#THE ENTIRE BOOTH IS FIGHTING GAME ART

[mesugakl]

im at Defend the North this weekend in nyc if anyone wants to check me out!!

[ranchstoryblog]

PRESS RELEASE: Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma’s Bold Reimagining of a Beloved Franchise is Revealed During Nintendo Direct

Marvelous USA Announces Spring 2025 Release Window for Fresh Take on Fan-Favorite Action RPG/Life-simulation Franchise; PAX West Presence Confirmed

TORRANCE, Calif. — Aug. 27, 2024 — Marvelous USA today revealed Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma for the Nintendo Switch™ system and Windows PC via Steam, debuting the first official trailer on today’s Nintendo Direct livestream and announcing a Spring 2025 release window. This next-level offering is the latest entry in the popular action-RPG and life-simulation series, and introduces players to the lands of the east for the first time in franchise history with Japanese-inspired visuals and new twists on familiar themes and gameplay elements. Attendees at PAX West, taking place Aug. 30-Sept. 2, will be able to participate in a Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma booth activity showcasing Earth Dancer abilities and have the chance to earn exclusive, themed merchandise in the Marvelous USA booth, #809. 

Ravaged by the effects of the Celestial Collapse and the cessation of power provided by the runes, the eastern lands of Azuma are a shadow of their prosperous past. Weakened by corruptive forces, the gods of nature retreated from the world, leaving mountains to crumble and fields to wither. The people of Azuma seek aid against a blight that has swept these once-bountiful lands. One young hero enters into a contract with a dragon and sets out on a journey. “Accept the might of the Earth Dancer. Use this power to save the land.”

Guardians of Azuma takes players on an all-new adventure in the never-before-seen country of Azuma. Here, players will assume the role of an Earth Dancer destined to return hope—and life—to the once-thriving land. Choose from one of two protagonists whose fates are closely tied together, and experience reimagined and expanded Rune Factory gameplay; as Earth Dancer, players will farm with grace, restore and build entire villages, and fight with new weapons like the Bow and Talisman. Azuma is a vast world to explore with majestic villages to uncover, each taking inspiration from Japanese culture and each with a seasonal theme. In addition to exploration, combat, and village-building, players will also cultivate relationships with the locals, recruiting them to your side in battle or to help manage the villages. Wield sacred treasures of the gods and the Earth Dancer’s power of dance to purify the land and return Azuma to its former glory. The adventure of a new world awaits.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma Key Features:

Bold New Abilities and Weapons: As an Earth Dancer, use the power of dance, sacred treasures, and fresh weapons like the Bow and Talisman to purify the land, farm, and undo the Blight’s damage.

It Takes a Village: Don’t just mind the farm—rebuild entire villages! Construct and place buildings strategically to entice people to return to the villages and contribute. Revive the gods to bring vitality and valuable resources back to the plagued lands.

Your Fantasy Japanese Life: Experience beautiful Japanese-inspired character designs and aesthetics—from festivals to events to monsters. Explore Azuma’s natural landscapes and its seasonal-themed locales steeped in tradition.

Classic Romance and Relationships: Choose between male and female protagonists, then befriend or romance any of the eligible candidates—god and mortal alike—in fully voiced scenarios. Recruit these new friends to aid in dynamic battles, too!

Pre-orders for the Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma “Earth Dancer Edition” will be available soon via the Marvelous USA store and at participating retailers for an MSRP of $99.99. This stunning collection comes in a custom outer box featuring awe-inspiring art of a battle high above Azuma, and includes a physical copy of the game, an original soundtrack CD, an art book, an Azuma-inspired folding fan, the “Seasons of Love” DLC bundle, additional DLC costumes for your protagonists and their divine sidekick Woolby, and a plush Woolby keychain. The standard edition of the game will also be available to pre-order for an MSRP of $59.99. Details on digital editions and pricing will be announced later.

Developed by Marvelous and published in the Americas by Marvelous USA, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is scheduled for release on the Nintendo Switch™ and Windows PC via Steam in Spring 2025. The title will be published in Japan by Marvelous Inc. and in Europe by Marvelous Europe. More information can be found on the official website, https://na.runefactory.com/azuma/, and on X @RuneFactory. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Information about Marvelous USA’s products can be found at www.marvelous-usa.com. Fans can also check out the latest videos from the Marvelous family of titles on YouTube and get updates by following on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Threads.

[ilikereadingthisiswhatilike]

Ellabs x Reader

(X) = Smut

Indefinitely ours @miasbby (X) Summary: You're not willing to date nor looking for anyone, but Ellie Williams, the art teacher working in the school that hired you a year ago, is making you seriously doubt that decision. With her flirting, praises and constant touches, you're all but ready to give up and ask her out. That is, until you meet her girlfriend, Abby, who to your greatest shock seems very… curious about you. Warnings: None Special Tag: Teacher AU

Roommates @canaidliafail (X) Summary: It hard to have three people in a room. Warnings: None Special Tag: Voyerism

OFF TO THE RACES @angvlita (X) Summary: You are in a poly relationship with New York’s elite women, Ellie Williams and Abby Anderson, but living in the world of power, money, and lust possesses each one of you as the dynamic amongst you three becomes more volatile and violent. Warnings: Controlling Partners, Drug Use, Muder, Dub Con Special Tag: Poly, Dark, Muilt-chapter

Hey batter, batter @fadedin2u (X) Summary: Ellie and Abby have been rivals for years, playing for their university’s softball team. one day you, their coach’s daughter, show up at their game and ruin everything. Warnings: None Specials Tags: None

FINAL ACT @abbysvictim (X) Summary: After trying to fight it for as long as you could remember, it was in the moment her life dangled between your fingers did you realize that Abby, your captor and perpetrator was also your savior. In her own ugly and twisted way. Warnings: Dub Con, Stockholm Syndrome Special Tag: Dark

Side Lines @satellitespinner Summary: You've been going to salt witch beach every summer for as long as you can remember, it's home to you. and you wouldn't change that for the world... Warnings: None Special Tag: Mutil chapter

Strange Fascination @ervotica (X) Summary: They love you Warnings: Non con, Drugging Special Tag: Dark

Winner Winner @lynnielovestlou (X) Summary: Abby and Ellie challenge each other to see who can make you squirt first. Warnings: None Special Tag: None

Lap dog @catfern (X) Summary: Abby and Ellie are best friends, never more. when you come into the picture, competition bleeds into something else entirely Warnings: Drugs Special Tag: None

Tragicomedy @sratcash-wasguds Summary: Two girls are losers in love. Warnings: None Special Tag: None

BITE ME @dumbblond3s Summary: They’re the hot older couple you see from across the bar. Abby with her arm resting on the back of the booth they sit in Ellie at her side. The lingering glances they cast make it clear they’re scouting out their next victim Warnings: None Special Tag: Vampires AU

Special Girls @freakassfemme (X) Summary: Abby and Ellie + are head over heels insane for their hyper fem girlfriend, but Ellie loves to try to keep her all to herself. Warnings: None Special Tag: Polly, Hyper-Fem Reader

livin' a dream @vampiresbloodx (X) Summary: She living the dream Warnings: None Special Tag: Poly AU, Public Sex

Strict @eccentricallygothic  (X) Summary: Yes, Abby and Ellie hate each other and for good reason. But if they were to make a truce? What– no, who would be the common interest? Warnings: None Special Tag: Poly AU

Watcher @saved1byabs  (X) Summary: girlfriend!abby watching best friend!ellie fuck the brains out of you Warnings: None Special Tag: Poly AU

Sour Times @1980shorrorfilmCSummary: in which…you confront your not-so-great relationship with abby after she had stolen your best friend from you. Warnings: None Special Tag: Soft

werewolf!ellie x vamp!abby x fem!reader @abbysbug (X)Summary: The most difficult times of the month were full moons and blood lusts. Naturally, they had to fall on the same date this month. Warnings: blood drinking Special Tag: none

Oath —. @girlrotterr Summary: In a kingdom on the brink of new leadership, tensions run high as a coronation draws near. Warnings: None Special Tag: Knight AU

HE APPLE'S ROTTEN STRAIGHT TO THE CORE! @andersonfilms (X) Summary: ellie williams, sporting 88’ on the back of her jersey, the world renowned football player from the united states. the overly competitive blood runs through her veins, passed down from her father, just as well as an overpowering ego the size of texas. she has the girl of her dreams, the most important game of her life in sight, but what happens when one drummer threatens to wreck it all? Warnings: Cheating Special Tag: College AU

bloodlust—. @illovehaileesteinfeld Summary: None Warnings: None Special Tag: Vampire AU

Of Bartenders and Bodyguards @salem-witch-slut (X) Summary: After a disaster goes down at the bar the night before Thanksgiving, Abby and Ellie come to your rescue and the two quickly become all you can think about. Warnings: None Specials Tags: None

Keep The Pressure Up @salem-witch-slut (X) Summary: Ellie and Abby love to tease you and torture you. But tonight, they want to see how far you can actually go. Warnings: None Specials Tags: None

[dead-lights]

autumn prom

the teens are doing better! Morgyn and Lorena finally figured out how to make potions of plentiful needs so they’re mostly ok these days, and Lilith maxed out her painting skill and has those traits that make her art sell for more, so they can afford better furniture. They even bought some workout equipment so Lilith can prepare for her next fight with Greg! Caleb's dark form (which is not the same form I gave him as an adult before de-aging him) has taken over his light form and I'm too lazy to change it, but it's fine. Lily finally made up with Caleb and Lilith, and Morgyn successfully asked Caleb to prom.

Things are looking up! There's just one little problem.

Make that two tiny little problems.

turns out there are consequences to full autonomy.

Anyway. Miss Hell was kind enough to invite Morgyn to a pre-prom party she was throwing at their house (without permission). Things got pretty glitchy after that - the game didn't recognize this as an event but a bunch of people, many uninvited, did still show up for the supposed party.

Lorena still has the curse of unwarranted hostility on her, so she was immediately attacked by Samantha Gratz - not even for plasma, just to kick a stranger's ass. too bad Lorena has 3 entire fitness points.

This was, of course, unacceptable. It's incredibly rude to attack a witch in her own home, especially front of her sleeping baby. Morgyn wasn't just going to stand by and let Samantha get away with it, so...

happy prom :)

Lorena got into yet another fight as soon as she got to prom - Darling Walsh this time. Morgyn and Caleb refused to get in the photo booth and refused to dance on the dance floor - they would only dance in front of the photo booth (the game's been pretty glitchy). At least their outfits matched.

Caleb and Lilith were voted prom royalty and prom jester, which was unexpected but fun. Caleb was voted jester for spring prom as well, but i actually had everyone vote for him.

afterwards, they invited a bunch of occult teens to hang out at the pier. Morgyn & Caleb went over to the tunnel of love, Lilith decided it was the best time to learn how to play guitar, and animation issues made Miss Hell inappropriate.

supposedly this is the "scare" interaction.

Miss Hell has been kinda following Lilith around and smiling at her when they're on the same lot... No crush and they're barely acquaintances, but it's kinda funny to me. I do have Miss Hell set as Caleb's master in this so that's an extra level of fun.

The tunnel of love did not go well. I swear Caleb has like zero game in this save. Morgyn is constantly getting various whims about Caleb, but frequently rejects him. I'm trying to be hands-off and am mostly only commanding things like promposals and rabbit holes, but it isn't going great.

I sent Lorena over to hang out with Lily, mostly to keep her away from Caleb & Morgyn. They decided to check out the ferris wheel. by the end of the night...

genuinely not sure if this is a solution or another problem. i guess Lily has a thing for spellcasters.

also gotta love that I had to turn view distance so low that it looks like day. my laptop is uh not as great as the desktop I use for rendering.

heh.

[scramble-crossing]

i deffo agree with your entire analysis (including the questionable canon of the anime canon) and yeah for sure the original game supports this imo. for one thing i don't think that hanekoma would have supported sho even as a back-up plan if he thought that sho would've destroyed shibuya or fundamentally ruined what HANEKOMA liked about it. hanekoma considered a shibuya under sho to be better than a shibuya erased by joshua, so whatever shibuya sho would've made couldn't have been a dumpsterfire or whatever. like not saying that sho would've kept things squeaky clean or something but hanekoma considered it 'good enough to support'. hanekoma isn't exactly the best but i think that he wouldn't have picked sho if he didn't think that sho had some attachment to shibuya.

in NEO we literally see him come back to his shibuya on W3D7 to fight soul pulvis even though he could've just fucked off. yeah we have the scene of neku "convincing" him, but the dude already came back to shibuya and decided to stay to fight for his city. he also literally warned rindo about soul pulvis and about the presence of angels (the japanese version with him talking about "hyper-real" numbers is even more obvious) back on W3D4 even before neku showed up!

the wicked twisters and all of shibuya would've lost without him and his contribution to operation: awakening. period. (along with everyone else)

he learned his lesson about teamwork! when he goes to another day, he makes a fuss about "you're joining MY team" but he actively walked up to the guy signing up team members and went "hey i need a team lol" like a student asking their teacher for help getting a partner for the group project. he's gone from "not a social animal" per megumi to "zetta dig[ing]" konishi's "style" to teaming up with the WTs to protect them to understanding the value of working together in an equation for the sake of his goals

also it's worth noting that the line about only doing it for his sake is slightly different in jp. neku says that they have to get to shiba as soon as they can and says "渋谷を守るため もし力を 貸してくれるなら――" (if you can lend us your strength to protect shibuya). sho interrupts him and says, "フン、俺は 俺の目的のために 動くだけだ" (hmph, i only work for my own goals/i do want what i want) basically, telling neku to stop telling him what to do. neku says, "それでいいよ おまえも渋谷を 狙ってただろ" (that's fine, since you're aiming for shibuya too, aren't you?) and then "その渋谷の崩壊は 許せないよな" (shibuya's erase would be unforgivable, right?/you can't allow shibuya to collapse, can you?). so like yeah it's similar to what the english script did but it has a very different implication. here neku isn't convincing him to help but rather being like, "yeah, you'll only do what you want to do, and i know that you're going to do things that help shibuya because you're aiming for it as well." like i said, we literally see sho ALREADY have been offering rindo helpful advice before neku even showed up.

he gives the WTs tons of advice in the first week that have nothing to do with his interest in soul pulvis but rather to expand their powers. in field walk rpg he has a ton of random character dialogue about how he loves random shit in shibuya like the holographic hachiko statue (tokyu plaza) because he thinks that dogs are stylin' or how he thinks that rhythms that shake the heart (specific to him being interested in picking up music records from tower records) are as beautiful as a flawless equation or whatever. why would he want to destroy all of that? he wouldn't

he doesn't even care if other people cart away his artworks! he didn't seethe about that in the og, just made more and then walked away

i agree with him being obsessed with beauty and art and probably shibuya's. i mean the guy wanders around the phone booth of love at molco and shit trying to pick up cool pieces for his next artwork (and leaving something precious of his own in its wake, suggesting that he isn't interested in stealing shit, he just has a unique value system of exchanging items and art and stuff), makes people play Tin Pin Slammer and doesn't even participate himself but just hangs out in the crowd watching and seethes when joshua cheats him out of an interesting match, and possibly even stuck negative noise on ken doi to catch their attention about ramen given that the negative noise in W1 was all mission-related that a reaper must've put on someone (and with their relationship in another day). he's not a "good person" but people treating him like he's evil or sadistic or whatever just pisses me off. he's an arrogant asshole who, as far as we can read from the text, genuinely wants to see a shibuya full of cool art projects and sick murals like the udagawa one he likes and cool people like the WTs with their interesting UG powers and stuff.

ok thanks for listening to my essay. 3.1415926

Hey there.....it's been a couple months and I live in shame

Thank you so so much for this I absolutely LOVE your thoughts! I wanna try to respond them in as organized a way I can so I'm gonna address each point individually and in chronological order.

First of all, I 100% agree with what you've said about Hanekoma. If he wasn't able to directly remove Joshua from power even when he threatened Shibuya's very existence, and instead had to approach him in an extremely tedious and roundabout manner by guiding Neku when he could and using Sho as a sort of half-proxy, there's no way he would've shoved a dangerous or otherwise incompetent person into the Composer's seat and forced himself to repeat this whole process weeks later once Sho had a grip on Shibuya. Like you said, "hanekoma considered a shibuya under sho to be better than a shibuya erased by joshua," and that means something coming from a person who belongs to a class of beings who willingly "purify" cities that do not live up to their standards. It's not impossible to think that if Hanekoma thought Sho unfit and saw no other alternative, he would've come to see Shibuya as a lost cause and let it fall, preferring a dignified end over allowing it to rot and fester as a shell of its former self. Granted, he doesn't exactly sing Sho's praises. He certainly seems to view him as being convenient over an actual good candidate for the position. However, regardless of the fact that Hanekoma's criteria seems to be "the biggest, most unlikable freak in the UG," I think my previous point still stands. Would Sho have been a good Composer? Impossible to know for sure, but if nothing else we can extrapolate from what we understand of Hanekoma's values that he would've at the very least safeguarded Shibuya against erasure and kept it intact enough to still be worthy of existence in the eyes of some very, very picky Angels. And this is saying something when Joshua refers to Shibuya as being a massive influence on the world around it, so much so that he fears it corrupting other sectors of the UG. To put it simply, maybe Sho just passed the bar when it came to Hanekoma's standards, but that bar was set extremely high. Also! Just in case anyone mentions it, while Hanekoma saying that he relied on Sho's attachment to Shibuya is exclusive to the anime, technically speaking it's canonical that NEO is a sequel to the anime rather than the game. It's still very much relevant to Sho's character in NEO, if not his character in the original game...

Which leads right into your next points! Just for a moment, I want to jump to what you said about the japanese version of the game because I find it extremely interesting. That's SUCH a different implication from what we get in the english version!! Whereas we're given more of a sense that Neku is corralling Sho into working with him and the rest of the Wicked Twisters on the basis that he can't be Composer without a city to rule, basically using his preexisting goal to try to get him to adopt a new one, that of saving Shibuya, here he's saying that he knows that Sho already has a goal of saving Shibuya. It's less "Look here asshole, you have to save Shibuya because you can't be Composer without it," and more "You and I both know that you want to save Shibuya, so stop being so stubborn and help us out already!" Yes it's subtle, but personally I think it lines up better with the version of Sho that's put forward by the anime's ending, and, perhaps more importantly, lends better to interpretations of Sho's motivations In english, it reads closer to "Sho wants to be the Composer -> therefore he must save Shibuya. In japanese, it can more easily be read as "Sho wants to save Shibuya -> Ergo, he clearly cares about Shibuya -> Sho wants to be the Composer because he cares about Shibuya. Again, it's minor stuff, but the japanese version, I feel, more obviously connects his motives with his actions, presenting him helping to save Shibuya as a natural result of his affection for the city instead of it being an obstacle in his way or a diversion from his ambitions. It's really a shame that this nuance is lost in the english version. Sho is already kind of a mess in the fact that it can be difficult to discern what the writers are trying to do with him. He's built up as a persistent and deadly threat all throughout twewy only to be unceremoniously killed off in a scene that feels more like a bit than an actual serious story beat. Neo's promotional material paraded him as a core character in the protagonist's group, and yet he ends up being booted out 1/3 of the way into the story and made unplayable until post-game. He is one of the most integral characters to the plot, and yet what, in the end, does he have to show for it? Nothing! He leaves the secret ending having returned to the exact same position he was in at the start of the first game, at the exact same level of power, still gunning to take on the Composer. It feels like he's being used as sequel-bait in a series where it took 14 years to make another game, not to mention the fact that the last time something interesting was implied to be happening to him, A.K.A A New Day where he was positioned to become Neku's partner, that plot thread was dropped hard and absolutely nothing came of it. I'm not saying he's been completely abandoned by the narrative. He's definitely shown to have improved as a person since the events of the first game, and I love that! I love his cryptic mentor/moderately shit big brother arc and the fact that Neku, Mr. Twewy himself, is willing to put his faith in him. But to me at least it feels like he's being underutilized, especially in comparison to characters like Beat, who I love, but who certainly didn't need as much as he got in neo given that he had a totally satisfactory arc by the end of the first twewy. Sho is perfect for a redemption arc that's reminiscent of Neku's while still being unique and complex, one that would fit seamlessly with twewy's themes of growth and the necessity of human connection. If we ever get another twewy game and this is exactly what happens I will kiss neo on the lips for being the PERFECT in-between phase and kick-off for this arc, but I mean...it's twewy. Waiting for another game to complete his storyline is like pushing Sho off a cliff with nothing to catch him but a prayer and the world's shittiest little kiddy pool. Also the hose that's trying to fill it with water is clogged by a giant knot in the shape of mickey mouse ears.

But I've gotten sidetracked. Mostly because it's been so long that I totally forget the post that spurred this ask in the first place. I might be stupid. But honestly I think you've already put it perfectly. I'm especially grateful for the info on the field walk rpg because it's something I know very little about. I'm glad Sho got to have a fun day out with his child soldiers/teenage besties :] Overall, it's absolutely true that Sho is a very morally complex character. I tend to dislike labels like "good person" vs "bad person" because it leaves little room for nuance, something that this series is chock-block full of. The idea that Sho is an utterly selfish and sadistic individual who can never truly change irks me because it's so antithetical to the messages of this series, "Anyone can change for the better," and, "By letting others in, approaching their different worldviews and values with genuine, good faith, and by extending compassion towards each other, we make the world a better place for both ourselves and the people around us." Sho is doing this. It may be with baby steps, but it's clear from his interactions with the Wicked Twisters, as well as his enthusiasm for art that is not his own whereas before he expressed disdain for any artistic vision that wasn't his, that he is making an effort to be better and allowing these experiences to change his worldview. If he is never extended the same narrative reward that other characters are shown for this exact same kind of growth, if he is instead trapped in this cycle of scratching and clawing and desperately yearning for some sense of divinity only to crash fantastically, met with violence and isolation and the loss of the few, good things he's managed to scrape out of life...well that'd be pretty miserable, I think.

[bigkahuna626-blog]

Convention - Blog Post

So, for my discussion post on a Convention that I have been to, I chose to write about my experience at “MegaCon” in Orlando, Florida. This event is held annually at the Orlando Convention Center bringing together fans of all genres for a weekend of fun. This was the first time I had ever been to an event like this before. I have seen videos of comic conventions online, but I personally had never had an opportunity to go myself. This one was in my backyard, so it only made sense to check this item off my bucket list. I had been to events at this convention center in the past, so going into it, I already knew it was going to be enormous.  

The idea to attend was on the whim of my girlfriend seeing an ad on Instagram for ticket sales. Both her and I being huge fans of comics, Anime, and movies, we decided going would make for an awesome date. We decided that we had to at least try to cosplay like most other attendees. After much deliberation, we settled on portraying “Rock Lee” and “Guy Sensei" from Naruto. The costumes were easy to come by and we happened to both have the same hair styles at the time, similar to the way the two characters do in the anime.  

At first impression, the walk into the event was overwhelming and amazing all at the same time. There were thlousands of people, characters, shows, and items across the convention center's grand hall. I had never expected all of this to be as massive and in depth as it was. The cosplay ranged from a few people that had T shirts replicated after their favorite character (similar to my costume) and others who had created massive works of art that they were wearing. The time and detail put into thier cosplay was awe inspiring. We saw characters like comic accurate sized Thanos and the Hulk as well as amalgamations of characters like Jedi Super Saiyan Goku.  

The second highlight of this convention was the absolutely endless amounts of booths with merchandise. Everywhere you turned there were people selling all kinds of cool collectibles. Figurines, limited edition games and comics, signed memorabilia you name it. It was easy to understand why many people say you need to have a set budget when going to these events, because I was about ready to spend my entire check on things I had always wanted. Lucky for me, my girlfriend acted as my consciousness like a life sized jiminy cricket on my shoulder. While a 500$ collection of accurate demon slayer blades sounded tempting, it jsut was not in the budget.... this time. I was able to settle on a sheik golden All-Might figurine that would look great in my home office.  

The absolute best part of our experience at the convention would be the diverse kinds of shows, tournaments, interactive booths on display. We got to watch people go head-to-head in the most fearsome game of Super smash brothers. We saw a reenacted fight of Zoro and Mihawk from One Piece. And got to go into an interactive “sewer’ to promote the Ninja Turtles Movie.  

All in all, it goes without saying we had an awesome time at MegaCon. To see how these different forms of entertainment and media have impacted the lives of so many is astounding. This event serves as a collective celebration and admiration for the characters and stories that bring joy to our lives. It was a brand-new feel getting to be around like-minded people who enjoy the same things as me and can show it on a whole new level. Showcasing skills, creativity, and excitement for the things that bring us all together !  

[flirting-with-psychology]

Done and want to do part 2

Put the things you have already done in bold and the things you would like to do in italics

101. Gotten a tattoo 102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on 103. Rafted the Snake River 104. Been on television news programs as an “expert” 105. Got flowers for no reason 106. Masturbated in a public place 107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything 108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug 109. Performed on stage 110. Been to Las Vegas 111. Recorded music 112. Eaten shark 113. Had a one-night stand 114. Gone to Thailand 115. Seen Siouxsie live 116. Bought a house 117. Been in a combat zone 118. Buried one/both of your parents 119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off120. Been on a cruise ship121. Spoken more than one language fluently122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone 123. Bounced a check 124. Performed in Rocky Horror 125. Read – and understood – your credit report 126. Raised children 127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy 128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour 129. Created and named your own constellation of stars 130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country 131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did 132. Called or written your Congress person 133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over 134. …more than once? 135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge 136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking 137. Had an abortion or your female partner did 138. Had plastic surgery 139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived. 140. Wrote articles for a large publication 141. Lost over 100 pounds 142. Held someone while they were having a flashback 143. Piloted an airplane 144. Petted a stingray 145. Broken someone’s heart 146. Helped an animal give birth 147. Been fired or laid off from a job 148. Won money on a T.V. game show 149. Broken a bone 150. Killed a human being 151. Gone on an African photo safari 152. Ridden a motorcycle 153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph 154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced 155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol 156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild 157. Ridden a horse 158. Had major surgery 159. Had sex on a moving train 160. Had a snake as a pet 161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing 163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours 164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states 165. Visited all 7 continents 166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days 167. Eaten kangaroo meat 168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground 169. Been a sperm or egg donor 170. Eaten sushi 171. Had your picture in the newspaper 172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime 173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about 174. Gotten someone fired for their actions175. Gone back to school 176. Parasailed 177. Changed your name 178. Petted a cockroach 179. Eaten fried green tomatoes 180. Read The Iliad 181. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read 182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them 183. …and gotten 86′ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you 184. Taught yourself an art from scratch 185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt 187. Skipped all your school reunions 188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language 189. Been elected to public office 190. Written your own computer language 191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream 192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care 193. Built your own PC from parts 194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you 195. Had a booth at a street fair 196: Dyed your hair 197: Been a DJ 198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal 199: Written your own role playing game 200: Been arrested

[alsjeblieft-zeg]

367 of 2023

Done and want to do part 2

Put the things you have already done in bold and the things you would like to do in italics

101. Gotten a tattoo 102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on 103. Rafted the Snake River 104. Been on television news programs as an “expert” 105. Got flowers for no reason 106. Masturbated in a public place 107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything 108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug 109. Performed on stage 110. Been to Las Vegas 111. Recorded music 112. Eaten shark 113. Had a one-night stand 114. Gone to Thailand 115. Seen Siouxsie live 116. Bought a house 117. Been in a combat zone 118. Buried one/both of your parents 119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off 120. Been on a cruise ship 121. Spoken more than one language fluently 122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone 123. Bounced a check 124. Performed in Rocky Horror 125. Read – and understood – your credit report 126. Raised children 127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy 128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour 129. Created and named your own constellation of stars 130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country 131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did 132. Called or written your Congress person 133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over 134. …more than once? 135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge 136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking 137. Had an abortion or your female partner did 138. Had plastic surgery 139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived. 140. Wrote articles for a large publication 141. Lost over 100 pounds 142. Held someone while they were having a flashback 143. Piloted an airplane 144. Petted a stingray 145. Broken someone’s heart 146. Helped an animal give birth 147. Been fired or laid off from a job 148. Won money on a T.V. game show 149. Broken a bone 150. Killed a human being 151. Gone on an African photo safari 152. Ridden a motorcycle 153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph 154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced 155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol 156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild 157. Ridden a horse 158. Had major surgery 159. Had sex on a moving train 160. Had a snake as a pet 161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing 163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours 164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states 165. Visited all 7 continents 166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days 167. Eaten kangaroo meat 168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground 169. Been a sperm or egg donor 170. Eaten sushi 171. Had your picture in the newspaper 172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime 173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about 174. Gotten someone fired for their actions 175. Gone back to school 176. Parasailed 177. Changed your name 178. Petted a cockroach 179. Eaten fried green tomatoes 180. Read The Iliad 181. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read 182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them 183. …and gotten 86′ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you 184. Taught yourself an art from scratch 185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt 187. Skipped all your school reunions 188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language 189. Been elected to public office 190. Written your own computer language 191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream 192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care 193. Built your own PC from parts 194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you 195. Had a booth at a street fair 196: Dyed your hair 197: Been a DJ 198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal 199: Written your own role playing game 200: Been arrested

[sunjakes]

things that remind me of enhypen

genre: fluff word count: 259 warnings: mentions of food, intended lowercase a/n: yes, i gave each member an entire album :> take this as i try to get out of writers block for my heesun wips ... im trying i promise ><

↪︎ lee heeseung 이희승

starry skies, holding hands, djesse volume three by jacob collier, sharing earbuds, worn out converse, sneaking glances, late night trips to the convenience store, drives to nowhere, peonies, binge watching shows on netflix, acoustic guitar, studio ghibli films

↪︎ park jongseong 박종성

silver jewelry, woodsy colognes, traveler by official hige dandism, lingering eye contact, forehead kisses, the chronicles of narnia, drive in movies, roses, wandering through shopping centers, collared shirts, cuddles on rainy days, reading/writing poetry

↪︎ sim jaeyun 심재윤

daisies, flannels, chip chrome and the mono tones by the neighbourhood, cuddling, dog parks, back hugs, the scent of vanilla, pendant necklaces, stargazing, carnival dates, cherry lip balm, wes anderson films, cracking cheesy jokes

↪︎ park sunghoon 박성훈

the smell of hardcover books, coffee dates, city slicker by ginger root, linked pinkies, movie nights, delphiniums, holding hands in jacket pockets, journaling love letters, shimmery eye shadow, vases filled with flowers, art museums, string lights

↪︎ kim sunoo 김선우

tinted lip oils, golden shades of yellow, chat-shire by iu, laughing at the tiniest things, strawberry candies, apple hair, mirror selfies, iced coffee, lilies, staring contests (that fail), matching hoodies, squishing cheeks, pouty kisses, baking together, pillow fights

↪︎ yang jungwon 양정원

the sound of a cat’s purr, messing around on playgrounds, how will you know if you never try by coin, pet stores, picnic dates, late night walks in the park, sunflowers, competitive games of mario kart, distracting each other while reading, playful nudges

↪︎ nishimura riki 西村力

arcade dates, polaroid photos, human bloom by radwimps, photo booths, fields of cosmos, folders filled with embarrasing photos, picking wildflowers, car rides with the windows down, claw machines, super tight hugs, ruffling each others hair

[chorus-the-mutate]

I unironically like and respect Kirito as a character than Marco Diaz and I'm gonna give a bullet point list as to why I feel that way.

Kirito

Pros

. Is consistently loyal to his girlfriend Asuna

. Is better at watching over children

. Is brave enough to beat the shit out of a creepy ass full grown man virtually and then go back into the real world and beat that same creepy ass man in a parking lot knife fight even though he's a teenager

. For better or worse his show popularized isekai again with its interesting initial premise

. Is voiced by Bryce Papenbrook aka one of the best male voice actors of our generation

. Has a girlfriend I don't despise (Sorry Star, season 4 ruined you)

. The show he's in gives a more believable explanation for why the setting permanently and drastically changes between seasons

. His characterization feels consistent

. Has a better default outfit than Marco

Cons

. He comes off as a bland Gary Stu (which isn't an entirely unfair argument to make)

. I may need to do more research but I don't understand why he went back into the Sword Art Online game

. Fandom harem -_-

Marco Diaz

Pros

. His initial dynamic with Star is not only a rarity to see in media (serious boy, laid back goofy girl) but in the early seasons he does a pretty good job being Star's voice of reason

. Gives Disney another excuse to showcase Hispanic culture with the Diaz family (like the Russo family before them and the Noceda family after them)

. Normalizes gender nonconforming behavior like crossdressing, doing makeup and wearing pretty wigs

. Most of the human characters around him are interesting

. Watching him punch a hole in Toffee's chest and throw a corrupted unicorn were both unironically cool moments from him

Cons

. Once season 3 and 4 roll around Marco devolves into a selfish, irresponsible, fake friend

. The Starco shipping was done in the trashiest, most contrived way possible and I feel sorry for the people that genuinely like the ship because it was executed so poorly

. The reason Marco kisses Star in the photo booth episode kinda makes sense in universe but from a metatextual level I fucking despise that narrative and the lessons it could teach children

. Marco actively tried hiding the fact that he kissed Star from Tom even though Tom is supposedly one of his best friends

. Marco is also directly rewarded for his act of selfishness when he tries to stay in the Realm of Magic as its being destroyed only for Mewni and Earth being merged so he and Star can live happily ever after

. Not only that but Marco and Star are literally the only people that benefit from magic being destroyed since he and Star don't have to travel dimensions while everyone else, even the people who initially helped Mina or helped her the whole time, either sacrificed their magic to make amends (in Moon's case) or actually fucking died (in the Magic High Commission's cases)

. Marco is permanently and detrimentally effected by the show shifting from a slice of life adventure with Star to a more fantasy oriented show

. Marco isn't the most interesting human character in the show or in his family (Not only are Jackie and Jana more interesting than Marco but Mariposa's personality and potential impressed me more in one episode more than her brother ever did)

. Marco is actively pitted against all of the most interesting characters in the show because they're social antagonists (like Moon and Tom), actual antagonists (like Toffee and Meteora) or are falsely seen as evil (like Eclipsa)

. Marco temporarily aging up due to his quest to get the dimensional scissors not only makes his potential relationships with everyone weird but it also gives some fans the excuse to throw Marco into the most disgusting fandom harem I have ever seen

. The people behind the scenes of the show were rather dismissive towards the fans who enjoyed the Trans Marco headcanon and that's kinda rude on their parts

. His default outfit has some color but is blander than Kirito's default outfit

[river-bottom-nightmare]

relationship dynamics

because i felt like it

Birdflash: Their relationship dynamic is like the cutest thing ever. “I’ve noticed that we’ve slowly begun to phase the ‘B’ out of our bromance.” Have done the spiderman kiss and will continue to do the spiderman kiss. SO. MANY. PUNS. They’re CONSTANTLY in a pun war. In a drive thru: “Hey can you tell the guy in the car behind me that he’s cute and I’ll pay for his drink?” “Um….okay sir.” “Your total is $10.59. Also the guy in front of you said, um, he said to tell you that he thinks you’re cute and he’ll pay for your drink.” “*rolls eyes with a fond smile* that’s my husband, he thinks he’s romantic,” but the best part is that it works for either one of them. Birdflash Culture is the word “babe.” If you don’t think they had a bubble machine at their wedding then you’re lying to yourself. Eating junk food whenever and wherever they want,. “Oh my god just get in the fucking blanket fort already.” Where you go, I go. SO MUCH FOOD OH MY GOD ALL THE FOOD SO MUCH FRIGGIN FOOD. Police/crime lab aesthetic bc I have a headcanon that they’ both work with the police department (Dick’s a detective, Wally’s the lead CSI). Photo booth strips. Them being impressed by each other all the time. F R E C K L E S. Stopping halfway through the middle of sex because they just realized something about Star Trek season 3 episode 8 and they really need to pull it up on the tv to make sure they’re right. Re-enacting fight scenes from martial arts movies in the living room of a tiny apartment. Have i mentioned the babe thing because they toss around the word babe all the friggin time, not baby that’s gross, just plain babe along with bro and dude those three are interchangeable. “I called shotgun infinity when I was twelve.” The glass is always half full. Them playing video games at home eating pizza counts as a “date” but also they’ve been doing the same thing for years.

Jayroy: “don’t worry I know what I’m doing” “not even god knows what you’re doing.” Sharing cigarettes. Desperate messy kisses. Constant fast paced insult war that you can’t keep up with if you’re not quick witted enough. “My family had to put up with me but you? You’re the idiot who chose me as a best friend.” pet names galore but like edgy ones not gross sweet ones (my personal favorite is jaybird bc it’s awesome and also canon), very very kinky sex, will murder rapists and drug lords in the most painful way possible without giving a solitary fuck but will go to a nursing home the next morning and be as respectful as possible to the elderly. Tattooossss. Baseball hats. Say “fuck you” as “I love you.” Hair ties everywhere. m u s c l e s.

Timkon:  Classic love story. Like, switch one of their genders and you’ve got a old school romance movie in the making. Photo shoots with a pride flag and merch. Pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks. Tim wearing Kon’s clothes to the point where practically his entire wardrobe except for his fancy clothes and red robin suit consists solely of Kon’s stuff. The Neighborhood vibes. Holding hands on a date at the carnival. Pride bracelets and pins. 90s vibes. Kind of the type of Destiel feeling where you can’t really have Destiel without also having Sam being the overenthusiastic shipper/supportive brother? That but with the rest of the Core Four. Polaroid pictures. Gay and Tired. Flannel + Leather + Denim. they go on dates with other people (before they realize they’re in love) and spend the entire time talking about their other half. Skateboards. A high school romance.

Damijon (aged up obviously):  constant constant constant bickering and arguing, like we’re surpassing married couple status here. “I’m older” “I’m taller” starts out as a biting insult, falls into teasing joke, then becomes something they say with a mischievous fondness and an inside-joke smile. Country + Pop Taylor swift songs. Wandering together through the city. "Be kind to animals or I’ll kill you.” Sitting on the roof together. Kryptonite blades that Jon trusts no one except Damian to wield. “I hate you” “happy to hear it” turning into another inside joke. Sleepovers. Never growing up. “I trust you with my life unconditionally but I do not trust you to get my order right remember the time you betrayed me and everything I ever stood for?” “Oh my god dami I forgot the sauce onCE.” Don’t lie to yourself, habibi is totally a thing. Damian wearing Jon’s varsity football jacket over dark colored/black turtleneck shirts. Damian sketching Jon either late at night in the light of the moon or early in the morning by the light of the sun. Classic dark vs Light. Running down the street tugging the other behind you while holding hands. Red converse + Combat boots. TEAMWORK. “Clark, your son is annoying, loud, clumsy, entirely too tall, hopelessly optimistic, and way too naive. I trust him with every cell in my body.”

[moviehealthcommunity]

Here is the entire list of films from Admin Brandon’s Vudu/Fandango account that have not yet been evaluated by Movie Health Community, which will be getting evaluations in 2023. All of these are original theatrical versions unless otherwise stated.

21 Jump Street

22 Jump Street

The 40-Year-Old Virgin

50 First Dates

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

The Adjustment Bureau

Airplane!

American Psycho

Analyze This

Anastasia

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Apocalypse Now

Armageddon

The Artist

Away from Her

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

Beetlejuice

Big

Big Fish

Big Hero 6

The Big Lebowski

The Big Short

Billy Madison

Blow

The Blues Brothers (Unrated)

Blues Brothers 2000

The Breakfast Club

Bride of Chucky

Casablanca

Casper

Child’s Play 2

Child’s Play 3

Citizen Kane

Coneheads

Corpse Bride

Cult of Chucky

Curse of Chucky

Demolition Man

The Devil Wears Prada

Dirty Dancing

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story (Unrated)

Dredd

Dumb and Dumber

Encino Man

Enemy

Escape from New York

Escape Plan

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Ever After: A Cinderella Story

Exodus: Gods and Kings

The Expendables

The Expendables 2

The Expendables 3

A Few Good Men

Fight Club

Get Smart

Ghost

Good Will Hunting

Grandma’s Boy

Happy Gilmore

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Hot Fuzz

The House with a Clock in its Walls

I, Robot

Ice Age

Ice Age: Collision Course

Idiocracy

The Imitation Game

In Bruges

Jason Bourne

Jupiter Ascending

Just Mercy

Kick-Ass

A Knight’s Tale

Last Action Hero

The Last Samurai

Lilo & Stitch

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Little Nicky

The Long Kiss Goodnight

Look Who’s Talking

Looper

A Madea Christmas

Madea Goes to Jail

Madea’s Big Happy Family

Madea’s Family Reunion

Madea’s Witness Protection

The Mask

Mass

Meet the Parents

A Million Ways to Die in the West (Unrated)

Moulin Rouge

Mrs. Doubtfire

Muppet Treasure Island

My Cousin Vinny

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising

The Nice Guys

Now You See Me

Now You See Me 2

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Office Space

Paranormal Activity

The Phantom of the Opera

Phone Booth

Pineapple Express

The Prestige

The Producers (2005)

Quest for Camelot

Rambo

Reindeer Games

RoboCop (1987)

Rock of Ages

Rudy

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Seed of Chucky

Seven Psychopaths

Shanghai Noon

Shanghai Knights

Shaun of the Dead

Sicario

Signs

So I Married an Axe Murderer

Soul Survivors

Spaceballs

Stargate

Super Troopers

Superman: The Movie (Special Edition)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Ted

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

The Terminal

Titane

Tombstone

Total Recall (1990)

Total Recall (2012, Director’s Cut)

Tropic Thunder

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Unbreakable

Valentine’s Day

Walk the Line

War Horse

Wayne’s World

Wayne’s World 2

The Wedding Singer

The Wolf of Wall Street

The World’s End

[princesssarcastia]

I posted 21,227 times in 2022

That's 5,091 more posts than 2021!

174 posts created (1%)

21,053 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@wabblebees

@absentlyabbie

@mandaloriandy

@theunofficiallibrarian

@aniseandspearmint

I tagged 1,803 of my posts in 2022

#pretty - 188 posts

#art - 159 posts

#star wars - 82 posts

#dc - 36 posts

#meta - 30 posts

#that's my wife - 28 posts

#star trek - 28 posts

#tags tags tags - 24 posts

#fashion - 22 posts

#anyway - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#play stupid games (allow the corporate surveillance state into your home) win stupid prizes (unsuable tech you made essential to your life a

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

alright all the irl people who know anything about this actually LIKE the man so this is the only place i can say it, but

harry styles gets on my nerves.  the REASON he gets on my nerves is that he gives off the vibe of like—he’s like the human embodiment of being gay but not queer.  i don’t think he’s even gay (he may be, he may not, i don’t even really care) but that’s what it feels like to me.  it’s like the essence of the thing people are upset about, with pride being commercialized and becoming hollow and meaningless.

oh!  i know.  seeing harry styles speak (or sing.  or apparently do some fashion icon thing) and people get excited about it, is like watching other queer gay people go up to the amazon booth at the pride festival excited for free swag and thinking its cool that amazon is here.  that’s what its like.

60 notes - Posted September 7, 2022

#4

“Because the unavoidable truth here is that the system is already rigged.  And its rigged in a way that has allowed a party without popular support to drastically reshape an entire branch of government for the foreseeable future by appealing almost exclusively to white voters in some of the least populous regions in the country.  That is not a mandate, and its not democracy.  It’s a fucking travesty! 

“We are at the end of a generational battle, and the heartbreaking thing is, we lost.

“And that hurts.  It’s going to hurt for a long time, for a lot of people, in ways that could take a while to fully comprehend.  But the next battle has to start right now; and it will be long—we didn’t get here overnight, and we won’t get out of here overnight.  But we must be willing to fight tirelessly and with every tool and tactic at our disposal.”

As always, John Oliver says it better than I ever could.  This is his episode from just after Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court, which was the point of no return on the path to overturning Roe v. Wade.  We were always going to end up here, but got does the knife still hurt slipping into your gut, even if you saw it coming.

77 notes - Posted June 24, 2022

#3

to be honest i feel like both AOS canon and aos fandom don’t treat the vulcan genocide in the first movie with enough gravity.  like.  80-90% of the time people don’t even call it what it is, let alone focus on what the effects would be on the remaining vulcans.  we actually spend way more time talking about tarsus iv as a fandom than nero’s destruction of vulcan.  and the more I write for AOS the more that wigs me out a bit.

the WHOLE PLANET is GONE.  SIX BILLION PEOPLE were MURDERED in a matter of HOURS.  it’s mass death on the largest scale in what I assume is recorded federation history.  we could uh.  dwell on that.  a bit more.  there’s probably something there worth talking about.

78 notes - Posted January 23, 2022

#2

next steps re: lizzy biting the big one

starting with india, kenya, pakistan, grenada, or cyprus, countries begin to leave the commonwealth

liz truss tries to do some diplomacy about it and it doesn’t work

charles the third of his name or what the fuck ever tries to do some diplomacy about it, says something BREATHTAKINGLY RACIST and actively makes it worse.  countries start leaving even faster.

australia peaces out

scotland announces a new independence vote before the end of the year

wales, not to be outdone, announces an independence vote before the end of the MONTH

canada peaces out

someone starts a conspiracy theory on tiktok that liz truss had the queen poisoned just after their official meeting

Ireland announces the affirmative results of the reunification vote it held while you motherfuckers were distracted via the Sinn Féin twitter.   britain pulls a spain circa 2017 and tries to prevent it

king charles III dies of a heart attack from stress, smh guys he just wanted to live out the remainder of his life in peace while directly profiting from the imperial and colonial violence of his mother ancestors, he wasn’t expecting to actually have to WORK for it

king arthur returns, sword in hand, to reclaim his rightful place as king.  the tories, desperate at this point for some kind of miracle, let him do it. 

his first act as king is to demand the abolition of the british monarchy, because “strange women lying in ponds and distributing swords is no basis for a system of government”

someone calls a vote of no confidence in liz truss.  she fails it (in large part due to the conspiracy theory), they hold an election

Christopher eccleston becomes the prime minister

242 notes - Posted September 8, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

ao3 crashing just as i try to click through to the last chapter of the fic i stayed up all night to finish is just fucking typical

2,347 notes - Posted June 6, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[youshouldhavepaidattentiondad]

Day 2 of @12daysofhatchetfield

Prompt: Cocoa

Laughter and music fills Oakley Park. Citizens of Hatchetfield mingle in the aisles and pathways between the vendors' booths. The booths make a horseshoe shaped loop in the field, the open end facing the parking lot. In the center sits an ice skating rink, an assortment of carnival games, and a small stage where a band plays covers of Christmas songs.

Bill Woodward walks closely behind two teenage girls holding hands. "So, where are we headed first?" He asks excitedly.

"Dad… you really don't have to stay with us," his daughter says, grimacing at her girlfriend.

"Nonsense, Alice!" Bill says, still happily bopping along behind them. "I love spending time with you!" He hesitates. "...and Deb."

Deb bites back a laugh as Alice rolls her eyes. Glancing around, she notices an emerald sign, bearing the name Beanies over one of the stalls. Behind it, she recognizes a couple of the staff from the coffee shop of the same name. An idea forms in her head.

"Hey, babe," she starts as she let's go of Alice's hand. She slips her wallet from her pocket. "Go get the three of us some hot cocoa, please?" She passes a few bills over to Alice.

Alice blinks in surprise, doing a quick take between her dad and Deb. "You sure you don't wanna wait in line with me?" She asks as she raises an eyebrow.

"It's okay, babe." Deb kisses her cheek.

Still not looking entirely convinced, Alice smiles and nods before going over to get into the queue in front of the Beanies booth.

An uncomfortable silence swells as Deb and Bill look at each other. "Mr. Woodward-"

"What do you want, Deb?" Bill asks bluntly.

"What did you have against me, man?" Deb asks defensively. "I haven't even done anything to you!"

"It's nothing you've done to me," Bill clarifies. "It's what I think you're going to do to Alice. And quite honestly, I don't know what she sees in you.  She could do better."

Swallowing, Deb fights back the sting of tears and pushes down her preexisting insecurities. "You're right." She watches Bill's eyes widen at that. "She could do better, she absolutely could. And honestly I don't know what she sees in me either."

She watches Bill shift awkwardly before continuing, "She makes me want to be better though." A small laugh escapes her as she blinks tears out of her eyes. "I was ready to spend the rest of my life in this stupid town, was sure I'd always be Hatchet trash. Now, I'm going to be going to art school, my dream school next fall because she convinced me to apply. 

"I don't know what the hell she sees, but she sees something in me." She wipes away a tear hurriedly, the wetness on her face burning from the cold. "And I want to see it too. I want to be better, so I can be better for her."

The next few minutes are spent in silence, with Bill occasionally looking over at Deb with an unreadable expression in his eyes. Alice comes back over, carefully carrying the three to-go style cups of hot cocoa. She carefully passes them out before cradling the last one in her hands. "Okay, so what do we want to check out first?"

"Y-y'know what?" Bill glances toward the center area. "I saw some of the guys from the office and I'm going to catch up with them. You two have fun. And Deb..." He raises his cup slightly. "...Thanks for the cocoa."

[piedpiperslists]

Taehyung One Shots (XI)

* s - contains smut

Games by @btssmutgalore s wc~7.8 / roommates au Summary: Your roommate Taehyung wants to try something new, and he hopes you would be willing to help.

Good Luck Charm by @gukyi wc~11k / friends to lovers, roommates au Summary: Kim Taehyung has nearly everything he’s ever dreamed of: an apartment in New York city, a lead role in an off-broadway play, and a best friend to share it with. But even still, there’s one thing missing—love. And when he goes on the hunt for it, he dots every I and crosses every t, leaves no stone unturned, but forgets to look at the person who could ever love him the most: you.

Whiteout by @secretmischief s wc~10k / brother's best friend Summary: You and your brothers best friend attempt to throw Jungkook a fun, weekend-long birthday celebration at a cabin you rented. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned. You find yourself stranded with no power, and all of your feelings, alone with Taehyung.

Leave Your Name Part 2 by @craztextae s wc~4.7k / established relationship Summary: You get word that Taehyung was grinding up with a girl in the club. The problem is you’re his girlfriend and now you are dead set on retribution.

For Heartache by @sketchguk wc~4.1k / strangers au Summary: Craigslist is a weird place to buy used furniture. It’s an even weirder place to find love. But after a missed connection at stop & shop and a few drunken decisions on the loneliest night of the year, it only makes sense to seek some comfort from strangers on the internet.

Maybe Baby Retreat by @jimlingss s wc~12.7k / established relationship Summary: In an attempt to conceive, Taehyung discovers a five day retreat dedicated to help with the impregnation process but you’re fairly certain that the entire thing is a scam.

Carnal Cupidity by @kittae s wc~9k / alpha werewolf!Taehyung, established relationship, PWP Summary: Things are a little tense in your relationship with your boyfriend, an alpha wolf and leader of his own pack. After another fight, you’ve had just about enough and decide to take matters into your own hands when his heat approaches. Your methods, however, prove to be more effective than intended…

Of Cliches and Romcom Tropes by @vanaera wc~10.1k / college au Summary: You find yourself literally living a classic Romcom trope by being the nerdy introvert in love with her unexpected friend, Kim Taehyung, your university’s golden theater boy and campus heartthrob. It only turns more disgustingly cliché when you learn he part-times as a prince actor in the same carnival where you work as a ticket booth attendant. Trusting on the clichés you’ve watched in numerous Romcom films, you embark on a plan to get your crush to like you back this Halloween.

Turpentine by @satnin-darling wc~10.1k / art dealer!Taehyung Summary: Taehyung was an art dealer and she, an artist. They knew each other before, just as they were both at the peak of their careers. But they both fell from grace. She disappeared while Taehyung tried to get by. Then, there was an opportunity for Taehyung to get it all back. So their paths cross again on a small island. In the sleepy fishing town, in a barn by the cliff-side, surrounded by art, fresh produce, and morning fog, they remember who they were and meet in the middle.

Tiptoed His Way by @aureumjeon s wc~6.4k / college au, roommates au Summary: Taehyung found himself locked out of your shared home and there were only two options to successfully get inside. (1) Wake you up from your sleep and face the wrath that’ll follow, (2) Think like a burglar and enter through your window. (Un)fortunately for him, he picks the latter.

[into-the-afterlife]

Why I Ship Johnny/Female V: Part 2

[Part 1] [Part 2]

This is Part 2 of my essay series on why I ship Johnny and female V. Back in part 1, I covered why I ship female V specifically with Johnny and not male V, as well as some thoughts on Johnny’s sexuality. This time, I’m looking at Johnny himself. (Content warning: there is some discussion of rape and how rape is handled in fiction.)

Johnny, ambiguity and age-old romantic tropes

Look, I’m just going to come out and say this: part of my interest in this ship is thirsting over Johnny. And when I’m interested in something, whether it’s an intellectual, creative or sexual interest, I like to do what I always do – analyse it to death. So what is it about the actor, the performance and the character that makes Johnny as attractive as he is?

Keanu Reeves himself, obviously, can’t be ignored here. He has a gorgeous face and voice, but crucially, he’s distinctively beautiful. Obviously, everyone has the right to be into what they’re into, and I don’t want to shame anyone for their tastes. But I do not understand people who are into the blandly beautiful. Sure, there’s nothing wrong about, let’s say, Chris Evans. But what’s right about him? Where are the snags that catch your attention and hold it? Where’s the life?

Reeves, meanwhile, is attractive because he’s unusual. He has long, dark hair, but he’s regularly photographed at public events with it mussed-up. He has a chiselled face, but his cheekbones are high enough that he looks alien. He has all the charisma of any Hollywood actor, but, whether this is him as he is or an especially well-calculated image choice, it comes off as genuine. When watching interviews with him, you feel less in the presence of a star and more an especially fascinating stranger at a party, one who, despite bursting with witticisms and stories, somehow wants to talk to you most of all.  

There’s also an element of age ambiguity here. Reeves is in his fifties, and while age suits his looks better than youth did, it shows. Meanwhile, Johnny the character is in his thirties when he dies, and to match this, the animators smooth out Reeves’ face and darken his beard. They also give Johnny the (unrealistic but glorious) organic arms of a dedicated bodybuilder. So what Johnny ends up with is the presence, confidence and charisma of an older guy, combined with the physicality of someone younger. It’s potent, to say the least. It also adds to Johnny’s uncanniness as a character. He’s caught between maturity and youth, life and death, humanity and machine; he’s hard to pinpoint no matter where you look. And whether you express this academia-style, as, ‘the gothic associates uncanniness with sexuality’, or internet-style,  as, ‘I’m a monster/robotfucker’, this is, as the kids say, pretty damn hot.

This uncanniness, as well as Reeves’ looks and performance, also offset some of the more unlikeable aspects of Johnny’s personality. This is best illustrated by the concept art created for Johnny before Reeves was brought on board. (Found courtesy of the lovely folks at r/LowSodiumCyberpunk.)

As you can see, they had a lot of Johnny’s look already nailed down. But this makes the differences all the more startling. This Johnny looks like he’s been dragged through the wringer. His hair is messier, and he seems to be getting premature wrinkles and balding. He’s strung-out, with a genuinely hopeless cast to his face. His look is also a lot more dated. While our Johnny has elements of the old rocker, the jean jacket, bandana, V-necked black jumper and aviators clipped to the tank top root this Johnny inescapably in 1980s music and fashion.

Why is all this relevant to shipping Johnny with V? Partially because I’m shallow, I’m not going to lie. But it’s also because making Johnny look like this would have made him much more obviously an intrusion. A guy dressed like this next to 2077’s booty shorts and space buns is like a ghost in a ballgown next to a woman in jeans. He’s not just out of time; he’s been irrevocably left behind. Johnny’s face here also has much less in the way of possibility. Where our Johnny says, ‘maybe your life would be better if you listened to me’, this Johnny screams, ‘my way is hopeless, but you can’t ignore it’. It’s leaning much more into the tragic aspects of Johnny’s character and of the genre of cyberpunk. And don’t get me wrong – I love that artwork, and think that angle would be an interesting artistic choice.

But making Johnny a tragic intrusion like this removes the element of seduction, so to speak, from his character. What makes Johnny attractive, ideologically, sexually and romantically, is a balance of certainty and uncertainty. On the surface, he’s passionately, blazingly certain of his politics, his music and himself. If you’re taking a leap of faith, whether that’s fighting against the corpos that rule your life or hopping into bed with an engram, what draws you to it is the kind of confidence that makes you doubt your own certainties. Yet too much of that can be off-putting. Nobody wants a partner who’s so cocksure (pardon the pun) that they don’t listen to what you want, and nobody wants a political ally who’s gone so far into their own rhetoric that they can’t convince those outside it.

Therefore, the common factor across all the ways Reeves’ looks impact our perception of Johnny is the balancing of two seemingly opposing things. Keep that in mind, because it only gets more relevant the deeper into this ship, and Johnny’s attractiveness, we go.

Of course, Reeves’ looks are far from the only thing he brings to the table. His acting, across body language, facial expressions and voice acting, is incredible. I want to take a look at his voice acting, as well as his voice generally, first.

I’m not familiar enough with the subtleties of American accents to pinpoint why, but Reeves’ accent sounds slightly different to the more generic accents of other famous actors. Perhaps it’s because he’s Canadian. Either way, his consonants are less harsh on the ear than other A-list actors, his vowels less elongated. He speaks slowly, sounding as if he just woke up. His voice is mellow and soothing; it’s the sort of sound you could take a bath in.

(For reference purposes, I’m listening to this Cyberpunk trailer as I write this, as well as, um, this video that I’ve watched far too many times. XD)

Obviously, to play Johnny he has to modify that laid-back aspect of his voice. But it’s interesting how his natural voice and his ‘Johnny’ voice bounce off each other. Reeves is able to pull off a much more belligerent Johnny than many actors could, precisely because of that laid-back quality his natural voice has. Think of that ‘impressive cock’ line. It’s made as funny as it is because of the total lack of shame in how Reeves delivers it. But in the mouth of an actor like, let’s say, Robert Downey Jr, that level of shamelessness would just come off as annoying. Reeves uses his natural voice to amp up Johnny’s, for lack of a better word, Chad-ness, far beyond the place another actor could manage. Because he has that base of softness, he can go hard on Johnny’s arrogance.

Why is this relevant to Johnny’s attractiveness as a character, as well as why Johnny/F!V are a fascinating ship? To develop a character well, you have to have an extremely solid base to start on – and that base is where a lot of writing and acting falls down. The audience has to know intimately what a character is usually like, or who they seem to be, before burrowing into the character further is made effective. That equal hard/soft approach means that when Johnny does soften later in the game, it seems both unexpected and inevitable. Even as the harsh tone and words were conveying one thing, that softness underneath was always conveying another. But the fact that Reeves can go hard on the arrogance makes that change much more impactful than it would be in another character. Once again, we’re seeing an equal balance of two seemingly opposing qualities, not openly leaning towards one or the other.

There’s also some aspects of the body language Reeves and the animators give to Johnny I’d like to focus in on. While I’m not an actor, nor am I a psychologist, and therefore am likely to have missed things, there were a few things I noticed when going through footage of Johnny in pivotal scenes. (If you spot something I haven’t talked about, please reply or reblog! I’d love to get a back-and-forth discussion going.)

Over and over again, Johnny’s body language has two layers. There’s what I’m calling the ‘douchebag’ layer, which is where Johnny seems insultingly relaxed. The scene when V and Johnny first meet, as well as the scene at the diner, have two great examples of this. Johnny gets into V’s space, but it’s slow, catlike. There’s no urgency when he leans in, nor when he stands over V.

Similarly, at the diner, he tells V he doesn’t want to kill her anymore – something pivotally important for their relationship and the plot - while putting his arms behind his head and his feet up on the table. It communicates, at least on the surface, a real sense of disrespect. ‘I don’t give a shit’, says his posture, ‘whether you hate and fear me or not’. His threatening slowness when they first meet, meanwhile, communicates that he doesn’t think V is a competent opponent. Why should he hurry if he can get her any time?

At least, that’s what it looks like. Take a look from 9:40 onwards here. Sure, he swings his legs up on the table – but not before hurrying into the diner booth and tapping his fingers rapidly on the table. Even when he gets into that relaxed posture, he’s bouncing his leg the entire time. Those catlike movements I talked about when they first meet? If you look from 5:42 here, they’re there. But they’re also interspersed with banging his head incessantly against the wall, pacing back and forth and glitching unpredictably all around the room.

This is where the second layer of Johnny’s body language comes in. Underneath all that casual condescension, he communicates constant, frenetic energy, even anxiety. Even in his default, idle animations, it’s extremely rarely that Johnny communicates real coolness and calm. He covers constantly racing thoughts and feelings with a slick persona.

What this does is very like the hard/soft balance of the voice acting I talked about earlier. Because the ‘douchebag’ layer of body language is the most obvious one, you pick up on that first. But the other layer is there throughout Johnny’s entire arc, and it goes into your brain on a much more subconscious level. Then, when Johnny’s guard does come down, it seems like a natural development of his character while still being a surprise. Once again, there’s that knife-edge balance between two disparate qualities. And for me, attraction always lies in the space between.

There’s also something highly sexual about the way he gets into V’s space when they first meet, the way he stands over her. When first playing the scene where they first meet, it felt like watching the moments before an act of rape. You see him first as he leans over you while you’re still in bed. He beats you to the ground, smashes your head into the window, and towers over you while you’re collapsed on the floor. Given the context of him taking over your body, the overtones are unmistakeable.

But again, crucially, that frantic body language and his lines are the complete opposite of how someone behaves when making the kind of power play that rape is. The pacing, the panicked words and the fact that he’s caught off guard all communicate disempowerment. While it’s still a violent, frightening scene, it’s not a monstrous one.

Why is that relevant to discussing Johnny’s attractiveness, and Johnny/V? Because rape fantasies and male domination are some of the oldest tropes in the book for M/F romantic arcs. Done properly, they play on desires of sexual submission without explicitly acknowledging the kink, depict the eroticism of that liminal space between humanity and monstrosity I talked about earlier and allow you to fantasise about being deeply wanted. Of course, that last bit isn’t a factual depiction of rape in real life. But in the fantasy, the story, the idea of being ravished is partially about being special, being so uniquely attractive that the guy loses all control of himself. If you have a more conservative or repressed view of your sexuality, the ravishment/rape fantasy also allows you to fantasise about sex without seeing yourself as a slut. (This post is a great look at that last idea as applied to the movie Labyrinth, if you want to find out more.)

The idea of sexualised monstrosity is also everywhere in the tropes used to characterise Johnny. He’s a troubled rockstar, an angst-ridden artist who died tragically young, a violent political rebel, part human and part supernatural creature, a charismatic, cocky, seemingly heartless guy, who just might have a heart if you look deep enough. What all these tropes have in common is the promise of both reassuring humanity and fascinating, exciting monstrosity.

Reeves’ and Johnny’s looks combine strangeness and humanity. Reeves’ voice acting moves between soaring arrogance and languid softness. Johnny’s body language combines fear and overconfidence. And the use of age-old romantic tropes in an unexpected context, as well as the use of these specific romantic tropes, knit all the effects of the other things together to create that balance between the human and the strange. He’s unusual enough to be interesting, human enough to seem real and associated with all our cultural symbolism of an attractive man. With all that going on, how could you not find him hot as hell?

But the thing about these tropes is, they’re also so common they’re clichéd. Not just in fandom, but all across Western media and art. So what lifts Johnny and Johnny/V out of being something generic? What makes them so fascinating that I’ve written thousands of words about them? What, in short, makes them different?

That’s what I’ll go into next time.

[Part 1] [Part 2]