#I’d pick phantom tollbooth

[rustbeltjessie]

Rust Belt Jessie’s NaPoWriMo 2023 Prompts: #17

favorite children’s book

There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we believe we left without having lived them, those we spent with a favourite book. —Marcel Proust, Days of Reading

I was a bookworm as a kid. I mean, I still am, but in childhood and adolescence, I would sometimes just sit and read all day long. Because of that, and also because y’know, my young brain was a lot more impressionable, the novels I read as a kid and teen are the ones I still love most ardently.

There are multiple ways to approach this exercise. They all start with the same first step: pick a (fictional) book that was one of your favorites when you were a kid, preferably one you first read when you were under the age of twelve. (If you didn’t start reading for fun until you were twelve or older, please feel free to pick a favorite from your preteen/teen years.) It doesn’t have to be specifically a children’s book, just one that you read and loved back then. (If I were to do this exercise, I’d probably choose either The Phantom Tollbooth or Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or Anne of Green Gables or Harriet the Spy or Little Women or The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe or A Wrinkle in Time or…)

After you choose, there are three different ways you can go with it:

Copy some pages from your chosen book, and make a blackout/erasure poem.

Write a persona poem, from the POV of one of the (major or minor) characters in the book.

Write about your memories of reading the book as a child, how it made you feel/still makes you feel, or something along those lines.

--

(This exercise is from my ebook of NaPoWriMo prompts, which can be found here.)

[guccifloralsuits]

hi we were talking about books yesterday and i was wondering if you have any good fiction recommendations? 😇😇😇

Yes, I have so many! I broke them down into relative categories, so there’s a little mix of everything. Please read the actual synopsis before diving in though, as some have major trigger warnings.

Books considered “classics”

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: a book which I come back to in hard times of my life. There’s something so…necessary about this story. Prose style was great. I would rec this book to every person I know.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virgina Woolf: I read this when my life seemed to be changing faster than I could keep up. Beautifully written. Came at a time when I needed it.

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys: written as a prequel to Jane Eyre and a modernist masterpiece honestly. THE original meditation on the ideal of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl

The Color Purple by Alice Walker: you’ve probably heard this name from the adaptation. Let me tell you. This book deserves all of its acclaim. I think I’m gonna re-read soon.

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austin: this is super mainstream for The Literary Circles but it’s for good reason, this book is just? Fun? An honestly enjoyable read? plus when I was taking my SATs way back when they had an essay section, I could use this book for literally any prompt they gave

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: this book is wild. Everyone is a messy bitch who lives for drama & I love it. I just finished it and omg

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath: my emo teen- girl rebelling ass ate this shit up back in high school. Is this book overrated? I don’t care. I love it for nostalgic value anyways

The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood: startling beautiful lines. I have almost half this book underlined. A popular read in recent times, with good reason.

A picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: I fundamentally disagree with everything written in this book. That is exactly the point. About being gay & sinning. I would not recommend this as a ��light’ read though. Easy to get swept up in Wilde’s sharp wit & not catch the intentional malice behind what he says, underneath.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: I just. Love this. That’s all I have to say. Yeah.gif

All The King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren: The nihilism of Oscar Wilde but set to a political backdrop in the 30’s with stylistic prose akin what you’d read from Hemingway. Probably not for everyone’s taste. But right up my alley in terms of political intrigue. If ur a stuffy English Major with who likes books about corruption, you’ll like this.

Popularized books that are worth the hype they had:

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls: there’s something so…engaging about the way this is written. It’s pretty much about kids who have to act like adults for their shitty parents. I couldn’t put this down though.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn: as with all her novels, this gets dark. This gets ugly. An absolute thriller, & I can’t recommend her books enough. (You might know her from Gone Girl & Sharp Objects. This story follows similar tone). Honestly I rec anything by Flynn.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman: you’ve probably heard of or seen this movie. Well guess what? the book is even better.

YOU by Caroline Kepnes: aka the adapted Netflix series where dan from gossip girl plays plays joe, who is basically Dan but Unhinged. But like, the books are great. “Hidden Bodies” which is the sequel to this is even better, in my opinion. Just plz don’t romance Joe cus you saw penn badgley in a Netflix poster & were thirsty 4 him

Lesser Known/underrated books which could use your love:

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley: A reimagining of King Lear, set on an Iowa farm in the late 1970s. Powerful and disturbing

The Gold Bug Variations by Richard Powers: specifically for classical music lovers. Basically a long meditation on supernal mysteries of music, specifically Bach’s intricate Goldberg Variations (you’ll wanna have the Glenn Gould recording to hand), & those of the DNA molecule (especially as a code to be broken) It gradually dawns on you that the two couples listening to the music and studying the molecule are themselves engaged in something strangely molecular and musical. You won’t always understand this book, but it keeps taking your breath away.

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn: did I buy this book solely because of this tumblr post? Yeah. But it was easily one of the best decisions I’ve made. The way he manipulates letter-language is wild. Woah. Highly recommended.

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window & Disappeared by Jonas Johnson: a 100 year old dude escapes his nursery home a steals a suitcase full of drug money then goes on a giant crime spree. HIGHLY entertaining. We stan a King

The Sellout by Paul Beatty: probably the greatest satirical comedy written within the last 50 years. I said what I said.

Children’s/teen/YA books you should absolutely read

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster: wonderfully creative, beautifully told. Takes abstract constructs and turns them into concrete beings and landscapes in amazing, engaging ways. Please read this. One of my all-time favorite books. Takes the protagonist, Milo, on a fantastical adventure borne through boredom on what he though would be another average day. Seriously. I love this book. So much.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman: another beautifully creative foray into a parallel universe where something Not Quite Right lurks beneath a pretty surface. If you’ve seen the movie adaption - great. Still read the book. It’s absolutely worth it.

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech: technically free verse poetry from the perspective of a young boy dealing with the loss of his pet dog who has to write poetry for a class assignment from his teacher. This is…so good. Oh my god. Oh my god? Poetry for non-poetry people.

The Giver by Louis Lowery: Listen. I know you were forced 2 read this in primary English. I know you probably hated it on principle. But this shit was all that kept me going, when I was younger. It made me feel so understood, before I could define trauma or the meaning of depression. This book made me feel seen.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: ya know what? Fuck 2013 tumblr for dumbing this book down into a basic ass Grunge Anthem. I have never seen a book so adequately grapple with how awful romanticizing trauma can be. This book goes into the horrible side of adolescence in a way that’s genuine, and in a way which doesn’t put trauma/mental illness on a pedestal. I needed that shit, when I read it. I still love this book today. The lines will stay with you forever, after you read some of them.

All the Bright Places, by Jennifer Niven: this was another one of those books that I read in an essential time, which lodged into me afterwards. About two teenagers who meet while standing on the bell tower of their school, both contemplating suicide. Highly recommend. Prepare to cry.

You didn’t ask for Poetry but I’m including some because I am poetry TRASH:

Rice by Nikky Finney

A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver

One Big Self by C.D. Wright

LOOK by Solmaz Sharif

Poetry for people who think poetry is inaccessible to them:

New American Best Friend by Olivia Gatwood

Our Numbered Days by Neil Hillborn

Depression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

There are literally SO SO SO many books I could also add, but these are the ones that came to mind. Bolded ones are those I especially love. Happy reading!

[bnhabadass]

Pairing: Akaashi x Reader Genre: Fluff Word Count: 1370 Synopsis: You can’t help but feel drawn to the cute customer who keeps coming in during your shifts.

It was a quiet day at the shop when he came in. Soft hair dripping from the rain, glasses fogged up. But you didn’t notice that at first, not until he approached the front desk where you were stationed.

“The Phantom Tollbooth?” he asked, eyeing the blue book whose pages you were tumbling through.

“It’s a childhood favorite of mind,” you said, still not looking up. Setting the book down, you typed a few things into the front desk’s computer. “Can I help you find something today?”

“Yes, I ordered a few books and I received an email saying they were in. They should be under the name Akaashi Keiji.”

You typed the name into the computer’s system and waited for it to load. “Sorry it’s taking so long. This thing’s really old.” You rubbed the side of the chunky computer.

The man nodded and made a noise out of understanding.

You hated interactions like this, when the computer was taking a very long time and there was just a moment of awkward silence between you and the customer in front of you. And all you want to do is pick your book up and continue reading but you can’t because that would be rude to the customer. So instead you pretended to scroll along the web page as if you were looking for something in particular.

The customer fiddled with the cap on a stray pen left on the front desk. He grabbed one of the free bookmarks you keep next to the computer and stuck it in his bag.

“All right,” you said when the computer had finally loaded. “Let’s see. It looks like your books came in this morning. I’ll grab them from the back.” You left your spot and the front desk and went to the back room where book orders and other supplies sat on shelves wrapped in brown paper and twine. You grabbed the one labeled “Akaashi K.” and ran back to your waiting customer. “Here you go.”

As you sat them on the counter, he thumbed around the package, feeling to make sure all three books were snug inside.

“That’ll be 4200 yen,” you said, finally looking up at your customer for the first time. And at that moment, you couldn’t help but burst out in a fit of laughter.

“I’m sorry, did I say something funny?” He looked puzzled and quite frankly annoyed.

“No,” you giggled. “I’m sorry I know I’m being mean. It’s just, you’re soaking wet and you’re getting water everywhere.”

Puzzled, he turned around and saw the trail of rain drops he had led into the store. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize–”

“No no it’s fine,” you cut him off. “As long as the books stay dry you’re all right.”

He nodded and looked down at his soaked through sneakers. “Thank you. Um, here’s my card.”

You took his debit card and swiped it through the machine. “You’re all set.” You handed him back his card and his receipt which he gladly folded and stuck in his wallet. “Have a good day and, um, stay dry.” You couldn’t help but let out a fleeting giggle as you watched him walk out the door and back into the pouring rain.

It was dry out, and even sunny, at the start of your shift the next day. Although cool wind blew past you and the only thing you had to keep your hands from falling off was the latte you had just ordered from the coffee house next door.

“I’m here,” you called to your fellow coworkers as you made your grand entrance through the front door.

“Thank god.” Hanamaki, one of the coworkers you favor least, took off his uniform apron and balled it up. “Enjoy your hell duty.”

You would not consider this job to be hellish in the slightest. You loved the smell of the decaying glue holding the books, old and new, together. It was such a peaceful environment which you were happy spending hours upon hours in.

The door of the shop opened, and the twinkling of the jingle bells tied to the handle pulled your attention to the front door.

Kicking the soles of his shoes against the store’s welcome mat was the customer you had met yesterday, the one who had left his trail of rain water leading right to the front desk.

“Don’t tell me you finished all three books already,” you said, astonished by his presence so soon after your first encounter.

“No,” he said, running a hand through his fluffy hair. “Just the first one. The other two are gifts for friends.”

You nodded in response. “Well what can I help you find?”

“Just browsing,” he dismissed. And with that, he disappeared into the isles stacked floor to ceiling with non-fiction, gothic literature, YA novellas and so much more. He emerged twenty minutes later with a small stack of books.

“Find what you were looking for?” You set down your half drunk latte and began scanning each book, smiling at some of the titles you recognized.

“It’s a dangerous place in there,” he admitted. “Never thought I’d come out with this many books.”

“Yeah,” you laughed. “I’ve spent way too much money here, even with my discount.” You finished ringing him up. “Anything else I can do for you?”

He shook his head and handed you his card. “Actually, there is something you can do for me,” he said as you handed him the small paper bag with the store’s logo printed on the side. “Could I by chance get your number?”

You froze and eyed the man in front of you. He wore a black and white flannel shirt and tight dark jeans that seemed to outline his figure in indescribable ways. He looked at you patiently with a nonchalant expression that told you he would be fine with either a yes or no answer. “Why?”

“Well, you seem to have good tastes in books,” he started. There was a brief pause before he met your gaze and continued speaking. “Also, I think you are very pretty and my stubborn roommate thinks that I should be dating more.”

You felt a bit light headed. This seemingly perfect stranger, someone you have barely had a full conversation with, was being so bold with his words. You wanted to speak but you couldn’t find the words. The seconds hand on the clock behind you ticked at an abnormally slow pace. The bell jingled but you didn’t look away from the man and the way he rubbed the pad of his thumb back and forth between his fingers.

“I’m sorry,” he broke the silence. “That was incredibly rude of me. I don’t even know your name.” He bowed his head down and turned around, ready to leave and possibly never come back.

“It’s (Y/n),” you sputtered. You finally took a big long breath as he turned around again. “And I’m assuming you’re Akaashi?” you asked, remembering the name on the order he picked up during your shift yesterday.

“That’s right.” He walked back over to the front desk. “So you’re (Y/n), your favorite book from childhood is The Phantom Tollbooth, and from the sweater you are wearing I can assume you’re a student?”

You looked down at the sweater with your school’s name and logo on the chest. “That’s right,” you chuckled. “And you’re Akaashi, I’m guessing you love reading more than anything in the world and you’re bold enough to ask a stranger for their number.”

You found the blush dusting his cheeks to be adorable, and your smirk lifted up until your face began to hurt. “I guess I am,” he mumbled.

“Well good.” You folded your hands in each other and rested your chin on them. “Because I’m not confident enough to do so.” You grabbed a pen from the cup holder to your side and wrote your number on a post-it.

“Thank you,” he said when you slid it towards him. “I’ll text you.”

You watched as he bid farewell, turned around and left. This seemingly perfect stranger who had asked such a bold question. The butterflies in your stomach would never seem to calm down.

[dreamsatdusk]

From @sub-dee - 47 and 48!

47. If you could visit any fictional place possible, where would you go?

It’d be amazing to visit some of the places in the Exalted RPG setting, though only safely done if I were a powerful Exalt myself *L* The world of Twelve Kingdoms could also be really fascinating. And something like the Plane of Air in DnD/Pathfinder - flight, floating castles and puffs of land, etc.

(Not doing the greatest job with things from books-with-stories here, but Twelve Kingdoms does have a series of light novels available, not just the anime.)

48. If you could be a part of any story you’ve read, which book would you pick?

Oh, that’s a tough one. I read a lot of books where the setting and/or story have many horrific elements so I can’t really say as I’d want to be in them. Meet some of the characters in a less dangerous sort of space? Sure. But the actual story, hmm…. Howl’s Moving Castle sounds like a good one :D. Or The Phantom Tollbooth

Thanks for the ask!

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

1, 15, 21, 25 for the book ask (though, I really just want to ask you all of them because I love hearing you rant about things you're passionate about)

1. Which book would you consider the best book you’ve ever read and why?

I can’t pick just one. But since I mention it later, The Phantom Tollbooth is an amazing book that I devoured over and over again as a child. My book literally fell apart from how much I read it. It’s a really great book for children and young teens about the value of using your imagination and how knowledge is all well and good but it doesn’t help you any if you don’t have logic and love.

15. Do you agree that Jane Eyre should be considered a feminist novel?

Um. *sigh*

Okay the thing is, what is considered feminist changes over time. What was radical and groundbreaking in its day could be considered sexist or stereotypical by the standards of today. The needs of women change as our society changes and as we make different strides.

For example, there was the whole movement where being feminine was considered... not great. We wanted to see women in fiction who didn’t give a shit about their hair, their clothes, their makeup, women who had muscles, who were stocky, who got their hands dirty and were more traditionally ‘masculine’. Think Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise. Then there was pushback - who says being feminine is wrong? We should be able to be respected while still wearing skirts and heels and pink. Think Clueless or Legally Blonde.

Given its time, I think that Jane Eyre was a step forward in a lot of ways. The story had a romance but it wasn’t about the romance. It was about Jane. There is equal time given to her growing up and her post-Rochester life as there is to her time falling in love with him. Jane’s journey is about learning to seize happiness for herself and to expect nothing less, even in a world that tells her she can never have it. We see this in the third act when Jane refuses to marry a man she doesn’t love. The Jane of earlier in the novel would’ve said yes, because it was the best she could’ve expected. But now she knows better. She says, no, I’m only gonna marry who I want. She finds the man she loves and she says, reader, I married him.

Do I like the novel? Nope. I consider Rochester to be wholly unworthy of Jane, and I think their relationship and his behavior is unhealthy, and overall I’m not a fan of Romantic literature (note the capital ‘R’, dear readers, that indicates a particular period in the history of the European and British novel, that does not mean I am opposed to romance as a genre). I could rant day and night about this damn novel, although not as long as I could rant about Wuthering Heights.

But there’s more than one way to be feminist and more than one way to express a woman’s agency. Jane Eyre is, at its core, a story about a woman realizing she deserves to be happy and deserves to have agency in her life, and whatever else, it doesn’t get more feminist than that.

21. Ideal reading position?

Flopped back in a chair, one leg hooked over a chair arm, because I can’t do anything straight.

25. Do you enjoy concepts in books to be concrete or abstract? 

I prefer books to be concrete, although I love when an author can pull off the abstract very well, like The Phantom Tollbooth. I just feel that too many authors can go too far with it, so I’d rather have a concrete story where the metaphors and such are underlying. I think most writers have a better handle on that and can pull it off successfully.

[eldritchsurveys]

924.

5k Survey XLII

2151. Should fun or safety come first? >> I’d imagine that depends on one’s goals. When it comes to skydiving, one should learn to be safe (take the lessons) before one goes on to enjoy the experience (start actually skydiving). But also, if you take a more psychological approach to the word “safety”, sometimes one has to take a little social risk to get to something fun, and that can feel unsafe, but it [ideally] ends up being worth it. 2152. Does mind over matter work for you? >> I’m not sure in what sense you mean. 2153. What’s the most weight you ever lost in one year? >> I don’t know. Whenever that happened, it’s when I wasn’t paying attention to things like my weight. 2154. What are your feelings about punk and goth? >> I love goth and I have affection for punk because it is kin to goth. 2155. Did you ever write something when you were high and then looked at it sober and realized that it was nonsense? >> No, I don’t think anything I wrote while intoxicated seemed nonsensical when looking at it sober -- maybe a little more inscrutable or revealing than my usual writings, but still within my normal mental/emotional/spiritual frameworks.

2156. How often do you shave: your face? I don’t shave. your legs?  under your arms? 2157. What word do you often hear people misuse? >> I can’t think of any right now. 2158. Have you ever used somebody? >> It’s possible. I’ve had to do a variety of things to survive. 2159. Are you paranoid? >> Not typically, but I can be. 2160. What is the best music video of all time? >> --- 2161. How many Shakespeare plays have you read all the way through? >> Only Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I know I was taught Hamlet but I’m pretty sure I didn’t actually read the whole thing. Also, I comprehended almost nothing I read when it came to Shakespeare, so does it even count as reading at that point... 2162. What was the deepest religious or spiritual experience you’ve ever had? >> Not going to get into it here, that’s for sure. I’ve written multiple long-form posts about this kind of thing, so it’s not casual fare. 2163. What is it like to be you today? >> I’m not sure how to answer this. 2164. Do you like to play games? >> Video games, sure. 2165. Have you made any good friends on this diary site? >> --- 2166. Have you met anyone from open diary? >> --- 2167. What have you done lately that gave everyone something to talk about? >> Nothing??? 2168. Do you get along with people who annoy you, disagree with you, dislike you, and hate you? >> If I’m annoyed by someone, or hated by someone, I’m definitely not getting along with them...  2169. When you ask for something do you make a request or a demand? >> I mean, a demand isn’t an ask, so obviously if I’m asking for something it’s a request....... 2170. Who are you a bad influence on? >> I have no idea. 2171. Who are you a good influence on? >> I have no idea. 2172. Who is on your christmas list this year? >> Who?? 2173. How many other people do you know of that are doing this survey? >> Just Elizabeth (Elisabeth? can never remember if it’s a Z or an S, one day I’ll get it right), who I’m taking this from, and someone else in the survey tag. 2174. Have you ever intentionally had a one night stand? >> Yes. 2175. Do you tend to get car sick? >> No. 2176. What is the length of your hair? >> Like, a couple of centimeters. 2177. Do you like to listen to techno music? >> Sure. 2178. Have you ever dyed your hair an unusual color? >> Long time ago, yeah. 2179. What do you think of these diary names? Oculto: suffer victim: With A Purpose:  Almost_Famous: In.The.Name.Of.Lust: The Phallic Stapler:  <*>SeXyCandace<*>: 2180. What do you think of these entry titles? Lesbians … as far as the eye can see: Why Avril Lavigne sucks:  Call On Jesus: Buddha-licious: WeLCome To The JungLe!: Geektastic: Should i get an abortion?: 2181. What do you find beautiful in an atypical way? >> I don’t know what that means. 2182. What would you PHYSICALLY fight someone over? >> Nothing. As previously stated, I have sub-zero interest in being in a physical altercation. 2183. What was the last thing you were invited to? >> I don’t remember. Probably Lauren’s birthday party.

2184. What do you like >> Either there was more to this question that got cut off, or you’re really being this vague at this point in the survey. Either way... Next. 2185. Have you ever drank:  chartruese? No. Was going to buy some for my birthday this year, and then fuckin COVID got in the way of all my plans. absinth? Yes, I drink it somewhat frequently. 2186. Do you plan your outfits ahead of time, pick them out the morning of, wear whatever was on the floor, or wear what you slept in? >> I just wear whatever I pull out of the drawer, when it’s time to change. Most of my clothing is pretty interchangeable. 2187. How long have you ever gone without changing your sheets: A long, long time. Months, probably. clothes: A few days, I imagine. underwear: Also a few days, I imagine. toothbrush: Probably ages, idk. 2189. What item should not be shared? >> Needles. 2190. How do you keep control of your temper? >> I don’t really have to work at this, I don’t have a very advanced temper. It’s my other emotions that tend to get out of hand. 2191. If you could gain all of your dreams by giving a family member (little brother) to the goblin king who would turn him into a goblin, would you? >> Ha! This situation doesn’t apply to me. Can I just be the goblin king instead? 2192. Do you like to listen to Duran Duran? >> No, but Hungry Like the Wolf is a bop. 2193. Do you ever feel the need for MORE than life has to offer? >> No...? What I want is what life does have to offer, but apparently didn’t want to offer to me. 2194. What is your favorite children’s story? >> The Phantom Tollbooth. 2195. Do you think that adult books should have more pictures? >> I love a good illustrated book, sure, why not? 2196. What was your all time low? >> --- 2197. Do you make up songs and sing them to yourself when you’re alone? >> No, I just sing songs that already exist. 2198. Do you like to listen to the Smashing Pumpkins? >> Yeah. This is one of those bands that annoyed me when I was a kid, but I enjoy now. 2199. Do you see the expression of emotion as weakness? >> Unfortunately, I had that concept instilled in me by an emotionally unavailable parent and emotionally abusive relatives. But I fucking hate that concept and I want desperately to be rid of it. 2200. Are you prepared in case of chemical, biological and nuclear attacks? >> I am not.

[9-00am]

i got tagged by @350mg to answer some questions!!

1: birthday: August 21st

2: zodiac: Leo

3: height: 5'6

4: hobbies: video games, writing (poems and starting stories I'll never finish) recently I started drawing!! Like portraits of people

5: last song i listened to: The Trial - Pink Floyd

6: last movie i watched: All Dogs Go To Heaven

7: favorite books: The Phantom Tollbooth, Alice in Wonderland

8: dream job: i think i'd like to council kids with behavioral issues

9: favorite color: ALL OF THEM I LITERALLY CAN'T PICK

10: meaning behind my url: i just tink wizards r cool

i tag @bluntcrusher @acid-bear-b0y @sugarpiehoneybunch @bandaidbrain @dylksucks @scorpionsuccubus @skirwitte

@behesloth i already answered deez for someone else but ty for the tag anyway ily

[izzy-b-hands]

4, 9, 44 for the fanfic writer asks!

Thank you so much for asking!!!!

4.name three authors that were influential to your work and tell why

1. Neil Gaiman, for more reasons than I can name honestly. Reading the Sandman series and his works came at a critical time for me as a person and as an artist, and helped convince me to keep writing as well as showed me just how versatile and layered and magical a story can be.

2. Norton Juster, who wrote the Phantom Tollbooth, a book so wonderfully fantastical that it taught a young me how to play with existing concepts and ideas and do what I pleased with them when I wrote. I’ve never written anything that comes close to Tollbooth of course, but it remains a story dear to my heart.

3. This one is awkward because...I have not found the author and title of the book that they wrote that I read in middle school that helped teach me how to write emotive and tender moments. It was one of those I picked up at random, read and reread until the binding seemed it would come unglued and the librarians at school asked if I wouldn’t rather check out something else, and that I then took for granted I would always remember every detail of it, particularly title and author. Unfortunately, that did not happen, so while I can’t give a name I can say they wrote beautifully, in particular highly emotional and tender moments, and I loved it so much as a young writer that I made it my goal to learn how to write those moments like that. I don’t know if I’ve gotten too close (since it can be hard to evaluation one’s own writing like that) but I’d like to think I’ve made progress on that journey. 

9. do you set yourself deadlines?

Sometimes? Occasionally just to make sure I don’t lose my ability to meet them, but also if I take on stuff like Fictober. Even when I do set them for myself, they tend to be...loose. Like, by the next weekend I’ll have X and X idea written and posted, and X idea that I have handwritten typed up and posted.That’s not a particularly hard deadline, but it keeps me in the habit!

44. do you write linear or do you write future scenes if you feel like it?

Both lol. Most of the time I get a scene in my head, and immediately start writing from Point A to B, inserting the scene I first thought of once I hit the right point. Other times, all I get is the one scene so I’ll jot down the details of it, and try and come back to it once I’ve built the rest of the piece around it. The latter especially happens if I get an idea when I’m somewhere where I’m not able to write. 

[sublimegentlemanalpaca]

For the bookish asks - 2, 14, 16, 22, 27.

Hey Sweets! Thanks for the Asks!

2. Are you an Austen Person or a Bronte Person? I must admit I’ve never read anything of Austen or the Brontes. I have watched various versions of Pride and Prejudice (because in Freshman year the fourth floor lobby was always playing either Pride and Prejudice or Lord of the Rings), so I guess Austen? I’ve also seen Austen Land and that was a really enjoyable movie.

14. What is your favorite children’s book? Hm... do the Household tales of the Brothers Grimm Count? I also enjoyed The Phantom Tollbooth. Are Carrol’s Alice books Children’s books? I can’t recall if they’re considered so or not.

16. What’s your Favorite of Shakespeare’s plays? Of the Comedies it’s a pretty solid tie between Much Ado and Twelfth Night. For the Tragedies probably King Lear. For the Histories The Henry Four plays best out Richard the Third with Falstaff...and of the later Romances...probably the Tempest. I know this might be cheating..but picking a singular favorite is really hard...I guess Twelfth Night? Because it’s the one that began my obsession with Shakespeare’s (and Robert Armin’s) Fools.

22. Hardcover or Paper back? Both.

27. Classic or Modern literature? Hm...While I enjoy quite a bit of Classic Literature...I’d probably have to say Modern literature? Mostly because of Discworld, CotIG, and a few others. But both are enjoyable.

Hope these answers were sufficient Sweets. Feel free to ask more if you’re so inclined.

Make of this what you will.

Al, the Chronographing Cottager and Prince of Naming 

[month9books]

Five Summer Reads for Reluctant Readers

recommended by Scott Wilson, author of Metl: The ANGEL Weapon

I'm a very picky reader. If I'm not one-hundred-percent enjoying a book, I will put it down, move onto something else, and not worry about picking it back up again—no scruples given. In fact, I'd say that on average I probably only finish one out of every five books that I start.

And I don't think I'm alone in my pickiness. Sure, we can toss blame at diminishing attention spans or the collapse of culture, but honestly between YouTube, Netflix, video games, and heck, so many great other books out there, there's just an overwhelming number of choices. Why waste your time with one you're not completely loving?

So if you know someone who might also be a picky reader like me, maybe one of the books on this summer reading list could grab their attention.

One Piece by Eiichiro Oda

There was recently a big commotion on Twitter when a parent tweeted that their son's teacher didn't let students choose what to read for summer reading because "they'd just read graphic novels and fantasy." To that I say… let them read whatever the heck they want!

I've always been a fan of the idea that, rather than forcing boring tomes into kids' heads, we should just let them have fun, read what they want, and help them foster a life-long love of reading. And there's no better place for a reluctant reader to start than with the Japanese manga One Piece.

One Piece is exciting; it's full of pirates, characters with crazy superpowers, and incredible fights against bad guys, but it goes way deeper than that. It asks the reader difficult questions, such as what really is justice, and who gets to decide? Not only that, but the villains are fleshed-out mini masterpieces, the world building is the best I've ever seen, and each character's backstory is heart wrenching. In fact, One Piece has the honor of being the only written story that has made me cry. Set sail for a roller coaster of emotions with this incredible series!

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

What better story for a reluctant reader than one about a reluctant learner? Milo is a boy who regards "the process of seeking knowledge as the greatest waste of time of all," until one day when he is swept away into The Lands Beyond. There, all types of learning come alive: there is Dictionopolis, the kingdom of words; Digitopolis, the kingdom of numbers; the Forest of Sight; the Valley of Sound; and of course, the Island of Conclusions, which you have to jump to, naturally.

My father read this book to me when I was five, when he just happened to be taking a college course on the book itself, which shows the breadth of ages that can appreciate this book. Young children can enjoy the fun adventure of Milo and Tock the time-dog, older kids can chuckle at all the clever wordplay, and teens can appreciate the deeper meaning and metaphors on nearly every page… while also laughing at jokes like:

"How are you going to make it move? It doesn't have a—" "Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without saying." And, sure enough, as soon as they were all quite still, [the wagon] began to move quickly through the streets.

A Child Called It by David Pelzer

Apparently this is a book that many people read in school, but it completely slipped by me until recently. I sat down to read it, opened it up, and didn't stop until two hours later when I had pummeled through the entire thing—something I hadn't done since I read the first Harry Potter book when I was eleven.

Even though this is an engrossing book, it's intense. The story is based on the author's real life, following him from age five to twelve, when he was horrifically abused by his mother. Just when you think it can't get worse, it does. Again. And again. And again. This is the only book I've ever read that had me physically cringing as I read through it.

The emotional severity of the book also makes for good outside research and discussions as well. Why was the mother abusive toward David and not his brothers? Why did the father do nothing to help? These are important questions that can set in motion a lot of great critical thinking.

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

I grew up in a very homogeneous neighborhood. Pretty much everyone was white, and I don't remember any openly gay students in school. So when I read Almost Perfect, it literally opened my eyes to a brand new world.

The story follows Logan, an average high school boy who falls head over heels for the new girl at school, Sage. But when he finds out that Sage was born a boy, suddenly he doesn't know what to do. Conflicting feelings, the judgment of others, and the stormy roads of healing a wounded friendship all come to a boil in this book.

What really sets this story apart for me is the fact that the "surprise" of Sage's reveal is not really a surprise: it's given away on the back cover, and it happens fairly early on. The meat of the story is the tumultuous reconciliation of the two characters, their growth, and learning more about the world. In our society where a need for acceptance and respect is at an all-time high, this book is even more important than ever.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman @nealshustermanreal

This book was my introduction to Neal Shusterman, one of my favorite dystopian authors. In Unwind, children's lives are deemed untouchable from birth to age thirteen, but from thirteen to eighteen, their parents/guardians can have them "unwound," a process that divides up all their body parts for others to use, and technically still keeps them alive.

What I love about this story is how it follows the points of view of three different characters, all facing the prospect of being unwound for different reasons: Connor, whose parents can't handle his misbehavior anymore; Risa, who is a ward of the state and will be unwound for budget reasons; and Lev, who is being unwound as part of a religious ceremony.

In our current society, where reproductive rights are being fought over yet again, seeing a possible outcome from such a battle is harrowing. This is another action-packed book that, while fun to read by itself, will also spark some great discussions.

Don’t forget to read Scott Wilson’s book, Metl: The ANGEL Weapon. Preferably read with a big, red summer moon outside your window!

[laurelsofhighever]

Writing Questionnaire

tagged by @athenril-of-kirkwall and by @gingerbreton - thank you lovelies!

Short stories, novels, or poems? When I used to read regularly I would devour novels, and I still have a massive pile waiting to be read. I have read short stories and enjoyed them, but reading was my escape from the real world and they’re just. not. long enough.

What genre do you prefer reading? My bookshelves will tell you that my favourite genre is fantasy, but there are some classics and other things scattered through that.

What genre do you prefer writing? I’ve had a stab at urban fantasy and high fantasy, though with concentrating on fanfic more recently I’ve discovered a love for alternate universes with high political drama.

Are you a planner or a write-as-I-go kind of person? Definitely a planner. I went through almost two notebooks just jotting down ideas for Falcon, and made sure I knew exactly where I was going before I started writing the first draft, which was really just a more detailed version of the previous plan. I like to frame things around dialogue, since that’s what I struggle with most, and that usually means that when it comes to actual, polished writing I can produce it relatively quickly. I’m also ten chapters ahead of what I publish so I can go back and change things when I forget a detail, and planning about ten chapters ahead of that so I know where I’m going. 

What music do you listen to while writing? It’s usually movie/game soundtracks, asmr videos with a white noise generator in the background, but just this morning I’ve discovered the Vitamin String Quartet, so I can see them being added to the list.

Fave books/movies? I’ve read too many books to list absolute favourites, but I love Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series, Havemercy by Jaida Jones, and the first book I ever read, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.

Any current WIPs? I’ve got two longfics at the moment, The Things We Hide in the A:tLA fandom, and The Falcon and the Rose, which is a Dragon Age: Origins AU. I also have far too many planned oneshots to count.

If someone were to make a cartoon out of you, what would your standard outfit be?

Everyday wear is usually jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie, a shirt and waistcoat if I can be bothered.

Create a character description for yourself: Summed up in the pub last night: I’m an old soul, a very nice person completely prepared fuck you up if you cross my boundaries.

Do you like incorporating people you actually know into your writing? I don’t see how it’s not possible to have at least a little bleed from reality, but I don’t actively try to insert real people into characters.

Are you kill-happy with characters? I don’t really see the point of killing characters for shock value, but sometimes it’s needed for plot reasons.

Coffee or tea while writing? I’m not really a massive fan of either, but one of my favourite places to write is a bubble tea bar in town, and it’s only polite to buy a drink before setting up the laptop.

Slow or fast writer? Most of the time I end up procrastinating far more than I should, but then I’ll get into the zone with a scene and i won’t be able to type fast enough. Those are good days.

Where/who/what do you find inspiration from? I get so much inspiration from history and mythology for plot points, but beyond that it’s hard to pin down where inspiration comes from. Really, it’s just an ever increasing web of ‘what ifs’ with ever more interesting answers.

If you were put into a fantasy world, what would you be? A dragon. Or a forest witch who lives on the edge of society with a pack of large hunting dogs, decorates her home with animal skulls, and offers quests to passing adventurers.

Most fave book cliche? Least fave book cliche? Magical artifacts that choose their wielders are usually fun, because aside from granting a whole load of cool powers, the reaction of the new wielder is fun to play around with.

Amorphous evil empires with no clear intent other than ‘to be evil’ are so overdone, and so often have very little thought put into logistics, all I can do is roll my eyes.

Fave scenes to write? Battle scenes. I love figuring out the choreography and the emotions behind it.

Most productive time of day for writing? Mid-morning, probably, which is annoying because that’s usually doing my real-world job.

Reason for writing? It’s an outlet for my maladaptive daydreaming. If I didn’t write it down, I would go insane.

tagging, for those who want to: @dovahgriin @tea-me-and-salt @magpiesandmabari @thejeeperswife @out-of-the-embers @athenasdragon

[whilereadingandwalking]

If I had a dollar for every person who’s said to me, “You haven’t read The Phantom Tollbooth? But you have to!” in the last ten years, I would have been able to buy this copy for free. It’s a fantasy classic that somehow skipped over me, and I can only assume my library must not have had a copy. But when I was bedridden with the flu, I picked up this signed copy I got at Barnes & Noble a few years back, when I’d remembered all those comments, figuring that a childhood favorite of icons like Neil Gaiman and Leslie Knope would be a perfect comforting read.

And it certainly was. What a stunning gem! The ending made me cry. And by cry I mean sob, because I’ve been very emotionally fragile given the state of my body with the flu. What an incredible book about seeing the world, about language, about how to live. This book has such stunning wordplay—the winner being the car where to make it run, you should be quiet, because “it goes without saying.” I read it in one shot, in just a few hours, but I’m certain I’ll have to read it a couple more times in my life. I almost want to start it again now. 

“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what’s in between.”

“You’ll find that the only thing you can do easily is be wrong, and that’s hardly worth the effort.”

“What you can do is often simply a matter of what you will do.”

“So many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.”

[straightfacedstrangeness]

Get to know you meme

Rules: tag ten followers you want to know better! I got tagged by @hotwaterandmilk!

PUT YOUR ITUNES ON SHUFFLE. WHAT ARE THE FIRST 4 SONGS THAT POPPED UP? Kids Club BGM (Pokémon Stadium for Nintendo 64) Let’s Try For Two (from Animaniacs) What Can I Do For You (from Steven Universe) Hugga Wugga (from The Muppet Show) (I swear not all my music is ripped from kids’ TV shows/etc, but that’s all that came up X’D )

GRAB THE BOOK NEAREST YOU AND TURN TO PAGE 23. WHAT’S LINE 17? And as each one spoke, he fell off to sleep and another picked up the conversation with hardly any interruption.  (The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster.)

EVER HAD A POEM OR SONG WRITTEN ABOUT YOU? Not so far as I know.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PLAYED AIR GUITAR? Probably while quoting Bill & Ted in middle school or something?

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH? Currently, Shigeru Chiba (surprising no one :’D )

WHAT’S A SOUND YOU HATE + SOUND YOU LOVE? Hate: tiny plastic/metal things rattling around in a container Love: brass instruments

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? I’m too wishy-washy to commit to believing in anything...but I guess I’d rather not entertain the possibility of ghosts cus I don’t want to feel self-conscious 24/7 about the possibility of something invisible watching me

HOW ABOUT ALIENS? The universe is so huge—even huger if there is a multiverse—it’s just probability that something else lives/has lived/will live somewhere at some point in time.

DO YOU DRIVE? No.  I had a learner’s permit briefly, but never practiced enough to get my license cus it freaked me out.

IF SO, HAVE YOU EVER CRASHED? Nope

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich (lots of fun, a parody of teen romantic comedies with a spy thriller twist and a queer/LGBT+ twist)

DO YOU LIKE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE? I have no sense of smell, so I’m indifferent

WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW? Finding Dory

DO YOU HAVE ANY OBSESSIONS RIGHT NOW? Patlabor!

DO YOU TEND TO HOLD GRUDGES AGAINST PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE YOU WRONG? Yes, but mostly it’s for things they didn’t intentionally do / didn’t realize they did / etc so it’s extra dumb and petty

IN A RELATIONSHIP? Only in my daydreams

And now I tag: Uhhhhh... @darkwingsnark, @rabbitsandgoggles, @bobbingforpineapples, and @secksrobot, but only if they want to

[storybycorey]

writer asks: 5, 7, and 10 (pretty sure I know how you're gonna answer 10 :).

5. Top five formative books?

Off the top of my head, some of favorite childhood books (I assume that’s what this is asking?) were:

The Phantom Tollbooth (such a brilliantly-written book)

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

The Silver Crown

Summerfolk

Christina Katerina & the Box

7. Favorite/most inspirational book?

Wow, you know honestly, as an adult, I haven’t done a lot of fictional reading.  When I go through reading phases, I usually read non-fiction stuff, like true crime books and psychologically-based biographies.  I did love She’s Come Undone and Hunger Games when they were first out though.

10. Pick an author (or writing friend) to co-write a book with

Hmmm, I wonder who you think I’ll say!  But I’d probably have to say either @msrafterdark or @wtfmulder.  I think Meg and I tend to write similarly- smut with a huge dose of love and affection- and we’ve talked about coming up with some sort of joint-writing venture several times!  And Chelsea has got such a brilliant writer’s mind that doesn’t always follow the rules, and I’d love being able to watch her process and perhaps glean some of that from her!  

(thanks for the ask, anon!)

[wannabe-pinterest-mom]

For "dig a little deeper:" 3, 5, 18, 19, 23, 30, 43

3. If you could learn a new skill, what would it be? I'm trying to learn Spanish and learn to play the ukelele (Oliver loves it lmao) but if I could pick just one skill to completely master, no strings, I'd 100% choose organization. I want to have a neat and orderly life, but sadly I'm a dumpster troll just doing the best she can 😔5. What was your favorite book as a child? My favourite book as a tiiiiny child was Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, which I've passed on to Oliver and he loves. My fave book once I started actually reading is The Phantom Tollbooth 💕💕18. Tell us about an early childhood memory. In the magical year 1998 my brothers and I got a desktop computer as our Christmas gift. I remember seeing it sitting in the dining room, all put together and new. My mom got me a pack of floppy disks (😂😂😂) and I used notepad to start writing stories. I saved them to the floppy disks so no one would read them because I wrote 'goddamnit' in one scene and I was so scared my mom would find it and yell at me 😅19. What is the strangest thing you have eaten? Frog legs, pickled pigs feet and coon-hash are all things that I've eaten when someone's dared me, but I'll eat fried chitterlings with ranch dressing literally just because it's so dang good 😂😂23. Have you ever met someone famous? I haven't, but C met Claudio Sanchez in line at a Taco Bell once after a Coheed show and I've been jealous ever since he told me 😢30. How do you show someone you love them? I'm...not the best at this. I'm a literal lover, so if I say I love you then I mean it. I'm not that great at showing it, but I'm always ready to overcompinsate for my weird behaviour with gifts!43. What is one thing you want to overcome/conquer? I would really like to unlearn my instinct to put others comfort over my own. I'd love to just say 'no' and not feel anxious or hated or like I need to give a reason and offer to make up for it. I just want to say 'no' and forget about it.Thank you for the asks!! 💕💕

[eldritchsurveys]

831.

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? >> I don’t eat cereal anymore, but from what I can remember, I didn’t really like having a lot of milk in the bowl.

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? >> Not usually.

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? >> On the occasion that I’m reading a paper book, if it’s my own, I just dog-ear it. If it’s a library book, I use the receipt that I got from checking out the book.

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? >> Black (or in the case of some teas, with a little honey).

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? >> I’m self-conscious of my entire face.

6: do you keep plants? >> I just have the one spider plant in my room. It looks pretty done for, but like... it’s not dead, exactly, so I have no idea what to do with it. Sparrow, on the other hand, has about fifteen plants on the balcony, two in her room, etc.

7: do you name your plants? >> Sparrow has named at least one of hers.

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? >> I just wrangle the written word the best I can.

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? >> Absolutely.

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? >> Side.

11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends? >> Sparrow and I have this thing where we just mangle words as badly as possible. Like “chicken” has become “chimkin”, stuff like that.

12: what’s your favorite planet? >> Mercury and Pluto, for completely opposite reasons (as I’m sure is obvious).

13: what’s something that made you smile today? >> I saw a random crop of mushrooms while walking. It was just... random! I don’t know what died there or whatever that made the mushrooms grow in that one little spot, but it was adorable.

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? >> ---

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! >> I don’t feel like it.

16: what’s your favorite pasta dish? >> I don’t have one.

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? >> I don’t.

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. >> ---

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? >> I technically have one, on Dreamwidth, but I never bother updating it. This is my journal, along with my personal blog.

20: what’s your favorite eye color? >> ---

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. >> I don’t have one of those. I have three different bags for different purposes.

22: are you a morning person? >> Sure.

23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? >> I usually have 0 real obligations (aside from ones I impose on myself), so I have no idea how to answer this.

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? >> ---

25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into? >> I’m not sure.

26: what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit? >> There are no shoes that I’ve had for forever. I only have two pairs of shoes, so basically both of them get worn with every single outfit (the boots in the cooler months, the sneakers in the summer and for walking).

27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor? >> Well, isn’t bubble gum only one flavour?

28: sunrise or sunset? >> Both are good. Although I like saying hello to the Sun more than I like saying goodbye to it.

29: what’s something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? >> ---

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? >> Sure.

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. >> I like wearing socks with funky patterns and designs on them, and sometimes I mismatch them on purpose for my own amusement. I do not sleep with socks.

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. >> I can’t really think of one right now.

33: what’s your fave pastry? >> ---

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? >> I don’t remember what I kept as a child. I think I had a lion or two. I only remember that because my father is fucking obsessed with lions so of course I had lion plushies.

35: do you like stationery and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? >> I do like them, but I don’t have occasion to use them.

36: which band’s sound would fit your mood right now? >> I don’t know.

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? >> I like keeping it tidy.

38: tell us about your pet peeves! >> I’d really rather not right now.

39: what color do you wear the most? >> Black.

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you? >> I don’t really have any stories behind any of the jewelry I own.

41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving? >> Well, I reread The Phantom Tollbooth recently and I’ve been fond of that book for almost as long as I’ve been alive.

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! >> No.

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? >> I don’t remember.

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? >> Oof...

45: do you trust your instincts a lot? >> I don’t know.

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. Any burger of the day ever written on the board at Bob’s Burgers. I love them though. <-- I’m going to stick with that, those are just utterly shameless puns lmao

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? >> ---

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? >> I was afraid of thunderstorms and flying insects. I still have a reflexive aversion to flying insects when they’re flying around me (even though I actually like a lot of flying insects, like bees and moths and stuff), but I am definitely not afraid of thunderstorms anymore.

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? >> I don’t buy CDs and I rarely buy records. I think the last record I bought was a deluxe copy of Pearl Jam’s Ten that I found at ALDI, of all places.

50: what’s an odd thing you collect? >> I don’t collect things.

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? >> ---

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? >> I don’t remember what memes came out this year.

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? >> I tried watching RHPS and Beetlejuice and didn’t like either one. Didn’t even finish them, in fact. Heathers was okay. Pulp Fiction was entertaining.

54: who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? >> *shrug* What even is a true look of sadness.

55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point? >> I have no idea.

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? >> Meh.

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? >> Listening to Bohemian Rhapsody doesn’t really make me feel anything, but it’s fun to reenact sometimes, yeah. Especially in a car, Wayne’s World style.

58: who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? >> ---

59: what’s your favorite myth? >> Oh god, that’s the worst question. I love so many different myths.

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? >> I can’t usually get into poetry, a lot of it is inscrutable in a way that’s just annoying to me instead of intriguing. There are some poems I like, though, but don’t ask me to remember them right now.

61: what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received? >> ---

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? >> Not usually.

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? >> I’m fussy about my everything. I don’t own enough books or physical copies of music to really warrant being meticulous about their organisation, though.

64: what color is the sky where you are right now? >> Pale blue.

65: is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with? >> I mean, sure, why not.

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? >> I used to have a really big one that someone on tumblr made for me a long time ago, lmao. That was good.

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? >> It depends on how I already felt. If I was having an okay day, then it’s just dreamy and ~goth~ and I will probably make 100 Silent Hill jokes. If I’m having an off day, then the fact that the Sun isn’t even out just makes me feel worse.

68: what’s winter like where you live? >> Cold.

69: what are your favorite board games? >> I don’t have one.

70: have you ever used a ouija board? >> No, never got a chance.

71: what’s your favorite kind of tea? >> Ginger, peppermint, etc.

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it? >> No.

73: what are some of your worst habits? >> Picking at my lips, mainly.

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. >> ---

75: tell us about your pets! >> ---

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t? >> No.

77: pink or yellow lemonade? >> Either is fine.

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? >> I can’t stand them.

79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? >> ---

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? They are the colour of Nothing and I did not choose it. I rent. <-- “the colour of Nothing” is exactly what the fuck it is.

81: describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. >> ---

82: are/were you good in school? >> I was great as a child. Once puberty (and trauma) hit everything went out the window.

83: what’s some of your favorite album art? >> I don’t even know where to begin with this... there are so many album covers I like, but I don’t feel like expending all my survey energy on one question, you dig...

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? >> No, I’m not planning on it.

85: do you read comics? what are your faves? >> Sure. Promethea, Sandman, Preacher, Doctor Strange, various Lovecraftian comics, etc.

86: do you like concept albums? which ones? >> I do like concept albums. Dream Theater has done some pretty interesting ones, and so did Vanden Plas with Christ 0.

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? >> ---

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? >> I had been reblogging a lot of art recently that had a similar look and feel to it, and I was wondering if they were related, like part of a certain art movement... and then I was watching a Youtube video about the movie Silence the other day and I accidentally found my answer in that video! It was the Baroque movement. I really like the feel of some of those pieces, particularly the darker-hued paintings.

89: are you close to your parents? >> No.

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. >> What can I possibly say about New Orleans that hasn’t already been said by more poetic minds than mine, tbh.

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? >> I don’t plan on travelling this year, thanks to the whole pandemic business.

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? >> Er, somewhere in the middle...?

93: what’s the hairstyle you wear the most? >> I only have one hairstyle.

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? >> Somebody on one of the Discord servers I’m in.

95: what are your plans for this weekend? >> We’re going to the Wayland house for the first time since... early March, I think. Besides that, just the farmer’s market and grocery shopping as usual.

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? >> My computers run on SSDs, so it takes like 2 minutes to do system updates and I’m right back in business. No point in procrastinating that.

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? >> I get a different result every time I take a Myers-Briggs test (which makes sense to me). My Sun sign is Gemini. My Hogwarts house is Slytherin, but being complex-natured like any other human being I know that I straddle both Slytherin and Ravenclaw.

98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? >> I don’t remember the last time I went on a true hike. I would love to do that at some point, but aside from the M6 trail (which is just... parallel to a highway and not all that scenic), all the good hiking places in this region require me to be driven to the location first.

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. >> Death Is the Road to Awe by Clint Mansell, Walker by Master Boot Record, Ich dachte schon by Selig, Little Black Submarines by the Black Keys, Nothing As It Seems by Pearl Jam.

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? >> No.