeframe otherwise you'll be his forever.

grim reaping -> less of a yandere story and more of a romantic comedy, in which Grim Reaper Idia is summoning for his favorite character in a game just as you appear before him without warning and meaning. Sadly, he loses his 50/50 in the game and now he's stuck with you, a recently deceased mortal who is begging for a second chance at life. Idia tells you that second chances aren't freely given; they're earned. In order to do that, you have to accumulate enough soul points to be worthy of reincarnation. This is done by doing good deeds to ease the weight of the burdens from your previous life on your soul, which have followed you into the afterlife and have made it impossible for you to settle. Idia hates to be bothered with work and wants nothing more than to be rid of you, so he agrees to take you under his wing and help you get the amount of points needed so you can have your second chance...and so he can return to being a gamer.

monops's reflection -> I wrote half of it and stopped because I hit a writing block for that story. Looking back, I realize the concept of "Jade wanting what Floyd has" is similar to The Most Dangerous Game and so I don't think that story will ever be posted because it follows a similar concept. ^^;;;

moray pit -> this was somewhat of an obscure horror concept I had in which a small pool appears in a shallow cove one day. It looks shallow from the surface, but it goes rather deep and is a tight space that the average human can't quite venture in without getting stuck. People in your small town have started referring to it as a wishing well because if you bring an offering to the pool and drop it in it's said that what you desire most will appear. However, you must never stick your hands into the pool and try to pull up what dwells within. The last person who did that was dragged in and never seen again. But that's just a myth meant to scare people away. Or so you think until the area is roped off and put under investigation after too many souls have disappeared. Foolishly, you accept the dare from a few of your friends and stick your hand into the tiny pool, disobeying all the posted warnings. Some say your fingers will grasp seaweed, others claim the smooth weathering of gold coins. Maybe you'll feel skeletal fingers reaching for yours or a smooth tentacle curling around your wrist in greeting. In your case, you put your hand down there, feel a face that is not quite human, and for a moment all is calm. Until your finger is bitten clean off. :) that should have driven you away for good, but oddly enough you can't ignore the alluring tug the moray pit has on you.

[superblysubpar]

Okay I love seeing inside people’s brains when it comes to movies because it’s like a little peek into someone’s soul so let’s go for 27, 39 and 40 ! (Sets of threes are satisfying?)

Oh my god I love it too, that's probably why my answers are so long-winded with these. It's also fun to talk about movies with people! I don't have many people in my outside of tumblr life who watch movies as much as me, or the same types of movies, so it's fun to talk about it here, because I've been asked. Also, absolutely sets of three are satisfying, three is actually my lucky number too, so I always take it as a sign 🥰

27. are you enjoying the remaking of old films or do we need to get creative and do something new?

(So sorry, I can't shut up about this topic and I'm gonna get soapboxey)

Ugh, I am definitely not. I think there are exceptions, ones that have turned out great, but I think those are ones that truly took the love people had for the original and spun it totally new and creative way (which isn't a lot of them) or they're just totally new stories but in the same universe as a franchise (the new star wars movies, Alien Romulus, etc.)

But like, really, I hate it. SO MUCH. My husband has had to listen to this rant for months, a year, idk. I've actually discussed this with a few people, but I think that's why Stranger Things did and does so well. The Duffers took a lot of inspiration from movies and shows and just the era in general of the 80s and there are so many subtle and not so subtle hints to these and they just do it so well...like that's why people like it. It's nostalgic and reminds us of those movies but it's a totally new story. A totally new concept. And I just wish more writers and more production companies understood this.

It's a HUGE thing I want to do with my own writing, particularly my screenplays. Like, I love romantic comedies, I miss the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s rom coms - BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD JUST REMAKE THEM. Why do we love them? What can I put in my movie that makes you nostalgic for those great films, but is totally new? I think that's also why Anyone But You did so well. Number one, it got a theater production budget, not a straight to streaming budget - which isn't that crazy of a difference nowadays, I'm sure - but for a rom com, it is, and it's a big deal. Plus the marketing, the time, the resources, there's just more of it. But, it also did so well because people could go see it in a theater, and subconsciously, I think this made everyone feel nostalgic for the rom com blockbuster days. We used to see rom coms in theaters guys, and now, now we get straight to streaming that are, let's be honest, hallmark rom coms. WE NEED NEW STORIES. WE NEED BIGGER BUDGETS!

This is actually why I deleted a bunch of the fics I was gonna write off of my "She's Seen All The Classics" masterlist. I think the ideas I had for those fics are actually great opportunities to spin classics on their head for a real screenplay. There's one I'm particularly excited for and I'm gonna start officially writing the screenplay for soon, but it was my Dirty Dancing/Footloose fic. I'd literally protest if they remade Dirty Dancing, but my screenplay is going to be a major homage to it, but a totally new storyline.

Anyways, long story short - no. I'm not enjoying it.

39. in your opinion what is the most underrated movie?

Oooo...okay. I'm gonna list a couple, and while they're fairly popular, I just don't hear people talking about them as often, and I think they are fantastic films.

"DOPE", "The Burbs", "Someone Great", "Yesterday", "Booksmart" and "What If"

40. a film you think everyone should see at least once

Oh my god this is so hard...um....

OH my god how do I answer this?

Maybe the movie "About Time"? I just think there's a lot of lessons to be learned from it, but it's also a sweet rom com that I think is a bit underrated?

🤓 ask me a movie question!

[paragonrobits]

my usual response to being frustrated, upset or otherwise filled up with Bad Feelings I can't really do anything constructive with is to try to channel it into creative ideas or concepts so at least I can do something constructive with it and work through it in the process, but when it comes to frustrating experiences with fandom, such as the increasingly widespread hatred for the concept of superheroes overall (often in a deeply strange 'risking yourself for strangers and not only your friends is EVIL' way) I honestly have no idea to apply that

like... I SUPPOSE i could mangle the weird takes I find particularly frustrating (like the powerscaler overhyping of characters, disinterest in any character beyond onesided easy wins and combine that with fandom stuff I dislike such as over emphasis on romantic pairings that were never going to happen or the ever popular Alpha Male x Cinderella fandom conceit, and the hate for heroic characters that prioritize strangers over personal gain or the well-being of their friend groups) but

i dont really know how to actually do something like that. It's a pretty straight forward concept but is it really possible to create something worthwhile out of that? it feels a bit like immersing myself in the hatred when I explicitly don't like that at all

obviously I can rework that concept into something more palatable but that might feel contrary to my actual purpose of 'this thing annoys me so I want to make a villain out of it for my characters to punch, but in a recurring comedic villain sort of way or a rival to overcome'

and I have to wonder; is this creatively dishonest? If I make a less objectionable character out of a premise I inherently dislike, doesn't that defeat the purpose of using it as a baseline for an easily punched problem? And conversely, from the opposite POV, if I immerse myself into a thing I DON'T like, isn't that something similar to Garth Ennis and him writing The Boys as a deeply misanthropic, jaded and acidic work all about his characters viciously murdering thinly veiled parodies of various superheroes?

If i make more sincere characters out of that, whether or not they're evil or obnoxious goofballs that keep showing up in lighter stories to annoy my main characters, is that a more sincere thing? Iike, using the Annoying Thing as a seed and having some vicarious joy in fighting it, but otherwise taking it seriously or playing it for comedy without any real vitriol in it??

Genuine question here, does anyone here have thoughts on that???

[ladyluscinia]

I don't often block purely for bad takes found in the wild, but what the everloving fuck is this:

"Uses the toe thing against Ed". Is this person insane? Huh? Are you insane? If Izzy - who got his toe cut off in the middle of the night and fed to him by his boss, and then was immediately expected to jump to following orders - uses this against said boss, you're going to take this as validation he's abusive and in fact worsening his abuse.

Abuse against Edward? The boss who cut his toe off???

Izzy???? Who you yourself admit in your post that you can't find an example of making an unambiguous threat of harm (worse than "watch your step") or committing any sort of physical violence against Edward!

If he is, idk, upset about being maimed in his sleep in the next season (which may actually start with the wound getting worse?), then that's a fucking DARVO tactic now that baby's first psych 101 course has introduced you to the concept???

We are supposed to see this as DARVO abuse tactics in - and this is crucial to remember - in the Gay Pirate Romcom????

The Gay Pirate Romantic Comedy that a fairly mainstream (how is this take not from a batshit corner of internet?) section of the fandom believes (???) wrote a bigotry motivated domestic abuse arc between their love interest and the primary loser antagonist. You know. As a fun little side thing. Where it's a deep examination of how abuse isn't always so clear by having the character in the position of authority be the only one to commit physical violence and the undeniable abuse victim at the same time. This makes sense so stop questioning it, because if you do you are an abuse apologist and probably a racist.

What. The Fuck.

Like this is so far beyond character wank or just having piss poor media interpretation, and naturally they ended with snide remarks toward everyone who hasn't completely rewritten the show to believe this over the past year. You know, in case you thought it was just limited to character wank. This is... I don't even know what this is. Forging new roads of making up shit in "your blorbo sucks and my blorbo is perfect" discourse to actively harass people over.

(If anyone with zero context is stumbling across this I cannot emphasize enough that genuinely the dynamic in the show is two pirates being kinda shitty to each other with divorce vibes. Antagonist tries to get his boss's new boyfriend killed because he hates the boyfriend as a person (and to advance the plot), boss punches him in the face, <insert laughs>. Despite how gruesome the toe thing sounds, the humor is pretty violent so like the boss isn't an abuser either. He's super sympathetic (he was having a bit of a breakdown) and literally just needs to say sorry to mark his character growth. It's a romcom.)

[isindismay]

Thank you to @hannibalcatharsis-zero for the tag!

1. are you named after anyone? Business name, no. Social name, yes. I don't use either here.

2. when was the last time you cried? I hate that I teared up a little over Colin From Accounts. Help, I have lost my immunity to romantic comedies. Really cried, I don't remember. Last year maybe?

3. do you have kids? Not my scene

4. do you use sarcasm a lot? No, never! (subtitles: often)

5. what’s the first thing you notice about people? Clothes and hair

6. what’s your eye color? Brown

7. scary movies or happy endings? Either/both

8. any special talents? Making connections between concepts and ideas with wild abandon. Usually I'm told this is inappropriate. Occasionally it is helpful.

9. where were you born? In a pub, almost

10. what are your hobbies? Writing, reading, video games, photography, attempting to keep fit, singing, dance, voice acting, regular acting.

11. have you any pets? Cat

12. what sport do you play/have played? Does karate count? I am too much of a lone wolf to play team sports.

13. how tall are you? Pretty tall

14. favorite subject in school? Art

15. dream job? Related to the previous question, I used to want to draw for Disney. Other than that, movie director.

tagging (if you want to): @gothwizardmagic @thekittyburger @harvestar @reticentral @deviltownresident @kacilier @miladdio @jam-the-hologram @folklorerimmer @littledangerouspie @small-cs-traffic-warden @celery505 @rose-lalonde-fangirl @mystrothedefender @feline-ranger @pheonixed @wizardcunt & anyone else who wants to play

[nimata-beroya]

For the emoji ask game!

🌧️

💧

☔️

🌦️

(PS if you feel like it, can we hear more about Betrothal? 👀)

🌧️Share something angsty from your WIP.

Since you ask, @lost-in-derry, (thank you so much for that, btw) let me tell you about the angsty part of The Betrothal. I don't want to spoil too much, but besides being an Order 66 didn't happen AU, this also is an Arranged Marriage AU. Both Kallus' and Zeb's fathers are Senators and arranged their sons' marriage as part of a deal. Kallus is just resigned to it, his father doesn't care if he wants or not, but Zeb hates the idea as soon as he hears it. He warms up to it after spending some time with Kallus. Kallus has reasons not to like or trust Garazeb, and yet, he can't resist his charm.

That's when everything goes south, and I'm not telling you how or why, but they both end up at the hands of slavers (I haven't decided if Zygerrians or some other). Zeb is taken as a slave immediately to be a fighter, but *for reasons*, Kallus is confused as a slave trader. He plays the part until he can figure out how to get Zeb out there. But as if that wasn't enough, Kallus is a veteran of war (and Onderon happened, not for the same reasons, but with the same people and same result), so guess who also happens to be among the fighters (the champion to be defeated)? If you thought Gerrera's Lasat mercenary, you'd be correct.

☔Is there a fic concept you have that you'd like to just explain and share because you're not sure if you'll ever write it? If so, what is it?

I already answered it here, but I have so many ideas, that you're in luck. Let me tell you about another fic.

I want to write a fic with Cal Kestis and Merrin after Jedi Survivor where Cal struggles with the Dark Side. The idea is that one day he loses control again like he did in Nova Garon and Katra is present. After he regains control, he senses fear coming from her, so he thinks she's afraid of him. In reality, she's afraid FOR him. She already lived something similar with her dad and that didn't end well, so...

Anyway, it's an excuse to write a moment between Cal and Katra, plus Merrin and Cal being adorable together 😆

🌩️ Share something funny/cracky from your WIP.

I've said before, and I'll say it again. I don't write funny, comedy, or crack. I'm bad at it. So this snippet might not be as funny as I think it is. But whatever… It's from The One to Survive.

The high-pitched, mechanical voices of a pair of B1 droids come from the end of the hallway, “Did you hear about Vee-Tee Seven-Six-Four?” one asks.  “Yes, his operative system got corrupted. Started thinking he could use the Force.” Dropper, Clawbird, and Onix share a look. Even when hidden behind his helmet, Onix senses Dropper’s wide eyes. Clawbird’s shoulders shake at the rhythm of their silent laugh. Onix tries to ignore the absurdness of that statement. He has heard nothing more ridiculous in his life. A second later, he’s proved wrong. “Is he going to be a Jedi now? How’s that work?” “It doesn’t. The commander shot him.”

💧Share something romantic/hot from your WIP, or just something sweet if it's gen.

Well, this for Crosshair and my OC Katkris, and it goes under the cut because it's HOT and kinky 😏🔥🥵

TW: anal fingering, praise kink, D/s dynamic

Kat is kneeling on the bed between Crosshair's thighs. He looks so beautiful to her lying in bed, naked. His skin glistens with beads of sweat, and his cock lies on his stomach, hard and flushed. He's the perfect picture of decadence. He has his eyes closed, and his face is pinched with concentration when Kat slowly pushes two fingers into his greedy ass. His body swallows them, offering just a slight resistance as she slides them deeper.  “You’re doing so good, baby. That’s it. Open up for me like the good boy that you are.” The praise provokes a familiar reaction: Crosshair’s ass muscles clench slightly, and he turns his face away into his arm, trying to hide the growing flush in his cheeks. She knows what praises do to him. They are a double-edged blade, eliciting both satisfaction and embarrassment at the same time. It satisfies him because her praises fulfill his great need to feel valued. It’s something that he got satisfied with in the past in the most toxic ways, and it has taken time and effort to unlearn unhealthy behaviors. The embarrassment comes with the difficulty of accepting a compliment, even when deserved. Also, he sees it as a weakness, knowing that he’d do almost anything to get simple praise from her.

[blueberryshelves]

_______________________________________________

Book Review

Title: The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic Author: Linsey Hall

Series: Charming Cove, book #1

No. of Pages: 356

ISBN: 9781648820311

Synopsis:

So here’s the deal—I’m a magical disaster. A witch from a family of witches, and the only one whose magic blows up in her face. Which is why I came up with my rules…

1. Never get involved with magic

2. If you must get involved, do not enter a competition to win the biggest magical fortune in England

3. And definitely don't fall for Callan Hawthorne, the sexy billionaire mage who you've hated for years

So how the heck do I end up in a situation that promises to break all those rules? It's the only way to save Seaside Spells, my family’s magical potion shop.

But it’s cool. When I go back home to Charming Cove—a village of ancient pubs and foul-mouthed familiars—I will totally ignore Witch Weekly’s Sexiest Man of the Year. I’ll win the competition, and if I’m lucky, I won’t turn myself into a toad in the process.

This'll be fine. It’ll all be fine.

Riiiight. The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic is a fun, frothy romantic comedy full of laughter, love, and magical hijinks. It’s the first in a series of stand alone romances set in the seaside village of Charming Cove.

_______________________________________________

What did I think of the book?

The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 of 5 stars Romance Rules for Werewolves left me in a mood to read some more witchy stories, so I decided to pick up the first book of the Charming Cove standalone series. This is a very chill, cozy, and wholesome book with a neat concept. The beginning was funny and seemed like a stronger start than the werewolf story in the series, it just made more sense and didn’t feel as rushed. I enjoyed all the stuff about the plants in the book, the way the MC came into her own as the story went on was great, and I immediately fell in love with Boris the badger familiar just as much as I did with Poa from the third book. These familiars are so wonderful! Though I enjoyed this book a bit more than the third one, and the pacing was a lot better, the climax of the story sort of fizzled and didn't hold enough impact for me. But in saying that, there are enough twists and turns to keep things fun, so this would still be a great book to pick up to have a leisurely read on the weekend and relax with. Favorite character/s: Boris, the badger familiar. The little guy was a treat, along with Catrina. That girl's scenes were always fun to read, and her confidence in her own magic was inspiring. Callan and Aria, for how sweet they were when they worked together to accomplish things. What drew me to this book? The beautiful cover and the witchy concept. Stars: 4/5 stars because the dialogue was a bit rough, and sometimes the perspectives didn't seem optimal for the part of the story at times (as in, some scenes could have been better from Aria's perspective but were instead told from Callan's and vice versa, not always but sometimes), but other than that, it was a pretty nice read. View all my reviews

Check out my review for: Romance Rules for Werewolves, Charming Cove book #3!

Review for book #2 coming soon...

[2n2n]

Uuughhh not to be obsessed with AidaIro's Snow White every day but like *covers my face with my arm* this concept ..................................................................... of childishly and instantly falling in 1-dimensional love as a result of having little options in life, is in Snow White!!!

Rasphard manages to sneak out of his study room, when he is a young boy, and he incidentally meets the Princess (whom his twin brother is set to be the servant of, and in love with) ... Rasphard has never seen a young girl (crazily, he is like 8 and she is like 3???) ... he is immediately spellbound, in love. But, when he grows up... he does articulate, understand, that he doesn't have a real definition of love. He can't know what it feels like; he knows his feelings are the result of emptiness, lonliness ... while he believes his twin, Estelio, and the Princess, have an actual, real, earned, lived-in love. His life, his sparse interactions, deprive him of the ability to really assess anything he feels. His life in a vacuum, his love without context. What sincerity can he have?

This is something Iro-sensei can write with respect and love... you can play the game, and, you can be inclined to believe Rasphard really does love the Princess, that it's unfair of him to demean his own feelings as illegitimate due to his bleak life. How can we even discuss authenticity or practical reality of something like love? Does Rasphard have to wait years into his rehabilitation to respect his own feelings? What if someone is always lonely? What if they are never stable? What if that person they met, really was their soulmate, we're engaging in romantic narratives here, there's no need for the grueling realism of recovery for us, the audience, who want characters to have happiness. More to the point... Rasphard deserves love now. And his childhood love should get to be beautiful, not stupid. Though I think at the point of writing it, Iro-sensei is more bleak and unsure...

In this way I am SHOCKED Tsukasa can just up and kiss Nene-chan, that he ISN'T forfeiting Nene-chan to his twin brother like Rasphard does, but ughhhh that's so interesting. It's like therefor crazy meta for me for anyone to be like "ugh, Tsukasa can't really..." or "Tsukasa doesn't really feel..." or "Tsukasa's just crazy and..." like houhhhg 😭 Rasphard was depicted as clinically psychotic, struggling with delusions & reality, and as a result of that, did not trust or respect any of his emotions, on top of the isolation... did not feel he could or should have love. And as a crazy mfer it really made me cry .... lol. Not to get too real about it. I promise it's still just a silleh little heartfelt toilet comedy and you're not being like ... a bad person to hate some aspect of it, it's not so serious so don't read me too severely for my personal investment lol. But for me it's like, dimensionally wild irony to hear such things, it's like all the reasons Rasphard believed he should kill himself and save everyone else from his instability/burden are corroborated in a sick & twisted new age way, LOL AAAAA !

[nancydrewwouldnever]

I agree with a lot of the issues you bring up.

//

I see Ghosted as a spy/comedy film. I don't see the "high concept" part of this film. Cole flying to find someone he just met, is obsession and this shouldn't be normalized. I know the point of the movie is she ghosted him so he wants to find her, but they why this movie depicts it ain't romantic.

Hate to say it, but I think the whole "high concept" aspect they were selling is the role-reversal. That's it.

And to my eyes the way they've set up that role reversal looks incredibly close to handwaving toxic male behavior. We really don't need movies codifying stalking as "cute." I had a friend who was attacked and raped by a stalker ex, so, yeah, no, no thanks.

[gear-project]

Annon-Guy: Sorry if I already asked this, but what are your thoughts on Tsundere's, including the ones who comically attack their love interest? They tend to get a lot of hate for being "abusive". Example: Kagome from Inuyasha.

GP Mini-rant on Manga ahead: Readers HAVE BEEN WARNED!

I'm actually not very fond of Romcoms (Romantic Comedies) in terms of my personal tastes.

There have been stories like Seto no Hanayome (My Bride is a Mermaid) which takes abuse of the male protagonist to the extreme… and sometimes I have to wonder if there is some disconnect between people who understand men versus people who are fans of the female gender in Japanese Culture.

You have this "idea" where women are the dominant force in all relationships in the manga writing, be it Tsundere, Kuudere, Yandere, Yuri etc…

And counter to all this you have all these reincarnation stories where the male protagonist dies and gets reincarnated with god-like powers to dominate his own harem as an act of "revenge" against the women (mostly) who wronged him.

While I do like some elements in Fantasy stories (and even Harem stories on occasion)… like I said, there is a huge disconnect between Japanese culture and more realistic relationships out there, which suggests to me that Men or Male culture in Japan is highly diminished and separated from real interactions with women.

I'd also argue it's not all that different here in America, and let's not even dive in to the sub-categories of gender preference that people have enforced these days.

Rather, the traditional concepts of romance or even marriage and family has been tossed in the gutter, if not forgotten altogether by modern culture and beliefs if you ask me.

Maybe there are a "few" stories and manga/anime out there that claim to embody the genre "slice of life"… But which slice of WHOSE life? What's "normal" anymore?

I'm not saying that it's all bad or inconsistent writing, or even that the manga out there isn't worth reading… some stories are REALLY GOOD… But I am saying that a lot of it is unrealistic and not very wholesome to readers without understanding the underlying culture as context.

There's different ideas of what is "funny" or "humor" and minor differences in culture without any explanation can really transform a joke between friends in to a controversial offensive debate.

Inuyasha (and its spinoffs) have been around for many MANY years… so that brand of gag humor is consistent with the author themselves, but a lot of that humor is better expressed in the manga, rather than how it is interpreted in the Anime adaptations… especially considering the idea that Kagome's relationship with Inuyasha is much more seriously expressed in the Anime itself… (you can actually see this expressed more in the sequel to Inuyasha: Hanyo no Yashahime, particularly when the girls encounter their parents who legitimately love their children despite being half-demon).

It's somewhat like trying to explain Tsukkomi and Boke/Manzai comedy to people who don't get why it's funny (and even then, you can't guarantee that that brand of humor would be considered "funny" to some people).

Well… at the end of the day, there's manga you like and manga you DON'T like… and that applies to everyone.

I've got my share of reading lists, and not everyone likes what I read (in fact I often see a lot of people dropping the manga I read sometimes).

What this all boils down to is that if you want to find a type of character (male or female) that you "like", sometimes you won't find it in some cultures.

For example… if I were to describe my "ideal romance"…:

The woman is aggressive and passionate but also respectable and honest with herself… and the relationship is healthy and still reasonable (meaning they do consider marriage as a prospect in the future and don't take things too far unless their intentions are to stay together).

The man is adaptive, also reasonable, understanding, but also has his own standards but isn't particularly portrayed as perverse or obsessed with the female gender, rather he'd be "obsessed" with the person he falls in love with and have wholesome and healthy reasons for that.

The relationship wouldn't lean entirely on the man for support OR the woman… and you'd actually GET to see what a healthy relationship is like for a potentially-married couple. The responibilities and burdens both sides have… and how they support and help one another in a realistic setting.

If the manga story I've just described rings any bells to you, GOOD, that means there's still people out there who understand what realistic romance is like!

Well anyway… that's enough discussion on THAT topic… But well.. I do like my weird subgenres… reincarnation god mangas, super harems, monster girls, and other ODD stories… but well, even if they ARE unrealistic, at least a few stories have the sense of self-awareness to point that out to readers (I've seen a few good harem stories actually DO that with the struggles each female character HAS inside the Harem).

Part of the reason I read Harem genre is "because" it's complex, like a juggling act, and history has shown poligamy to be this mystical concept few people comprehend in romance because of our basic selfish nature to want to be FIRST in our significant others' thoughts.

Well that's it for now… If you ask me though, there's not enough Mecha and Science-fiction genre manga out there, emphasis on the SCIENCE.

[just-1other-nerd]

This post appeared during the perfect time because it is disability pride month.

Also I have had glasses since 6th Grade, it started at about -1 diopters and currently I'm around -4 diopters, I've already forgotten how well I saw when it was only -1 diopters let alone what life with perfect vision was like. I've worn my glasses every single day ever since I got them (never tried contacts), and my vision still got worse. I can't imagine living without my glasses, they feel like a part of me. And while the health care in my country covers the cost of the glasses (not the frame) themselves as long as you're a kid, you have to pay thoses as well once you turn 18. But like why? It's not like I've stopped seeing badly in general or like my vision stopped getting worse but I need my glasses to function properly in everyday life. I need them to find things, to drive a car which I need to get to work, to not stumble over shit that's on the floor, I need it to read text that's not directly up in my face, seriously I couldn't even type this without my glasses unless I held my phone about 10cm away from my face. Health care should cover this, period.

We also still need to normalise bad vision and glasses in media, just like we need to with other disabilities and disability aid. I mean compared to other disabilities there's lots of representation but it's oftentimes just bad representation and almost never the main characters unless they need a makeover scene. Extensively more about that under the cut.

For example Harry Potter proves how you never see a main character with glasses because the fact that you can put together a lightning bolt symbol and a glasses symbol and everybody immediately knows that you mean Harry Potter speaks for itself, his glasses wouldn't be this iconic if more non-nerdy characters had some, in fact it can only be this iconic because it's not common. And even so I think it's just unrealistic that nobody ever asked if they could put his glasses on, that's such a common behaviour of people who don't have glasses.

And it's not even like a character has to start out with glasses, authors can give their characters glasses as the story goes along, they can do so despite glasses not being a thing in the original concept of the character because sometimes people only notice when they get older, someone I know only got glasses when they were 21 for this exact reason because the last time they had their eyes checked was before getting their drivers licence. A good example for this is Jason Grace one of the main characters from the Heroes of Olympus books because he didn't even notice, someone else literally had to tell him.

Or all of those romantic comedies where the girl/guy is allegedly not that attractive just for them to take their glasses off during the makeover to reveal that they were conventionally attractive all along. People in universe always act like it's the glasses that make those characters ugly (which they often even aren't in the first place), like there aren't any pretty or stylish frames, as if there aren't people who wear sunglasses or glasses without diopters as an accessory. People acting like that are one of the reasons why I was initially sad when I was first diagnosed with needing glasses instead of being excited about being able to see properly again. And I get it, people who you're only used to seeing with glasses look weirdly different without them, sorta naked in the face, but different doesn't have to mean better. Oftentimes when glasses look bad on someone it's just because they haven't found a frame that suits them.

And despite never having tried contact lenses I can see the multitude of reasons why people want to wear them, so I get when a character prefers them and stops wearing glasses most of the time. But boy do I hate it when a movie/show starts to act as if they never had them in the first place, just show them waking up and stumbling into the bathroom where they insert the contact lenses as part of their morning routine that's all I ask for. One piece of media where this was just super infuriating to me was the K Drama Marry my Husband because the main character and the love interest had glasses and both of them had the obligatory makeover (which is fine you know) but before they had really cute scenes that were elevated by the glasses and partially wouldn't even have functioned without the shitty vision of those two. And I was so excited for a couple where both had those problems with vision and would understand and have similar routines even though it wouldn't be present most of the time but then they got out of bed and acted as if they never saw badly ever in their lives, like what? That's not how wearing contacts works! They should reach out and grab their glasses before they look lovingly at their sleeping partner because I know they actually can't see any details in their face. Another K Drama example is True Beauty where the makeover is a vital part of the plot so once again it's fine, I wouldn't watch something like that if I didn't like this trope on some level and I actually think they handled the glasses part of that makeover quite okay (not good but I've seen way worse) but damn was it ridiculous when the girl couldn't walk down the stairs alone because her glasses shattered and the guy had to carry her as if the railing didn't exist to guide her safely downwards, you know, the way blind people do.

Alex from Red, White and Royal Blue is a positive example for glasses representation because even though he almost never wears his reading glasses especially in front of people he has them and he makes clear that needs them and it's actually a great character detail which makes him more real that he only wears them around people who he feels comfortable around and who he trusts because he doesn't feel like it fits his image but he let's the people close to him see this part of himself. Glasses can actually be used to enhance and tell the story.

Haikyuu was also revolutionary to me personally because Kiyoko is regarded the prettiest girl in the whole school, almost everybody has a bit of a crush on her and she wears glasses. Nobody ever tells her she should take them off or suggests that she'd look even prettier without them, or that she looks good despite wearing glasses, it's not even a topic of conversation because she is just beautiful, with or without them. Also we have sporty guys wearing glasses, some on the court and others when they don't play (like Oikawa). The fact that they thought of finally giving Tsukki special sports glasses still makes me go feral. This is the representation I need.

Kids with glasses need to see that they're not a bad thing. Characters of all personalities and roles within a story should wear glasses so that people can see that they can take up this role as well. And the way people treat their visual aids (be it glasses or contacts) needs to be more accurate to reality. This type of bad vision which is so comparatively easy and uncomplicated to "cure" is one of the most common disabilities in all social classes, cultures and ages but if we can't even manage to represent that well - despite lots of people who are involved in creating whatever it is you consume being affected - how should we have hope that other disabilities can be well represented?

Made the mistake of bringing up that needing glasses is a disability on tiktok and people got real mad.

“You can fix it with glasses” yeah, cuz they’re a disability aid? But like, I still have to pay 160 bucks to use my own fucking eyes?

Like, by definition, if your eyes do not work without aid, you have a disability to see.

Having a disability doesn’t automatically put you in what people consider the “disabled” category, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is in fact, a disability.