#My guy was digitally bamboozled

[lizzytheartist]

When you realize you’re in a digital recreation of the town you lived in and and none of your friends know you and you’re not real.

[musicaltheaternerd142]

The circus that is digital and amazing or something. I don’t know, I haven’t seen the movie

This guy. Best character in the show by far!

Bro literally got bamboozled so hard, his hat went up.

I gave her a new mask to replace her comedy mask lmao

(to the tune of the FNAF 1 song) “ar ar-ar ar ar ar-ar-ar ar-ar ar ar-ar ar ar ar ar-ar”

I feel like I kinda did Bubble dirty in this one 💀

Probably my second favorite character in the series, by far

I like how I drew his face in this one imo

I wanted to draw Pomni, but I tried and failed.

[deusvervemakesgames]

Project RBH Devlog 0002 – Start The Clock

So the Game Design Document (GDD) is done. And much sooner than I’d anticipated.

It’s not as fleshed out as it could be, but this is a project I am working on solo so that’s less of an issue.

Since I don’t have a team to foster communications with, all it really needs to be is a place to gather my thoughts and focus my design to avoid feature/scope creep. Speaking of which, I’ve figured out my primary design brief around which everything else will revolve:

RUN AND GUN.

To expand on the idea, combat will be based heavily on the player moving around the screen, and there should be plenty of projectiles flying around from both sides.

With this done, I am officially out of preproduction. The only real thing I have left to do in preproduction is concept art, but again, solo developer. Honestly figuring out the specifics of the art style is more important to me than having ideas for what everything will actually look like.

Though speaking of those placeholder sprites I have running around, now that I’m out of preproduction, I think it’s time I actually make something shareable.

That’s right, Phase 2 is making a vertical slice of this game! Something I can share and show off to people to drum up more support for the project. Something that doesn’t have a bunch of squares with skulls doodled on them for enemy sprites!

The goal here is to make the finished game in miniature. My plans for that are:

1 ‘dungeon’

7 enemies

1 boss

The basic powerups

Like I said. Miniature. All pretty simple stuff. And since I finished my GDD much earlier than I expected, I’ve actually already started. That’s right! I’ve bamboozled you all! I currently have eight powerups fully functioning (though they don’t all synergize like they will eventually) and four whole enemies done!

Let’s take a look at how they show off the Run And Gun idea!

Our first enemy is the only one with an official name so far. I’d like to introduce you all to the Bamb. Careful, they’re easily excitable.

As you can see from that horrible placeholder explosion, these things go out with a bang. I’m not super satisfied with the red flashing right now, but that’s something I’m doing in code that will be better done with the final sprite later. The Bamb will slowly fade to white showing how long you have left before it explodes.

While Bambs don’t add a whole lot of bullets to the screen, their massive explosions are good incentive to keep moving. They’re not about to blow up on their own, either. These things light their fuse only when they’re close to the player. And as you can see from those crates that it takes with it, that explosion takes no prisoners.

Next up we’ve got another area denial enemy, one that can help support other enemies.

This guy doesn’t move. At all. But they sure do make whole areas of the screen hostile to the player! And they add a new projectile to the screen as well! That’s some Run And Gun if ever I saw it! And since there’s no friendly-fire, other enemies can stand right beside it and fire at you from range. Of course, the player also has projectile attacks—that’s kind of the whole point—so it’s not that dangerous.

Moving on to what’s pretty much a reskin of the basic enemy you’ve already seen, but with a twist!

That’s right.

They have shotguns.

That’s it; that’s the only difference.

I have plans for two more enemies, which if we include the basic enemy I’ve had this whole time brings my total up to 6 of the planned 7, so good progress on that front!

So, what’s left to do before I can launch the demo?

Finishing the remaining three enemies

Creating the hub area that you start at and return to on death

Procedural Generation

Menus

Actual Art

Music and Sound Effects

That’s also the order it’s going to be done in, by the way.

I’m not looking forward to the music and sound effects though. I’ve messed around with sound effect creation in college and honestly I’m quite fond of fiddling with settings in a Digital Audio Workplace, but I also don’t have a sound library, so I’ll have to track one of those down somewhere. I know of some free places.

Music likewise. I’m not much of a composer (yet) so I’ll be grabbing some royalty free stuff so it’s not total silence in the background. Not quite the ambience I’m going for.

So that’s it then. Off to the races. Making an actual product that I can show off to people and get some interest. All pretty simple.

Too simple, in fact.

I am after all on something of a time limit until the bank repossesses my kneecaps. Let’s speed things up a bit.

I’m going to have this vertical slice, this miniature demo, finished and playable within a month.

I am giving myself four weeks to do this. We’re currently on Devlog 2. Devlog 6 should, if all goes well, be the launch announcement. Patrons get first grabs of course.

Deadline set.

Clock’s ticking.

Until next Devlog!

-DeusVerve

Special thanks to my Tier 3 Patron Haelerin!

Support me on Patreon

[crossxskulled]

"To think, one could be bamboozled so quickly - so instantly after stepping foot into the digital metaverse via new technology..." Perhaps usage of school computers and very limited electronics during his stay at Madarame's in years past had paved the perfect path for scoundrels on the aforementioned world wide web to ease their way into Yusuke's already meager savings. Or perhaps it was just his own lack of being able to differentiate between pornography scams and 'art references'. Either way, the artist was inconsolable for quite some moments. “Have you come to laugh at me in my miserable state?”

"The digitial who wha now.. Ahh, shit, Yusuke?"

What in the world was even happening with the guy now!? Typically this wouldn't even spring a forethought to the rowdier company of the Phantom Thieves. The style of their legendary artist found itself fashioned in some unknown blur between imaginative inspiration, boundless and free, as the clear and distinct tethers of reality always made sure to keep an even divide of keeping the guy's head in the clouds. That was a very eloquent way of putting Ryuji's current thoughts.

By now the despair found itself so potently thick that it almost threatened to spill rain in this room. Teeth bared in a sense of bewildered distaste, it took no rocket scientist to discover that something happened to this poor bastard. "No?? Damn man I just wanted to see if you wanted to sling off to go grab a bite! Maybe some chips if a couple-a Montas.. but ahhh, something tells me this ain't a good time? I know I give you bs to deal with, but what's even going on here?"

He hardly bothered to allow the sensible lines of the situation deter him. Firm and steady steps drove him directly over to the empty space Leblanc's cafe in order to investigate the issue, snatching up the dimly lit phone that was meager moments away from dwindling off to the dark screen. "Have you just lost some contest or someeeeeee--"

"DUDE HOLY SHIT."

Where in the hell did all that earlier contest money fly off too?! This isn't even the typical brand of low here, as it stands, his account basically skydived off the rooftops of success and into the negatives of hell at the drop of a damn dime! Watching those crimson numbers that some hefty amount was owed beyond anything, even with this not being his account caused a cold brick of lead to settle inside the gut.

He knows how the moves go! Shit like this easily leads to the Yakuza, the Yakuza leads to favors, then favors wind up making this once innocent..? Weird? (He'll figure it out later.) Artist into eventually joining their ranks to go do some depraved mess! As one of the few barriers between leaving his friend to be about that life, the blonde wastes no time, immediately dragging up the Mementos app upon Yusuke's phone as he dragged up this carrot-y beanpole of a man onto his feet.

"Screw the laughin'! You need a damn miracle, and you know the first things they say about miracles here." Ryuji mentions while shooting a biting glare towards him.

"We gotta steal 'em our damn selves! Oh ho hooooooo I'd love to know who you gave the three numbers on the back of your card to!"

@zenkofu

[reginalusus]

Ok, let's try this. (No one cares).

I literally only have Sketchbook Pro.

I tend to draw people facing left, I find it easier.

Probably the more trauma/vent/violent ones (I was an angry child). Also giving OCs distinct characteristics, and ever since I was a kid, I ALWAYS draw/am more allured to characters with matching colour schemes.

My novel's antagonist. Love drawing her, but she's REALLY difficult to get right (she has wings, and I hate drawing wings). I love SNEO, but man, do I hate drawing wings, lmao.

Used to be 85% of my art I'd keep personally, but now I tend to post most of it.

Matching colour schemes, certain vibes, vivid expressions I see in movies/animations/other art.

Painting, animators and comic artists. Big kudos to you guys, that shit is difficult.

Doing a book cover for my novel. I still sort of want to do it, but my brain melts when I think of doing it.

Uhhhh, just whatever mostly takes up the folder. Spamton, DC, Novel Work etc.

Probably shirts and trousers, especially if they have accessories like studs and such.

Yup. A mix of stuff. It depends on WHAT I'm drawing. Spamton, for example, I'll listen to a lot of 60s/70s/80s/90s hits, ABBA in particular, Big Shot remixes, trippy music that suits him, villain songs.

Face and expressions.

Probably best I don't name anyone. There's definitely a few well-known artists around that have incredible work, but their style just doesn't tickle my fancy, and that's ok. I'm sure people feel the exact same about me (though I wouldn't call myself incredible).

Ummmm, overcoming trauma, brutal fights, heavenly/religious imagery, rivalry.

In my room, either at my desk or on the bed.

I *think* I'm good at hair? But I don't really enjoy it.

Sometimes. Usually ice-cold water, tea or wine. Sometimes I'll snack on crisps or sweets.

I draw digitally predominantly. Haven't broken anything except a few pencil sharpeners in the past, when I drew traditionally more.

Weapons.

Maybe expressions? Expressions are my favourite thing to do.

Painterly art styles, art styles that focus on colour and softness, as well as mood lighting. I love it, but I can't do it for shit.

None.

Yup, but only if I'm colouring.

Sometimes.

Jojo's Bizzare Adventure for some reason? Never watched/read it. Maybe they were just bamboozling me.

Haven't had that happen yet. Not really.

I always leave the face and expressions to the last as, again, I enjoy them the most.

Haven't participated in any yet. I'd love to do a Spamton zine, if there is another one.

I love period pieces and historical fiction. But they don't necessarily inspire me in my drawings.

Probably my Addison Purgatory one, IDK. It had a better reception on Reddit than on Tumblr. It's not the best thing ever, but it took ages, lmao.

Weirdly Specific Artist Ask Game

Didn't see a lot of artist ask games, wanted to make a silly one.

(I wrote this while sick out of my mind last year and it's been collecting dust in my drafts, I might as well let it run free) 1. Art programs you have but don't use

2. Is it easier to draw someone facing left or right (or forward even)

3. What ideas come from when you were little

4. Fav character/subject that's a bitch to draw

5. Estimate of how much of your art you post online vs. the art you keep for yourself

6. Anything that might inspire you subconsciously (i.e. this horse wasn't supposed to look like the Last Unicorn but I see it)

7. A medium of art you don't work in but appreciate

8. What's an old project idea that you've lost interest in

9. What are your file name conventions

10. Favorite piece of clothing to draw

11. Do you listen to anything while drawing? If so, what

12. Easiest part of body to draw

13. A creator who you admire but whose work isn't your thing

14. Any favorite motifs

15. *Where* do you draw (don't drop your ip address this just means do you doodle at a park or smth)

16. Something you are good at but don't really have fun doing

17. Do you eat/drink when drawing? if so, what

18. An estimate of how much art supplies you've broken

19. Favorite inanimate objects to draw (food, nature, etc.)

20. Something everyone else finds hard to draw but you enjoy

21. Art styles nothing like your own but you like anyways

22. What physical exercises do you do before drawing, if any

23. Do you use different layer modes

24. Do your references include stock images

25. Something your art has been compared to that you were NOT inspired by

26. What's a piece that got a wildly different interpretation from what you intended

27. Do you warm up before getting to the good stuff? If so, what is it you draw to warm up with

28. Any art events you have participated in the past (like zines)

29. Media you love, but doesn't inspire you artistically

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated

[lofty-immeasurable-sky]

Zukka Little Mermaid au!!

Most of my comic ideas start with the intention of making something sweet, and then going, ‘well… wouldn’t it be funnier if…”

Thank you for 700 followers!!!! Holy cow!! WOW!!! Wow. I’m embarrassed to say this but I was absolutely bamboozled when I read that number because I quite forgot to check how many followers I had for like 3 months, and last time I checked I had 93. I don’t think I’ve done an actual double take before until now. I don’t think I even know 700 people. My village has less people than that. My entire high school, staff and all, is a couple hundred less than that. It’s hard to imagine that 700 separate people decided to tap that little button on their phone because they thought my artwork is cool. Wow!! I have no idea what to do with myself? Perhaps I should go for a stroll and collect 700 leaves or bugs or something to try to comprehend how many that is.

[ID: Digital drawings of Zuko and Sokka drawn on top of the Little Mermaid screencaps. In the first panel, Sokka, who has a long blue mermaid tail, touches an unconscious Zuko. Zuko is wearing a tattered short white robe and crimson pants. Sokka says, “He’s… beautiful.” Sokka clears his throat, then sings, “What would I give to live where you areee, what would I pay to stay here beside you, what wou--” It is evident that his singing is horrible. Zuko, distressed but still unconscious, grabs Sokka’s hand. Sokka says, “Oh Shrimp! I made it worse!” In the next scene, Zuko holds his forehead and frowns at the dinner table. “Ugh, Uncle. There’s this voice. I feel like I’ve met him before… but I don’t know where! I just can’t get it out of my head… even in my dreams…” Iroh smiles, lights his pipe, and says, “Well, Prince Zuko, legend says that the melody of our true love’s voice never lea--” Zuko interrupts, “NO, UNCLE. IT SOUNDS SO BAD.” I want to find out who it is so I can tell him to SHUT UP.” Iroh, nervous, says, “umm, let’s see…” Then, Sokka and Zuko are in a canoe at nighttime. Katara, also a mermaid, whispers, “PSST. His name is Sokka.” Sokka, now with legs, smiles as Zuko says, “Oh! Is your name… Sock?” Sokka makes a ‘keep going’ gesture. Zuko says, “Oh, um, I’m close? Oh, ok, uh… Socks? Shoes? Um… Sneakers? Boots? Uh… er… Flip Flop? Galoshes?” Sokka frowns and Katara throws up her hands in defeat. In the next scene, Sokka is a mermaid again. He says, “H-HEY! I’ve actually been a MERMAID this whole time! SURPRISE! Heh…” Zuko looks on in horror. Sokka says, “Yeesh, I’ve really messed things up, haven’t I? I’M SORRY MY VOICE GOT STUCK IN YOUR HEAD! I didn’t mean to start singing! I was just thinking, y’know, ‘oh, hot shipwrecked sailor guy, this is so aesthetic!’ Ugh, I know it was annoying--” Zuko looks at him, hearts for pupils. Sokka says, “I wa--mf!” Zuko kisses him. Then, he holds Sokka’s face and says, “I don’t think you’re annoying. But could you maybe just shut up? For the next 5 minutes?” Sokka, eyes half lidded, says, “Uh, yeah. Um. I can do that.” They kiss again, and in the corner are the words, “THE END.” End ID.]

[scribbleshanks]

Hello! I have some questions for the artist ask: 5, 6, and 19

Have a good day!

Hi! :)

A lot of rambling again, haha ^^; : 

5. What is your favorite thing to draw?

FABRIC FOLDS!!!

It brings me such joy and comfort that I can hardly imagine not drawing a long draping cloak or a flowing cape.

You can bet I go bonkers over references featuring capes and cloaks, haha. 

6. What is your least favorite thing to draw?

I suppose that would include things that I have trouble drawing.

Truthfully, I take little enjoyment drawing buildings. Which is a problem, but grrrr. I do not like.

Therefore I do not see. 

19. What is the most difficult thing for you to draw?

HOOOO BOY...MANY THINGS, MY GUY, MANY THINGS.

That list is. Very long. And that's perfectly fine because a lot of artists feel that way. I just selfishly draw the things I enjoy most (cloaks and fabric <3) rather than trying to branch out a little, so I believe that the list of things that are easy for me to draw are quite minuscule compared to the list of things I struggle with.

One random thing I have difficulty drawing are shoes. I just don't get shoes, man.

But in seriousness, there are two things I have most difficulty. Not really things, per say, as they’re more like major principles of art, but. They have caused me much distress :( 

One major area that I have trouble grappling with is that of perspective. Buildings, cars, backgrounds, settings, drawing from different angles, and more all include some element of perspective, and it absolutely drives me up a wall.

Second major area is colors.

I feel very embarrassed about this because I learned how to paint with acrylics, and I liked painting with acrylics. I might fare much better with acrylic paint than digital painting/coloring/rendering, however, because I would be so much less confused.

I love Krita, but it takes a lot of learning and getting used to. And as comfortable as I've gotten with using it for lineart, I am so confused by it's coloring system. I have yet to look at a proper guide for it. 

That might apply to any digital software because I am so utterly baffled by how many artists are able to do that.

To add onto that, I have absolutely no idea how digital artists can paint and render. It.

It.

I feel like such a fool. I am bamboozled and perplexed.

Colors are beyond me.

I hope you have a good day as well!! ^^

[holy-guacamoly]

Congrats on 200 followers omg!<333

For your event I’d like HC’s with Eren Yeager both nsfw and sfw:)

My name is Keren, my pronouns are she/her. I love anything art related and collecting vinyls. My collection is mostly R&B, HipHop and rock! I also love doing anything spontaneous and being outdoors. I’m also a fashion major :) I’m a libra and I’m pretty shy at first but I become pretty outgoing once I’m comfortable. I would say I’m kind of a mixture of Mikasas personality and Sashas depending on the person. Appearance wise I’m pretty tall and I have dark skin and naturally curly hair :)

Thank you so much Keren! <333 You are a fashion major? How cool is that? You and Eren Yeager would be the hottest couple out there, oooff! Also, your name is already is the official ship name with Eren and I love that. KEren. Spread the word. Warnings: mentions of shower sex, sexual acts, blowjobs, slight Dom!Eren Genre: Headcanons ♥ Eren definitely is the one to ask you on a date. This cocky mofo is used to flirting with girls, but oh boy, he isn't ready for the feels-train that is gonna hit him. You are just something else. Your mysterious ways just mesmerize him and such warmth is radiating from your aura. He would act all cool about it, but deep inside he is a little bit unsure of himself. With your friends, you seem so radiant and confident, but whenever you are around him you keep quiet. Little does he know that you are actually very shy at first and your heart is running laps. Honestly, this guy needs a little ego bumper anyways, so everything is fine. ♥ Fast forward, you two are dating. That's only reasonable since you both have so much in common. Eren is shooketh when he sees your vinyl collection because he actually collects them too. His friends always made fun of him for spending all his money on that stuff and he started to feel weird for that. But with you it's different. You talk about all your favorite artists, how vinyl just sounds way better than digital records and how the covers are just pure art, for hours. The two of you just get lost in each other's eyes and words. ♥ Eren and you have that song which you keep screaming in a dramatic duet while in the shower or just cooking. Your neighbors hate you :) ♥ Eren just LOVES the fact that you are tall. The model vibes are real, sis! It kind of makes him feel powerful to pull such a goddess like you. Your long legs make him flustered all the time, but of course, he would never admit it. ♥ I feel like Eren is a secret cuddle bear. Whenever you reach the comfort of your home, he will instantly wrap his arms around you. While lying on the couch or in bed, he kind of snakes his whole body around yours, like some gigantic backpack. He just can't help it, when you look so comfortable. >:( This man is a big baby, but don't you dare to tell anyone. ♥ Yeager-Boy will watch you sleep during lazy mornings. Normally he isn't awake before lunch, but since you two are together, he just can't miss the opportunity to admire your beauty. As the gentle morning sun kisses your buttery-brown skin, making it glow in amber colors, he just wonders how he ever deserved you. ♥ When I tell you, this man is bamboozled about how someone can create such godly fashion. He begs you to design something for him and when you do, Eren will wear it religiously. Whenever someone compliments his outfit (and even if they don't) he holds a 15-minute monologue about how his girl made it for him. Refers to you as the next Coco Chanel, even though your style has nothing to do with Chanel, but it's the only designer he knows. Be patient with that silly goofball. ♥ Definitely wakes you up around 2 a.m and asks if you are in for a ride. "Eren, why? Where do you wanna go?" you whine, voice still heavy with sleep. He chuckles at your overall confused expression. "I wanna show you something, baby. Now, will you get up for me, please?" The two of you end up on a 2-hour ride, where you both talk about your deepest desires and wishes. Your destination is a little bay, far away from any kind of civilization, where you watch the sunrise. NSFW ♥ I think Eren will take a lot of advantage of your not-so-big height difference. Just bends you over any counter he pleases and fucks you from behind. It would be much harder if you were a lot smaller than him and Eren just loves how easy he can slide in between your folds in this position. ♥ Also: Shower sex! Something about the warm water, covering your glistening boobs and the overall steamy ambiance makes the two of you extra horny. 10/10 that he will pick you up and just rail you against the cold walls of the shower, holding onto your pretty ass cheeks for dear life. Getting it on in the shower also means a lot of shoulder massages to get relaxed.

How could someone not like that? ♥ This man is vocal. I feel like your name would constantly pour from his lips, as soon as his dick finds sanctuary in your sweet cunt. Eren will not hold back his groans and moans when it feels THIS good. No matter how many complaints you get from your neighbors (they are still tired of your singing, remember?) ♥ Sorry but this man is the definition of a Dom. He loves you so much, but won't hesitate to whisper the filthiest stuff during sex. "You love that, when I fuck you like that, huh? Fucking you dumb with my cock?" he groans, as his grip tightens on your hips. All you can muster at that moment is a nod and a set of the prettiest noises. ♥ His cocky attitude is gone in a second, as soon as you start to suck this man off. Eren turns into a little whimpering mess when you swirl your tongue around the tip of his dick. You just know exactly what makes him beg for you. But his favorite part is how he can bury his hands in your wonderful locks for support. They feel so soft under his palm and ground him. ♥ Will call you names during sex if you are comfortable with it. If not he will just repeatedly refer to you as "baby" or "princess". In conclusion: Eren finally feels like he is free whenever he gets to spend time with you. He is your rock, your inspiration.

[blooms-of-ice]

23. Bewildered

#seaswolchallenge

Short stories, in non-chronological order...

Wyda reaches for a card, pauses. Touches its corner, pulls back. Pinches it again. Her opponent watches carefully, urging Wyda on with a supportive nod. You can do it! Make a play that’ll make the Triple Triad gods proud! But Wyda looks unsure of herself. She’s bamboozled by this card game of numbers and strategy, but that doesn’t stop her from giving it her all. After letting the timer run long for 5 seconds, she places a blue card in the corner. Her opponent gives Wyda a hearty thumbs up, which goes limp the moment she sees what the Sea Wolf has actually done. A bad move.

“...OKAY LOOK. So you capture cards if the number on your card is higher than the other.” The highlander, a self proclaimed expert in the game, jabs her finger at the digits displayed on Wyda’s card. “So what are ya bleedin’ doing, putting this guy down here?! Look, look. Here’s my hand. I can literally counter your card with any of my cards.”

The two shuffle closer, shoulder to shoulder, and glance at each other cards. Wyda nods sagely. Of course! The highlander isn’t quite convinced, and removes Wyda’s card from the corner. She gestures to the playing area, allowing a do-over.

Oh gosh. Wyda holds her head in thought. She...hadn’t paid full attention to her friend’s multiple explanations. Hell, she can’t even remember which card she originally had put down on the board, and the alcohol sure isn’t helping. Wyda glances up for a second, and her gaze is met by one of unparalleled eagerness. Her opponent is praying for her success! Emboldened by her friend’s support (and bolstered by fizzy confidence), Wyda puts the same blue card down. In the same corner.

They share a quiet moment together, followed by a frustrated cry of defeat from the highlander. Wyda, on the other hand, can’t stop laughing.

[casualarsonist]

Mission: Impossible - Fallout review

I can empathise with Tom Cruise’s plight. At one point in my life, I too found myself over fifty, with half a billion dollars in net worth that I didn’t know what to do with, and having had my religion chase all my girlfriends away. The world can be a lonely place when your wealth-to-height ratio is 323,592,411 to 1. At that time I also wanted to die, and my only regret is that I didn’t attempt to do it via elaborate helicopter stunts - the one aspect in which Tom Cruise and I differ from one another. (I’m lying. You don’t know for a fact that I’m not Tom Cruise, so I thought I’d clarify.) Seriously though, if I had the means to, I’d like to go out in the exact same way as him, and I’m sure he’d feel the same about my preferred method of demise - ‘not while wanking’. But for now, Tom Cruise is Tom Cruise, and I am not, so instead I satisfy myself by watching him try to find the most expensive way to end his life as he films it for our viewing pleasure. 

‘Pleasure’ being the operative word here, because Mission: Impossible - Fallout is an ode, a testament to the crazy, gregarious, charming, golden age action films of the late 80s-early 90s, complete with a villain’s death (spoiler, the villain does not win) that makes you suck in your breath and wince. And that’s a great, great thing, because between the first film and this one (the...sixth?) the series has run the gamut of action-film styles, from a tense, spy-thriller, to ridiculous wire-work John Woo insanity, to boring summer fodder, to the most recent run of three superb releases that up the ante every time. I’m not gonna lie, I absolutely hate heights, and the idea of clinging to the outside of a plane as it takes off scares the literal shit out of me as I sit here writing this. But watching Cruise do it is absolutely breathtaking. Apparently he doesn’t have a stunt double. Could it be any more clear that he’s simply trying to reach the great beyond the only way he knows how - in a big-ass summer blockbuster? More power to him I say. 

If you’ve watched any of the M:I movies before, you’ll know that plot doesn’t really count for much. Not because there’s not enough plot, mind, but because there’s too much plot. Every time there’s too much plot, full of double-crossings and fake-outs and masks and secret spy dealings. Trying to follow it all isn’t worth the mental effort, and it probably doesn’t really make much sense when you break it down, so there’s little to be found in the plot other than a sense of the large scale machinations of the various entities at work. In the end, the plot moves forward because the right people show up at the right time as if everyone is sharing their location to a Whatsapp group for international agents of espionage, and the details are but a means to an end - an end that lies at the point the next action scene begins. In most other cases this might diminish the efforts of the film, but when your action scenes are this enjoyable, I really couldn’t care less. 

Tom Cruise hangs off so many things, guys. He hangs off helicopters in flight. He hangs off a cliff. He hangs off a building. At one point, he even leaps from the roof of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, across thirty metres of open road, and onto the rooftop of another building half a football field away. It’s not something that the average punter will notice, but those familiar with the sheer amount of space between St Paul’s and every other building around it will understand just what an amazing athletic feat this is. My mum, a woman with a heart condition and a proclivity towards anxiety, left the theatre breathless and excited - a state I don’t think I’ve ever seen her enter in a positive capacity. She’s not a thrill-seeker, is what I mean, but this film thrilled the shit out of her. There’s a great sense of continuity and flow to everything, and this meticulous attention to detail, coupled with a lack of bewildering CGI helps keep you invested, even as the stakes are raised further and further. It’s the antithesis of the Bourne Identity shakey-cam technique that dominated action films for far too long - no-longer can directors use it as an excuse to cut corners and create a bamboozling visual mess in which you can’t tell who kicked what and where, while Cruise’s capability and commitment to doing everything for realsies means that they don’t have to cut fifteen times just to film him hopping over a fence. I almost, almost, raved about it when I left the cinema, and that’s a high endorsement from me when it comes to big-budget blockbusters. And that’s probably the strangest thing of all - that this film is a blockbuster sequel in a series that has long crossed the temporal line that usually denotes an irreparable decline in quality, and has somehow not only managed to recover, but get better with successive installments. Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but a Tom Cruise action film inspires a very different anticipatory feeling than a Dwayne Johnson action film. There’s a consistency in the quality that is fed by a tangible sense of ambition - this series has become Cruise’s baby, and with all the money in the world and nothing else to live for, he clearly tries damn hard to make sure that it is worth the price of entry. 

As for the rest of the film...it’s okay. It’s not so much an episodic installment as those before it, but a direct sequel to Rogue Nation, and if you haven’t seen Rogue Nation, then you’re gonna be really fuckin’ confused for a good part of the narrative. Old friends and enemies return, and you will have zero connection with any of them for at least two thirds of the production unless you’ve seen them before. Which sucks, because it’s not exactly fair that in a series of six films, they waited until you were five in before smacking you with a the first story that carries over. The performances are fine, serviceable. Simon Pegg’s character actually has some weight to it and serves a greater function than simply being the comic relief. Alec Baldwin is in it and through no fault of his own, simply due to the fact that he’s Alec Baldwin, feels miscast in his redundant, bite-sized role. Henry Cavill is...fine. He plays a charmless thug well enough, and the thing he does with his arms in the trailer and the bathroom fight is legitimately cool for reasons that I can’t explain. He’s the perfect henchman, and in this sense he’s well-cast for the first time in his life, but that’s not so much a compliment to him as it is to the casting director for realising his limitations as an actor. Cruise is the film’s heart and soul, partially because his character is the axis around which all of the other elements turn, and partially because no-one can stop themselves from crowing that Ethan Hunt is the saviour of the world, and the best-est, most amazing spy ever. It reeks of vanity project dialogue, and while it might be, I can forgive it because of the quality and effort that has gone into almost all the aspects of the production. 

In short, as mindless fun goes, watching this film is possibly the most mindless fun I’ve had in a long time. It was extremely refreshing to go from The Meg to this in the space of a week, and to be reminded that not all big-budget films are CGI-soaked trash garbage. I wouldn’t thank Tom Cruise for many things, but I’ll thank him for that. In the meantime, I just hope that when he finally does meet his maker, it’s because the navigational instruments on the spaceship he spent six months learning to pilot failed and he was propelled into the Sun during a billion-dollar set piece while filming Mission: Impossible 15 - Space Terrorism.

8.5 digitally-altered Henry Cavill moustaches out of 10

[viandnyl]

#003-Baird

Baird

Producer/Singer/multi-instrumentalist

Bansed in LA

Genre:COLLAGE

Instagram:@baird._

Q:How did you first start doing music? (For example: what made you fall in love with music, how did you start working with music)

I grew up jamming with my older brother. Our parents had us both take piano lessons and I picked up the guitar and drums later on. We made a lot of noise in the basement.

Q:Which of your songs do you recommend the most? (a song that represents you as an artist) and please explain the reason why you chose it.

I’d recommend “Etude Blue” from my last project, Birdsongs vol. 2 because it’s the purest song i’ve released so far. Play it with your eyes closed and see what happens…

Q:Please tell us about your latest single (or album).

My latest single, “Darkness of the Night,” is the first time I’ve really tried to tell a story from someone else’s perspective. It’s the story of a woman leaving her husband, a story from my family actually. Musically, this was one of those melody ideas that presented itself to me already completed. I had a bunch of little musical ideas when I started this project, but this one kept insisting that it needed to be finished. I’m glad I did.

Q:What kind of music are you creating right now? (For example; a current source of inspiration, a certain sound you are into, or some other specific example)

Today I worked on the last song on Birdsongs vol. 3. I’m not sure what it’ll be called yet. I wrote the chorus a couple weeks ago, the morning after playing my first show in LA. I wanted to write something that everyone could sing along to, something memorable and simple. I think it’s the song I’ll use to end my next live show.

Q:What is important to you when making music?

I like to jam. Record quickly and instinctively, let the music loop and record on top. I might add 15 instruments and then mute 12 of them. Or mute everything except the drums and write a different song on top of the groove. I like to iterate. And since I make music digitally I can lean into that, use Save As and Command + z a lot. Try everything and come back to it later.

Q:Tell us about your next music release or other upcoming activities you have planned.

I’m releasing a project called “Birdsongs, vol. 3” in February. It’s the final mixtape from the Birdsongs trilogy and it’s the best one yet. I really took my time to try to get this one right. Look out for the song “Lightning of July.” Outside of that, my band and I are starting to play a lot more live shows and we’ll have some dates around the release. With a little luck maybe we’ll see you in Japan…

Q:What is the story behind your artist name?

Baird’s my real name. It was my grandmother’s last name before she married. She was a painter actually.

Q:What are your hobbies?

I try to go running every day, ideally early in the morning when the streets are clear. I also like to cook, go camping, play soccer, watch baseball, surf in the summers. Lately i’ve been pretty mono-minded with music though.

Q:What is a word you like?

Bamboozle. It’s really fun to say.

Q:Do you think that you have changed in some way recently? And if so, how?

Yeah, all the time. If you’re not changing, what’s the point? Recently I’d say gotten a lot more confident as a performer. I’ve started playing shows with my band and it’s felt really freeing. It’s like a performance sport. You’ve gotta be so ‘on’ that once it’s over you feel this deep relaxation kick in. I’m really lucky to be playing with those guys too, they’re incredible musicians.

Q:Any music or other art that has had an influence on you.

So much. This year i’ve been listening to a lot of David Axlerod, Os Novos Baianos, MF DOOM, Karen Dalton, Andre 3000

Q:Who is a person who has influenced you?

Kevin Abstract. He’s taught me a lot about writing, relentlessness, trusting yourself, knowing when to move on. He gives great advice.

Q:Any artists that have caught your interest recently, or any artist in particular you are feeling respect for at the moment?

This is a little scattershot but… I just read a book of poetic instructions by Yoko Ono called Acorn, been thinking about that a lot. This week I’ve been listening a lot to this rapper called Jean Deaux, she’s dope. Oh and I’ve been watching a lot of live performances from David Byrne.

Q:What do you think you would be doing if you didn’t work with music?

Probably graphic design.

Q:If you could give any advice to your younger self, what would that be?

I think the biggest thing about moving to LA in 2020 and starting to work in the music industry was this realization that pretty much everyone is just making it up as they go along. Most people really are flying by the seat of their pants. So I’d say trust yourself, know that everyone else is just figuring it out too. You can build the plane while flying it.

Q:What do you do to relieve frustration or stress?

Exercise! Either running, surfing, hiking. Any time I leave my phone off for a few hours I feel ten times better.

Q:What is your dream?

My dream is to run a beautiful studio out of a rural farmhouse, maybe in Mexico. We’ll have a big garden and a great kitchen, and artist friends can drop by for a few weeks to make an album or help out with mine. There might be a ceramics studio and a space to make clothes too. And when no one’s around I’ll just sing songs to the goats and chickens.

*This interview was conducted on VI/NYL #003, which published on Dec.30th, 2021. 

*All photos are courtesy of the artists.

■VI/NYL

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[racingtoaredlight]

RTARL’s 2020 NFL Season Week 13 Extravapalooza

I’m cranking this bad boy out in a rush on Saturday morning, which is much earlier than I normally do it. I’m doing this because I’m fixin’ to get Nor’easter’d all to hell later on and I very well may be without electricity and/or internet for a bit. Fun! So, the blurbs will be downsized and unaided by last-minute injury info or juicy news nuggets about locker room morale, and the lines themselves may have moved by the time kickoff rolls around. I’d say this week’s Extravapalooza will be more useless than normal, but that would imply that past editions have provided any utility whatsoever to anyone.

My picks are in BOLD, and the lines come to us courtesy of our friends at Vegas Insider. I use the “VI Consensus” line, which is the line that occurs most frequently across Vegas Insider’s list of sportsbooks. Your sportsbook of choice may offer a different number, and if you’d like my opinion on said number A) you are insane, and B) leave a comment below and I’ll try to answer at some point before things kickoff today. 

EARLY GAMES

Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings (-10)

The constant, oppressive potential for the Vikings to go full Vikings and soil themselves at the most hilarious time has me taking a Mike Glennon-led squad on the road as a double-digit underdog. What a time to be alive!

New Orleans Saints (-3) at Atlanta Falcons

Falcons WR Julio Jones is listed as questionable, and as of this writing I can’t find any reports that give an indication if his status leans one way or another. This is unhelpful, because Atlanta’s offense is way better with him in the lineup. Fuck it, I’m plowing ahead as if he’s gonna be in there. Saints QB Taysom Hill made his first start against the Falcons just two weeks ago, and he looked pretty good in that game. I can’t imagine Atlanta is keen on having that happen again.

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears (-3)

Lions WR Kenny Golladay is still out, and RB D’Anrde Swift is expected to be “eased in” if he plays at all. Gonna be tough sleddin’ for Matthew Stafford and the fellas, I reckon.

Cleveland Browns at Tennessee Titans (-5.5)

Hell yes, this is going to be a glorious avalanche of rushing attempts by both squads. I can’t wait. Ultimately, I have more confidence in the Titans’ ability to mix in an effective passing game, and I think that’ll be the difference. Cleveland’s monstrous DE Myles Garrett is returning to action after missing two games with COVID-19. I hope Myles suffers no lingering effects and continues to pummel opposing QBs each week from here on out.

Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins (-10.5)

There used to be a television commercial asking for donations for a fund dedicated to saving wild tigers, and it would show images of tiger skins, various cruel snares and traps used to hunt tigers, cubs orphaned after their mom was killed by poachers, and other extremely depressing shit. Thinking about the current Cincinnati Bengals bums me out almost as much as that commercial. That said, I think they can cover 10.5 against a Tua-led Miami offense.

Las Vegas Raiders (-8.5) at New York Jets

The Jets are 3-8 against the spread this season, despite routinely being given so many points that I actually laugh out loud. Adam Gase is a true artist, and I’ll be sad when he’s gone. Having said all of that, fuck the Raiders.

Indianapolis Colts (-3) at Houston Texans

The Indy defense has been one of the better units in the league this season (last week’s Derrick Henry rampage notwithstanding), so I’m thinking Houston QB DeShaun Watson will have a tough go of things after losing his fave WR Will Fuller to a PED suspension.

LATE GAMES

New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks (-11)

The Seattle secondary has been dog vomit all year, but even they should be able to handle Colt McCoy. Maybe. 

Los Angeles Rams (-3) at Arizona Cardinals

I don’t know if it’s because he’s nursing a shoulder injury or what, but Cardinals QB Kyler Murray has mostly stopped running the ball over the last two games (both losses). He had 15, and 31 rushing yards in those games, and that ain’t gonna cut it against Aaron Donald and the boys, I’m afraid. 

Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers (-8.5)

The Eagles are busted all to shit.

New England Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5)

I love Justin Herbert, but the Patriots typically bamboozle the fuck out of rookie QBs.

SNF: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-13.5)

The Chiefs beat the Broncos 43-16 in their earlier matchup in October, and I don’t see much reason to think it’ll be a whole lot different this time around.

MNF (Early): Washington Football Team at Pittsburgh Steelers (-7)

So help me, I really like what the Football Team is doing and I’m actually rooting for them. Pittsburgh’s insistence on throwing on every down plays right into the hands of Washington’s top-shelf pass defense, and I think the Team has a real chance at handing the Steelers their first loss.

MNF (Late): Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers (-1)

I’m really hoping we get the maximum Josh Allen Experience in this one, since he’s got the national spotlight all to himself. He might literally hurl a football through somebody’s sternum.

TNF: Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens 

This game isn’t on the books at most places, because it remains unclear how many of the guys on Baltimore’s COVID/RESERVE list will be coming off in time to play. So, no pick from me.

Last Week’s Record: 5-8-1

Season Record: 74-85-6

[bozzerspensieve]

How I’ve been coping with all the shit that’s happening

If you read my last blog, some two million years ago when I wrote it, you’ll know I’d been toying with returning to my keyboard to share my thoughts and feelings once again.

Spoiler: I didn’t bother.

But now that we are hurtling balls deep into a pandemic, and all of my paid writing work is on indefinite hold, I decided I’d give it another whirl. Simply to give myself something to do that isn’t Netflix - or something worse that (old wives have it) might make me blind.

I thought perhaps I’d start afresh by sharing with you some of the things that I’ve been doing to help me cope with the current situation, just in case it could be useful for you, somehow.

While the pandemic is happening to all of us, quite how it’s affecting each person is completely different. Some people have tested positive for the virus. Some are scared about their own health, or the health of loved ones.

Some own small businesses that they’re frightened they’re set to lose. Others live with health anxiety and their hands are bleeding from chronic washing.

Personally, I’m a self employed person, 24 hours removed from learning that the government is going to help us with a grant of 80% of our past earnings. I write predominantly for two industries: the travel industry, and the entertainment industry. So you can imagine that things have been really uncertain.

As someone who lives with an anxiety disorder, I have been a flipping nightmare to live with. It’s good that I live by myself because that way it’s only me that wants to punch me in the gob.

I am a catastrophist through and through. I didn’t know that until my therapist read me to filth for it, but I’m glad that now I can see. For a while there, I was talking about how my life was ruined, that everything I’d built for 15 years had crumbled and how I was to be reduced to the person I was at 17 - scared, homeless and alone. Mix in a heaped cupful of curdled guilt for feeling sorry for myself when people were in much worse situations, and I was pulling my bastard hair out. I might be again tomorrow. But for today, while I’m feeling a little more hopeful, I wanted to at least take some time to talk about some of my coping mechanisms.

And so without further ado, for all of the two people that are still reading (hi guys!) here are the ten things that I’m doing to help myself.

Being in nature

I’m really lucky to live right next to a beautiful, well-managed nature reserve. Because the sun has been out, I’ve been taking my one, sanctioned walk of the day down there with the birds. Aside from one or two cyclists I’ve had to give a wide berth to, there’s been no humans around to sour my experience, and the sun on my face, fresh air in my lungs and the magical sound of birdsong has been salve on the gash wound that feels like my life. I fucking love birds, dude.

Only checking the news twice

Because I’m so prone to bouts of savage misery, I’ve had to really pare back the amount of news that I’ve been consuming. I check my news outlets of choice (I’d always recommend more than one source) only twice a day, in the morning after breakfast and in the early evening before dinner. I never slam myself into the day with bad news, and I always give myself a few hours after my “evening briefing” to just chill the heck out before bed.

Video calling

I think I’ve spoken to my friends more now we’re in a pandemic than I ever did before! Being ‘isolated’ is my normal state, living and working alone, so having the ones I love also being bored as hell has been really enjoyable for me! While none of us really has anything new to tell anyone else, just being able to laugh, to talk about how I’m feeling, and to hear about what they’re dealing with, has been a huge source of comfort. Which leads me to...

Being open with my feelings

Only when you tell people how you’re feeling can they truly help you. Communication, in any relationship, is the most important thing. No one knows what you need from them unless you’re saying it. And so I’ve been brutally honest with the people that I love, about my fears and worries. I’m pretty scared about getting sick, for example. If I’m bed bound, who will call 111? Or bring me a glass of water? Or help take my temperature? Who will bring me food if I’m stuck?! Well, I’ve expressed those horrible, real concerns to my pals, and now they’re all lining up, ready to push snacks through my letterbox or to leave shopping on my doorstep. If I didn’t tell them that, how would they know I needed them?

Curating my social media

The ‘unfollow’ and ‘mute’ buttons have changed everything for me here in a world where digital media is our only source of social interaction. Everyone’s coping in their own way, and for some, that means being super heckin’ negative on their social media platforms. I don’t judge them for it, but I don’t want to hear it either. Especially from someone I haven’t seen in 20 bloody years. So I’ve been deleting and muting left and right, logging off when things feel too... noisy.

Softening my face

This is going to sound like a ridiculous thing, but it’s something I tell myself all the time. Quite often I catch myself frowning, furrowing my brow, gritting my teeth, when I’m just sitting around trying to do things I like! I have to tell myself to soften my bloody face. I figure that if you at least pretend that you feel relaxed for a bit, act like a relaxed person, you’ll get some temporary relief from feeling so tense. Hopefully I’ll get into the habit of just fucking chilling out a bit for once.

Not being a jerk about food

I’m sitting around a lot so I should change how much I eat. But I’m bored so I want snacks. Then I feel guilty for snacking because I’m moving less... Ugh, I’m annoyed even seeing that written down. So for the next couple of weeks I’m going to stop being so annoyed with myself about how I’m eating. When I do my big shop, I try to buy in more fresh fruit and veg and less trash, but I’m taking some time to not be a jerk to myself about food. Loads of people online are freaking out about the idea of maybe getting fat during this time of self-isolation, as though being fat is the worst thing it’s possible to be. Don’t be a dickhead. We are going through a crisis, for god’s sake. Eat the cowing Pringles if you want them.

Not getting hung up on a schedule

The same goes for having a schedule. Being self-employed means I’m used to having to be strict on myself to get to sleep at a reasonable hour, to not sleep in past nine and to not nap in the daytime. But here in the pandemic times, I’m just going to let my body do whatever it wants to do and I’m not going to be a dick to myself about it. With luck, there’ll be plenty of time to stick to a schedule, now doesn’t have to be it.

Practicing 7/11 breathing

One of the most important techniques I learnt in my last round of cognitive behavioural therapy was 7/11 breathing. You breathe in for seven seconds and out for 11. If you feel super panicked, you can breathe in for five and out for eight. The idea is that you exhale for longer than you inhale. This is great if you’re on the verge of an anxiety attack, to try and gain some composure, but it’s something you have to practice because otherwise when it comes to the attack itself, you might struggle to get there. I haven’t had an attack in two months but, I practice my breathing all the time anyway. Just in case.

Not thinking ahead

This is easier said than done, but I’ve started to just live in my day and no further. It’s a hard realisation to accept, that no one in the world really knows what’s happening and that the humans in charge of telling us what we’re supposed to be doing are probably as bamboozled as we are. Acknowledging the uncertainty, and just taking each day at a time, is getting me through. When I’ll next need to do a big shop, what I’ll do when I’m out of toilet roll, how I’ll get back on my feet when all of this has blown over... that’s future Bozzers’ problem. The now Bozzers is just living in the moment, and that’s absolutely fine.

Anyway, if you read this far then, thanks for being here. I appreciate you very much. Hope something here comes in useful for you, but even if it’s not, it’s been nice to write again anyway.

With love and hope,

Bozzers x

[survivormontenegro]

Episode 10: “It’s Like Giving A Baby A Glock” - Mo

I’ve been tricked, I’ve been backstabbed and, quite possibly, bamboozled.

So like here’s the thing, the person I thought going into merge I could trust the least is apparently now my closest ally. That’s Julia. I thought everyone was on the same page of voting out Tom like oh we’re gucci. But fucking quick fake out, no such thing as Tom getting voted out. I literally started hysterically laughing because no one was answering me when I asked what happened on the call. Now I don’t know what to do but I’m still just gonna have fun.

operation vote alex was a success. i feel really really awful because he looked so upset, but he was just too powerful and couldn't stick around any longer ahh. in other news sleeping beauty tom is so funny, he almost self-voted himself out of the game I am truly screaming. i was determined this season to make up for the last time we played together and i think i got to do that ahh.

in other news... i need to go into hiding. i have done way too much in both of the last votes, and its really gonna start getting me some attention unless i really really go under the radar. me and jules are the only people who voted both ian and alex, and on call with jason i think its obvious to him now that us two are close eek!

i feel like mo is a good next vote, he is much more of an outsider than jones and is an easy vote which is what i need since im in such a highlighted position at the moment eek, i really think i'm gonna go like 8th or something, so we will see how that little pickle goes eek!

New Goal Bootlist: Mo > Jones > Jason > Julia > Mitch > Me/Caeleb/Jules/Benj/Tom F5, ahh I love everyone left way too much this is gonna become such a pickle when I don't wanna vote out like.... half the tribe EEK. lets just hope its all smooth sailing till i idol someone out eek.

i do not expect to make FTC, but I just wanna use my idol correctly before I go askljdfa. Also new jury rankings if I get booted 10th:

Jules > Jason > Benj > Caeleb > Mitch > Jones > Julia > Tom > Mo

Caeleb shot up my rankings for being open to a move, Jason would be a major underdog if he makes it to FTC, Jules is too woke and deserves votes, and Benj is playing a super smart game ha! We will see, but I sure do not expect to last much longer in this game KLASDFA

HELLO!!! This game has been chaos lately. Firstly Ian gets blindsided and I knew it would be a split vote but had no clue he was leaving wow... but then this round all the people who organised that got blindsided with the Alex vote hehe. I didn't vote him bc my vote was publicized by Ian even tho I didn't vote him smh but I fully knew about it and kinda helped with it even tho its mainly caelebs move

Alex was super nice I liked him but it was purely for game he was the biggest threat and we were almost certain he had durmitor idol so! Even with tom self voting it worked wowow so I guess jules also voted with ali/caeleb/mitch/Jason

I don't talk to Julia or mo but IM SO SAD ABT JONES I DONT KNOW IF SHE KNOWS I KNEW OR NOT BUT I LOVE HER AND HOPE SHE DONT HATE ME

But whew this merge has been so crazy and I love it. Im kinda becoming floaterish again but that's fine bc we see threats leave early like ian and alex so! this should work for a while... altho im terrified to even make the end cuz its a live finale tribal AHHHH but idk if I will make it there anyway we will see. prob not .

Current rankings (strategically)

1. Ali - MY KINGGGG FOREVER!!!! Best duo ever and I don't think anyone knows it... we have voted differently again so its like perfect cuz despite doing diff stuff we still tell each other everything. and I hope we find merge idol so we have 2 hehe

2. Caeleb - Omg we have been working together a lot more closely lately and I really like it hes fun to work with im so sad I voted him 2 rounds ago LOL but its ok since its going to well now! king

3. Mitch - Only person ive been on every tribe with, usually always on the same page w stuff

4. Jones - LOVE HER QUEEN! she would be like tied 1st for personal but so far we have voted diff both times at merge oops! but still wanna go far with her

5/6. Jules/Tom - Without really talking about strategy we were still on the same page. Tom aussie king. JULES FRIENDLY QUEEN!

7/8/9. Jason/Julia/Mo - I just don't know how to talk to them really lol but all nice . my fault cuz maybe im so inactive... love u guys still

IDK WHATS NEXT BUT I WANNA MAKE TOP 9 ATLEAST!! Single digits again yus

Ok ok after tending to my needy cat, taking a shower, and taking a short 6 hour nap that others may call sleep,,, I’m 60% in the right headspace to gather my thoughts I think.

Last nights move was so good, I hated it Bc I wasn’t included in it but it was so good. But also seeing Alex literally on the verge of tears was NOT so good. That was actually depressing. Granted he WAS the biggest threat to win and he was on the verge of becoming an extremely controlling paranoid person - but dammit the combination of Mitch/Ali/Jason/Jules/Caeleb/Tom (to an extent) got us SO good.

BTW I can say with like 95% certainty that those were the 6 people involved w Alex going. It only makes sense to me that it would be? Ali/Mitch/Tom straight up TOLD me why they did what they did, Jason Bc why the fuck would he vote out Tom, Caeleb has expressed so much paranoia ab Alex that I’d be shocked if he wasn’t on board w it, and honestly Jules just hasn’t said anything ab anything and Alex went home w 5 votes, Benj and Julia voted Jason, Mo was VISIBLY shaken by Alex going, and I know I didn’t do it. So unless I’m missing someone in my process of elimination, those are the 6 people involved in the murder of Alexander Crooks.

Also on a couple unrelated notes - I’m thinking ab willing my vote cover to someone. I just don’t understand why I should be afraid of being exposed - I feel like I shouldn’t have anything to hide yk? Assuming I have to expose my vote I mean, hopefully I don’t! But ya

Also literally the round Before last round I think Caeleb actually exposed the plan to blindside Alex to me ? Like he was talking to me ab Tom and Ali wanting to get him out and then I approached Ali ab it and he was like no that’s not a thing BUT IT WAS A THING!! I think Alex was supposed to go last round, but Bc I confronted Ali ab it then it got pushed back??? Or it was legit just meant for this round smdmmdmd but um ya that’s might be the same plan?? So maybe I’ll expose Caeleb a bit hehehehe.

But honestly tho I think this could be really good for me in the sense that every single person thought of me as a duo w Alex - now I’m kind of a free agent who can do whatever the fuck I want!! Which is fun, the only true alliances I have w people now are just w benj and mo, which is cute and also I doubt anyone would target them anytime soon ? Tom seems like he’s still open to working w me, so are Ali and Mitch. Julia was also blindsided hardcore so maybe she’d be down to work out something too ? Right now I’m just holding out hope knowing for a fact that I CAN make this situation better. I’ve literally BEEN in this situation 2 times already?? I can do this! Just like Co-Star always tells me.

Wait just kidding on the Julia thing I can’t trust her either, I can only trust Jones at the moment.

So I found out from Benj that there was another split vote led by Alex. Last tribal he failed to tell me that they were going to vote out Ian instead of Jason. So this time around, when I found out that they were going to do the same thing to me again, I knew there was no going back with my new connection with Ali. The more I talked around with everyone the more the pieces started to align. Tom and Jason were targets so they would be easy to get involved. With me and Ali that's already 4. Mitch was going to be the fifth, and Jules as well if we felt like he wasn't going to go for it. I honestly wanted to vote Jules first tho, and I talked to Ali and Benj about that originally, but Ali had reservations as Jules is SUCH a flipper. AND THEN Julia voted so early, so I kinda went up to everyone in this new group and was like, "okay that was arrogant I think she's trying to be funny but thats enough for me to vote her," and Ali was way more into that so for a couple hours we had that going. BUT MITCH WAS NO WHERE TO BE SEEN. Like we had our four and we were ready but Mitch didn't come on line until like 40 min before tribal. And when he did he was like I'm voting Alex. I really didn't want to go for Alex right away because of a couple of reasons. One being that if he heard of this vote in anyyy way he might be able to get Jones to play her idol for him and that could destroy everything. SECONDLY, I knew that if we voted him then I was gonna have to do some SERIOUS damage control with Mo and Jones but if I had the opportunity to vote out Julia instead, I can go back to them and say that I knew I had to take the opportunity to be involved in the decisions but I didn't want it to be any of them. SOOO last 40 min I had to make a really big decision if I was gonna vote Alex or Tom and ultimately, I chose to vote out Alex. It just would put me in a better position.

I am so glad I did it to be honest. The moment I saw Alex's name five times I knew I made the right decision. I felt Happy and I felt Free. Alex was clearly using me as a failsafe, an easy first vote out once Me, Mo, Alex, Jones, Julia, Jules, and Ali were left. Now, this game is open up not just for me, but for everybody. I seriously think anyone can take control at this point. I don't need it to be me, I just need it to be someone who likes me. I think Jones is the most dangerous player right now, because of her idol. But I have kept that to myself, as well as her advantage, because while I might have to play the middle ground, I'm not a snitch.

Everyone is always so obsessed with being a hero or a villain. Going into Tumblr Survivor as a new player I really wanted to find out what type of player I was going to become. If I was gonna fit into one of those roles. I don't know what I am. I kinda feel like a villain because clearly that was a devious move, and I broke a strong alliance, but also I feel like I was a villain by default. I didn't necessarily want to be that player, I actually would've loved to have felt safe in that group. But trust has gotta go both ways, and if you show me two tribals in a row that you don't trust me to tell me the whole plan, I'm not gonna stick true with a group that sees me as expendable. So sure I was a villain, but it wasn't about vengeance or deceit or ill-will. It was to put this game back on a balance, and move me into a new spot that can work for me.

Okay, something I have learned about Survivor is that you have to put your Pride in Check. Tom is so nice to me, says a lot of things along the lines of "thanks for saving me," "you and I can go far in this," and such. And he told me he wasn't going to vote me in the first merge vote, and I think he believes that he fooled me. I know he voted me. He's literally the only person that would think voting me was the majority vote, except Ian and Jason. I wanna tell him that I know so badly so he doesn't think he's pulling one over me but I can't because I want him to think he can work with me, that I am in his pocket because he "stuck his neck out for me" or whatever.

Also ummm Mitch told me that Alex had a planned assassination on me for the last vote before merge. But he didn't tell me until after the Alex vote and said Jones was in on it. I know better than to trust what Mitch tells me for sure, so I don't think I will even go and fact check him on it. I honestly don't know how that would've helped Alex in the slightest so I don't know if its true, but also Alex likes to throw out my name as a "just in case" so god who knows. Regardless, I doubt I'll use this information for anything because it honestly doesn't matter going forward, other than that Mitch is a little bit of a snake.

hehe

So I won the reward challenge because I’m cool.

I

Have

No

Fucking clue

What to do with this

Like all three of the people voted Alex off without telling me about anything and I was in an alliance chat with all three of them (Ali & Jules in Space Jam, Caeleb in Durmitor Dominators) so like of course I was sad because that meant I was on the outs. Truth be told I kinda wish I didn’t win this because it’s like giving a baby a glock. Because I don’t know how to come out of this without people thinking I’m holding a grudge.

okay so mo won reward which is okay! I dont really wanna ask him to save me, because that will require making promises that I dont know if I'll be able to keep. I expect to be cursed this round.

touchy subjects is going to tank my game like CRAZY. I'm worried that Caeleb, Benj & Jules could all say they trust me most which is highkey terrifying, because if I win that it'll send red flags to all of them. I expect to win the shady game ones, about lying and flipping on alliances and stuff which is not as bad because I can just blame that on Space Jam which I told Caeleb about.

My big fear and this could just be ego-talking, like when I thought I was gonna win the lists challenge and then came second last but I'm so worried about getting the will win if they make it to the end category, thats... a death sentence in my opinion.

Wanna do like a quick update for each person too, just so I can look back when they all hate me at the end of the season:

Benj: my KING. He is such a legend, I love talking to me and do not think I would ever be able to vote for him, except at FTC! Wanna go super far with him, super super far!

Caeleb: Oh god I'm already realising the problem, which is that I love everyone. Caeleb I did not expect to get as close to, but he is so so fun to talk to! I'm really giving with him, and I think he is close to Benj too, so could be a good endgame person too. Will see on that one.

Jason: I love him! I for some reason convinced myself that he hated me during the swap, but I dont think... he does? he is SO smart and fun, I'd love to vote for him at an FTC. Ideally he needs to go before then, but I've lost Ian and Alex who were great shields so he acc probably needs to stick around.

Jones: Okay Jones is tough. Like... we stan becausee she is so much fun and I love talking to her. But talking game with her right now is tough because we have this weird poor communication and I'm conscious of not making empty promises when I want to see her go soon. I really like her on a personal, but I see either me voting her out or her voting me out.

Jules: what can I say except we stan. I talk to her and Benj the most by far, they are just consistently showing why we love them! I think they are such a threat, but I cant face the idea of voting them out eek! Wanna go super far with Jules because I LOVE THEM and they are a great friend and ally!

Julia: I messed up with Julia BAD. I should've told her about the Alex vote, I really think she would've been down, and it would've been so much better. Now she is upset and paranoid, and I feel so bad. I did her wrong and need to make it up to her, but I dont know if I will be able to eeek!

Mitch: he is so funny HDJDKDKD, like the way he talks is so funny. I've had a real rollercoaster relationship with him this season, but I could see some sort of alliance of me/Caeleb/Mitch/Benj coming together in the future! We will see ahh!

Mo: I've been quite harsh about Mo in confessionals this season but I feel like this vote gave him the kick he needs? Like he was playing it super safe and while it frustrates me seeing him say stuff like just keep me to F7 and such, he is, as always great to be around and a lotta fun!

Tom: Sleeping Beauty Tom. It's so funny to me that he stayed despite self-voting and sleeping. He is so much fun, I was determined to make up for our last game and I think I have ahh.

Summary is I wanna see Jones and Mo out next, then Mitch & Jason, then Julia leaving a F5 of Caeleb/ Me/ Benj/ Tom/ Jules? Thats the dream anyway ha!

Maybe I'm just paranoid but I feel like I've backstabbed/betrayed a good amount of people in this game and it's hard because sure they were moves that had to be made, but I hate being THAT PERSON. I don't know. Here's a confession Johnny, I'm trying but I'm bad at these.

So Mo said he was going to give me the reward tonight. He definitely doesn't talk to me as much and is much less excited and fun to talk to but I think I need to just accept that. The fact that he came up to me to tell me he's giving it to me, rather than me asking, makes me think he's telling the truth.

Plus I am being honest with him when I tell him that I don't want it to be him next. I hope he knows that.

Jones meanwhile has yet to say anything to me after last tribal. I finally messaged her last night, saying that I didn't mean anything towards her when I voted Alex. I hope she'll come around, but if not, then umm I kinda have no choice but to be wary of her and her idol and might have to do something about it. I don't want to though, I do wanna work with both her and Mo.

I actually think Julia is on my side. I can’t tell if she’s lying but she seemed upset because apparently no one talked to her about the plan to vote out Alex.

I'm bored at work. This tribal council is Odd as Hell. No one wants to throw out names, no one wants to seem too schemey, so everyone is just talking about being nervous and concerned. I honestly don't know who I want to go home because I think this vote is going to determine the course of this game post-Alex. I know I sure as hell don't want to come off as someone who is dictating the votes, so I'm trying to make it clear that I am willing to go with the flow with anyone who needs a vote rn.

I think there are people who have my back hopefully that will tell me if I need to be worried at least. Ali hopefully would, Tom *hopefully* would (but who knows hes sneaky), Mo was nice enough to give me the reward but um the Alex vote has changed him, I miss the old Mo. come back. Jones finally is talking to me again, but she's still trying to keep some secrets about the last couple of votes so I don't fully trust her. Benj hopefully would, but I was surprised he talks to Julia so much. Jason hopefully would, but now with Alex gone his game opens up tremendously. Julia would never tell me. Mitch wouldn't tell me unless it helped himself which I can't imagine happening. Jules probably wouldn't tell me because she's the easiest to convince into doing something no matter what Touchy Subjects said. She's literally flipped allegiances like every single vote ever. I hope I can survive tonight because I think this is going to be a pivotal vote and literally anyone can go home tonight (except Benj who has the sweet immunity).

HI um I think this game is broken? No one will say anything to anyone. Did I do this? Did I break this game? Or maybe we all did? Maybe Ali did maybe Jules did maybe Mitch did because us four are the middle people and we created an atmosphere where no one trusts anyone? or everyone trusts some people and none of that fits into a substantial person to vote?

I'm literally laughing rn. I am logging off. I am not going to focus on this game because literally every person just says "I don't want to throw a name out" "I haven't heard anything" "what have you heard" Like the gravity of this is crazy. This has gone on for HOURS. I don't know what to do so I am going to ignore my messages for like an hour and then reanalyze because Damn.

APPARENTLY NO ONES SAYING SHIT. But like part of me is like “Hm.... Yeah ok sure...” thinking it’s gonna be me. Because either everyone is lying to me or everyone’s genuinely confused.

okay i did a video confessionals that's uploading which has my thoughts from a couple of hours ago.

since then jules is pushing for mitch to go... but its so tough. mitch i think has my back, i just wanna vote mo and delay this war by a round. I just want someone like Mo or Jones gone, its getting tough. I'm playing the middle and am in a web of problems.

I have to have Jules back above all. Benj is safe, so I need to keep them safe. I need to get the vote on like Mo or someone, but Caeleb wants to vote Mitch or Jules too... ugh this is getting really messy and I'm worried and tired.

Idk if I sent this yet but

At the moment rightnow it seems like it’s Jules or Mitch, right now I think,,,, the best way to vote is Mitch. I’m Trying to get everyone on the path for mitch because I think Jules is falling in the “I’m a big threat wah” category and I want that to keep growing,,, I just feel,, so awful.

Mitch if you’re reading this ily w my whole heart and I still wanna crash Drew’s library w you some day

i am... what we call in the business, trash. i upset mitch and deserve to be voted out for it. i'm snappin' hearts on my way to FTC LORD.

[katherine-rambles]

i went to a talk today about like, 'success' and what that entails? sorta? it was better than i make it sound. 

one of the big points was that-- what we've been taught isn't working, so to repeat it is folly. and... alongside the point that apparently 1/3 of americans haven't read a book since schooling (what the actual fuck? i'm bamboozled by this), there was a point made that time spent playing videogames usually isn't time spent bettering oneself or 'productive' and that americans on average spend like. 50 hours a week in front of a screen outside of work. 

 and i mean... videogames don't have to be productive. (though the ones that attempt to be are certainly breaking lots of good ground.) but at the same time, like. i'd rather be producing than spending 20 hours a week grinding in splatoon for.... what? squid fashion? i mean i do enjoy the game and getting better at it but i... there isn't a point to it besides that it exists in and of itself as a fun thing. 

and fun things are good, but like, i also have fun MAKING things and CREATING and stuff that actively makes my life better? things that to this day i am proud of for having spent my time on in the past are mostly things that i’ve Done or Made or Created or Cultivated. crafts, art, relationships, groups, gifts, volunteering, community, socialization.... 

like, for contrast, i’m not ‘proud’ that i played okami, i just enjoyed it. don’t get me wrong-- the friendships that started because of my geeky interests are wonderful, but they’re not wonderful specifically because of those interests. they’re wonderful because we share our time and selves with each other. and that can include gaming and chilling out as much as it can include working alone together, or crafting, or.... you get what i mean? 

i dunno. my priorities around gaming have been shifting for a long time anyway, as its role (as well as the role of other media) in my life shifted. 

as a youth, i was fairly isolated and in need of things to do to prevent myself from losing it. media back then was pretty much my only real option, outside of school-- and it allowed me to bond with the friends i was able to make, both in digital and physical spaces. single player games, books, tv shows were my refuge from.... mundanity and chores that i couldn’t/wouldn’t see the point of as a child. and i think it was a sort of hyperfixation thing with my probable adhd, a way to keep myself from the pain of boredom without necessarily always spending effort (because hyperfixating on creating 20 gifts in a week is a LOT more taxing than watching a two season show in a week.)

but now as a (mostly) adult, i have the option of just Doing Stuff? like if i wanna volunteer no one’s stopping me except me. whereas, as a teenager, my mom wouldn’t let me travel alone, point blank. so doing stuff like that was a Huge Thing to coordinate because i had to deal both with my parent’s expectations and schedule as well as my peers AND their parental units AND whatever needs of space/time/etc that are inherent in planning anything. 

and like-- hoooo boy media was definitely used as a Distractor from Issues In My Life during my Depression Shit™, and to an extent they still serve that purpose? 

but the important difference between then and now is that... now i have the energy/mental health to maybe do something about my situation. so the “distractor” becomes more like “extremely effective way of procrastinating”... and i guess the talk reminded me that maybe i don’t want to do that with my time, since i have a lot of other things i’m excited about and want to pursue. 

so the end result of said introspection is that i deleted almost every game on my phone, and have been unfollowing things on tumblr that aren’t, uh, parts of my life i want to work on i guess? if that makes sense? i also decided to Stop Collecting Interesting Pictures, and instead narrow my focus to my Own Stuff and Actual Concrete Idea Inspiration-- but that’s better anyway as being doodled and then taken a snap of, really.

the games on my phone were mostly Just Ways To Pass Time and, also, basically skinner boxes. i might redownload some of the more puzzly-ones because stretching your brain and all, but as much as i adore magikarp jump and its infectious, radically accepting positivity.... it’s a time-locked ‘collector’. the goal of collecting magikarp is not actually a goal i’m interested in, big-picture-wise.

i’m not quite ready to purge my gaming setups-- but i am ready to start thinking of gaming under a new lens. i ask this of almost everything else i buy anyway, and i actually have begun asking it of games, so it’s not strange to apply more universally-- what does this bring into my life? what does this add? 

and i’m a STRONG believer in that games can have meaningful and intriguing and thought-provoking messages. they can also be really amazing shared experiences and provide things to bond over. so games of course still have a place in my life, as much as books and movies and shows do. 

and sometimes you just need to relax, and punching the shit outta bad guys can do that. 

but at least with the phone thing... i’d MUCH rather spend my transit time learning japanese than clicking incessantly for non-useful--and really, in the long run, non-desirable--rewards.

i guess the idea is a lot like my wardrobe.  “if you only have cute clothes, you’ll always be cute.”  “if you surround yourself with activities that will improve yourself, you’re more likely to do something that improves yourself.” 

which.... it’s been working for clothes. let’s see if it works for other things.

[shirlleycoyle]

‘Girls Do Porn’ Goes to Trial Over Allegations Women Were Tricked Into Videos

Twenty-two women are suing the adult video production company Girls Do Porn for fraud, coercion, and misrepresentation, after the company spread and sold the videos online—even after it promised the films would likely never reach a wide audience.

According to NBC 7 in San Diego, the lawsuit alleges that Girls Do Porn owners Michael Pratt and Matthew Wolfe, as well as actor and recruiter Andre Garcia, convinced the women—all ages 18 to 22—to agree to be filmed having sex on camera, but without them realizing the videos would be widely distributed and sold on the internet.

According to the lawsuit, Girls Do Porn posted ads to Craigslist that appeared to be for modelling gigs, but when the women responded with interest, the company revealed that the job was actually to shoot porn. They were assured that the videos would only be sold on DVDs to “private collectors” in Australia and New Zealand, according to the plaintiffs, and that no one they knew would ever come across the films.

That wasn’t the case. Not only did Girls Do Porn post the videos to its website, the videos were ripped off and spread on free clip sites like Pornhub and YouPorn, where friends and family apparently noticed them in some cases. Girls Do Porn also has an official channel on Pornhub, where it posts clips from the videos. Those videos have gained 672 million views over the eight years the channel has been up.

“[Girls Do Porn] told me multiple times, ‘What are the odds someone you know is going to walk into that one DVD store in Australia and choose that one DVD that you’re on,’” one woman told NBC 7.

The opening statements for the trial are set to begin on July 1, but the case has been ongoing for three years. It was put on hold on January 29 when Pratt attempted, but ultimately failed, to delay the trial by filing for bankruptcy. Text messages attached to that bankruptcy filing, obtained by NBC 7, show a conversation between Pratt and another person, discussing how the filing could help them stall the trial. The texts also show Pratt saying that he laid off workers for the company and that his ads had been banned on Craigslist.

The “casting couch” fantasy come to life

The Girls Do Porn website, which is still online, features videos of young women—listing their ages as 18 to 20 years old—perched on beds, being interviewed about their first time on camera. The video descriptions emphasize that they’re new to porn, that this is their first time making an adult video, and even their hesitation to be there in the first place:

“This girl was so fucking nervous to do her very first adult video, it took months of convincing to get her to finally agree to do this.”

“She was a little nervous to start her first porn but once she got this guys big dick…”

“She told me she had asked a couple friends if they would still talk to her if she did porn.”

This is part of a fantasy that plays on coercion, and a real-life version of the “casting couch” porn trope, which blurs the line between reality and fiction. The viewer is meant to believe that the actors aren’t aware they’re being watched, or are so desperate for cash (many of the descriptions mention women needing money for student loans or rent) that they’ll do anything.

Today, there’s plenty of consensual, legal porn that falls into this genre, but the current iteration of the “casting couch” trope is largely based on an early-2000s series called “Backroom Casting Couch” by Arizona-based pornographer Eric Whitaker. Like the Girls Do Porn founders, Whitaker also allegedly lied to performers about how their videos would be used, promising them that the content they made would only appear on a portion of the site when it fact, it spread everywhere—and got multiple performers into trouble with their colleges, when they were outed as appearing in porn.

Even if Girls Do Porn planned to keep its promise of only distributing the films as DVDs, the content would never have stayed neatly in Australian and New Zealand. Theft of digital content, especially porn, is rampant online, and it’s incredibly difficult for performers to regain control of the videos they appear in once they’re online. Independent performers, especially, can spend significant portions of their time filing copyright claims to have stolen content removed from “free” tube sites, but the videos will continue to crop up as other people reupload them.

The consequences of what the Girls Do Porn founders have done are serious. Some of the women NBC 7 spoke to told the new outlet that they experienced thoughts of suicide, humiliation, and isolation as a result of being lied to and then outed.

“It was a devastating feeling”

According to NBC 7, some of the women said the sex was painful, and if they asked to stop, “the men would tell them they wouldn’t be paid.”

“I was in a room with two men and they both kind of teamed up on me and I didn’t feel safe and like, I could leave on my own will,” one of the plaintiffs told NBC 7.

“It was a devastating feeling,” said another woman. “I felt like I was lied to. I felt like I was definitely taken advantage of. I felt stupid even though I know it wasn’t my fault for falling for something that was so well put together.”

As harrowing as these details are, it’s important to note that most producers and porn sets aren’t like this. Many legitimate adult businesses have consent rules and enforce professional behavior on set, as well as guidelines around labor rights and care for the performers and crew. This trial is just one example of how an industry that many people enter for a wide variety of reasons—rarely under coercion or lies—can be predatory.

“Porn is a legitimate industry, but as a vice industry, it can attract people who just want to be part of the fantasy lifestyle of partying and sex,” Courtney Trouble, a performer and artist, and founder of indie adult film studio Trouble Films, told Motherboard.

“The best we can do is decriminalize sex work so that sex workers who get robbed or raped—or bamboozled—can speak out immediately and not get re-traumatized by litigation further down the line,” Trouble added. “Stigma against porn and sex work is what makes men like this think they can get away with exploiting struggling women or established professionals.”

Performers should never feel pressured on-set, and producers who coerce performers should be held accountable, Alison Boden, CEO of Kink and board member of the nonprofit adult industry rights group Free Speech Coalition, told Motherboard. “We know that as technology and distribution has changed, it’s opened the door to unethical producers disconnected from the legitimate industry,” she said. Earlier this month, Kink.com launched new, global consent protocols for its film shoots.

“Performers need to know what to expect on set, they need to know their rights, and they need to be able to compare what they’re told by a producer to a common standard. Without it, performers—especially new performers—are going to remain vulnerable to scams and exploitation.”

‘Girls Do Porn’ Goes to Trial Over Allegations Women Were Tricked Into Videos syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/