#What an outstanding podcast I love it

[crispycreambacon]

The Journey to Break Free • An Analysis of Malevolent's Themes

This is more like a ramble, but analysis sounds more professional y'know y'know-

Major Spoiler Warning for Episode 19

-

Episode 19 may be my favourite episode at least for Season 2 – bear in mind that as I type this, I haven't gone past Episode 19. Regardless, it is definitely a highlight of this podcast for me. It unpacked a lot about Arthur and John, and it explored many interesting themes. The strength of kindess and letting yourself be vulnerable, the reality that healing and becoming a better person isn't always a clean journey, the significance of the connections we make and the memories we carry from them...

The first one is subversive in how despite Arthur losing some of his morality in order to survive, he still retains some of it and uses it ro his advantage. It may be baffling to see Arthur still wanting to trust others and treat them kindly, as seen with Arthur wanting to offer water to the cana, because this world can turn on you so quickly. However, that may be the point. The fact that Arthur can still find it in himself to care about the beings in this world is a true testament to his resilience. The Dreamlands is unrelentlessly cruel and tests you, trying to mold you to become the monsters that roam this realm, and I think that is why Arthur won't succumb to this world's terrors like so many before him did.

It ties into the tone of the podcast and how it shifts. Arthur may need to be cruel at times, but that doesn't mean he needs to be a monster. Likewise, Malevolent may be a bleak story, but it is not one which needs to overly indulges in tragedy and darkness. Even within the episode itself, there are moments where Arthur and John laugh. There's an entire section in which Arthur interacts with a buopoth, and it's the most adorable thing ever. These moments provide a balance that help emphasize the impact of intense moments even more than if the entire story had just been trudged in grimdark.

(Putting the rest under a "Read More" section as to not make this post too long to scroll through)

As for the second theme, I particularly appreciate it as people who try to heal, typically victims of trauma, are often villanized for not being perfect, nice or behaving. Anyone who doesn't fit the mold of being sad and helpless via lashing out or express anger about their trauma get dogpiled with insults and accusations from those who refuse to understand them. Those who only want to imagine a narrative that recovery is always pretty and always going up with no relapses whatsoever. That narrative formed because society crafted it and enforced it with media tackling trauma victims in a shallow way at best. Because it's uncomfortable for society to face the truth that trauma is ugly, and those that went through it won't come out unscathed like people want them to.

The theme of names being significant is an uncommon but meaningful one. John Doe is a name to give the King in Yellow a new identity, a way to rebuild himself. Lilly is a name that meant a lot to John as the only form of human connection he had while Arthur was comatose and the catalyst to John becoming a better person. Faroe is a name that Arthur keeps recalling because he can't let go of his daughter and the trauma that came with it.

Even the name of the episode is important. I think "the Prison" truly is an apt title for this episode. Not only because this involves Arthur and John escaping the pit they're trapped it, but it's also a metaphor for Arthur's situation. His body is a prison for John that both want him to get out of, yet Arthur is the real prisoner as he loses control over everything from his body to his life. He is trapped in the past because he can never let go of Fareo. He can never forgive himself for causing her death through his neglect no matter how unintentional it was.

And he gave in at the end. He gave in to the past and went to the city to search for Faroe even though the cana instructed them to avoid the city. Even though so many signs point to it being yet another trap. Even though the chances of Fareo being there were next to none.

Yet John didn't protest. It really shows how much John has grown to emphathize with humanity. How he has grown from someone who is selfish and uses others to his whims, discarding them when they no longer serve him purpose to someone who may not fully understand humanity but can genuinely appreciate and care about it. He may not understand why Arthur still clings onto Faroe, but he understands Arthur deserves closure, so even if this may be a trap, he lets him walk in. We, the audience, may not fully understand either, but we understand this is a necessary step for Arthur even if it may be one that leads to his doom.

[witchinatree]

the differences in TMA and TMAGP are incredible

both had an existing story, TMA had the jonah magnus lifetime and the gertrude robinson empire but no one had experienced that. we didn't see what led to TMA we just learned it along the way. we had no idea what jon was getting himself to. TMAGP had TMA, some of us experienced it, we know what's coming, and the writers know it too

TMA didn't have some massive traumatic event behind it, there wasn't obviously (at least to my dumb ass) a secret slowly being chipped away at

TMAGP is more obvious, there's something that happened™ (mag200) and we're watching them learn what we already know, walk into the trap that we've seen before, uncover the secret that we learned

all of the writers are doing an outstanding job at changing how the story is written because of what we Know and idk i just really love these podcasts

also small side note, us being part of the problem is so fun, every magnus pod listener is an avatar of the eye and we cannot escape it anymore. we need to know.

[the-golden-comet]

Does anyone ever read a piece of fiction and start crying because of how good it is? Because I’ve done that. Several times.

The greatest part about having mutuals who write fanfiction and original works, is that I get to see some of the most creative stories that I have ever seen. Stories that align with my interests, rather than check the box for required reading (though some was good, a lot of stories I’ve been required to read were not to the outstanding quality I’ve seen on AO3 and Goodreads)

To use an analogy, I think about indie authors like indie game developers and indie artists. Some of the best works of art come from a one man team, or a smaller team. Look at Stardew Valley, made by the incredibly talented ConcernedApe (aka Eric Barone). He did EVERYTHING pre 1.4, and because of the love, time, knowledge and dedication he put into his game, Stardew Valley became one of the highest rated, highest sold games in the indie genre.

Or another example you may be familiar with: Toby Fox of Undertale. Him and Tem were a two-person team. They captivated the hearts of so many people, that their game is now a staple in the gaming industry. Fox, and his musical prowess, has created iconic tracks that have broken through to mainstream media.

Vivienne Medrano, aka VivziePop, started her journey with web comics, namely Zoophobia, and has said it best in a podcast (paraphrasing here): “Advice: just get your art out there. Get it out there for the world to see.” And she did…with Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel. She’s now working with Maxwell Adams, the creator of Cartoon Network’s The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.

These were once one or two people teams. They all had a vision, a passion of what they do. A passion I see in all of these wonderful stories.

Writers, Artists, Creators of Wonderful Worlds….never stop creating. You can be more inspirational than anyone could ever imagine. Get your art out there. Get your beautiful hearts out there for the world to see. You have a gift to share, and that gift is your unique mind. 💫

[ofmdrecaps]

07/13/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Taika Waititi; Florida Super Con: Vico & Samba; Dominic Burgess; Kristian Nairn; Christopher Corbin; Darby Family Foster Kittens; Articles; Fan Spotlight: Cast Cards/AuxilleryWardrobe Zine Reminders; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Today's Taika Gifs

Hey crew, today's a bit of short one, but I wanted to make sure there was some fun stuff up and about with everything going on.

== Taika Waititi ==

More shots of Taika directing Russell Crowe's show from a couple days back! You can buy tickets to the recorded concert and see at least a bit more Taika on the IndoorGardenParty website! Thank you to our crewmate @jimjim531969 for the screenshot!

Source: @JimJim531969's Twitter

== Florida Super Con: Vico & Samba ==

Samba and Vico are out at Florida SuperCon-- and as you can probably tell, they're having a great time! They're taking shots with all sorts of fans and other guests, including a certain set of What We Do In The Shadows TV Series friends! <3

Source: Samba & Vico's Instagram

== Dominic Burgess ==

Dominic is keeping us fed with more cat photos!

Source: Dominic Burgess Twitter

== Kristian Nairn ==

Kristian also sharing some beloved pets -- and this time, a new addition to his family, Calypso!

Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram

== Christopher Corbin ==

Hey! We haven't seen our "Magic" man Christopher Corbin in a while! He's out giving a tour to his bro Jim at Universal Studios!

Source: Christopher Corbin's Instagram

== Darby Family Foster Kittens ==

Today really is a feast for the eyes when it comes to kitties and pups! Rosie shared more foster kittens with us! I can't tell you how tempted I am to drive to CA and adopt some!

Source: Rosie Carnahan Darby's Instagram

== Articles ==

Thank you to ShowSnob for this article on why OFMD deserved an S3! And thank you to our friends over at NeverLeftPodcast for bringing it to the crew's attention!

Source: Never Left Podcast's Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Cast Cards =

Our sweet @melvisik is keeping up the cast cards for us with another Emmy Submission! Albert Fox joins Mark and John "for Outstanding Music Composition in a Series for Mermen -AdoptOurCrew"

Source: @melvisik's Twitter

= Auxilery Wardobe Zine Reminders =

Reminder! The signups for the Stede Bonnet: Auxiliary Wardrobe Zine close in a week! You can still sign up until July 21! Sign Up Here!

Source: StedeBonnetZine Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies, today was a day all around the world. I hope you're all doing okay. A lot of stuff happened that could have left you feeling a lot of hard feelings. I know it's concerning, and I know it's scary, especially the unknown of it all. If you can, today, take care of YOU. Take time to breathe, take time to eat well, and shower, and drink enough water. If you can, watch something funny, cry, whatever you need to do to feel okay. When the world is uncontrollable, and feels unreachable, and the future unknown, one of the best things you can do is take care of yourself and your loved ones. This is a good article on how to ground yourself, if you're feeling out of sorts. It says it's related to triggers but it can be anything really that you need to ground yourself from. The most important thing in the world is that you're safe, and you are okay, so please take care of you. If you need support, reach out to your crew, we all care about you and your well being.

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

I think today we could use a little boost. So here's Taika laughing his ass off at Rhys' ANYWHO, and Rhys having a bit of a grumble about ZADDY. I love these two so much, it's ridiculous. Gif courtesy of @ dallonismysavior <3

[mrhaitch]

Pausing briefly from answering asks to rave about something.

If you're into your horror, particularly ghost stories, I cannot recommend this enough:

The whole series itself is outstanding: an anthology series of MR James style ghost stories, some new, some old. This is one of the new ones and it embodies a lot of what I love about horror as a genre.

The characters are beautifully human, and the horrors arise from tragedy that feels painfully personal. It strikes me as a story about missed chances and the insurmountable mystery of death.

If it's to your taste, give it a go.

[zaurae]

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒔 ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

First off, giving up an old bad habit is difficult, that I know; however, it is not impossible. I've had a lot of difficulties in my life where I repeated the same habit over and over again and I thought for me I would never overcome them. But you know what changed? trying. I tried my best every day and even if I failed, I slowly accepted that I am not perfect and I am only human. That is who we are, and that is why Allah the Almighty is so merciful, because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala himself knows we humans will slip up and fall. But listen, it's not impossible and as annoying as it is, as long as you keep trying, keep having that good intentions of becoming better and to do better; trust me those habits will be history.

Whenever we do something for the sake of our lord, everything works out, everything clicks together. These habits you have won't be vanished for one day of course, or a week, it's a process--a journey that we all need to accept. Think of it as a fitness journey, you won't get fit in one day. These things take time and after feeling so negative about myself I realized as long as you try, asking Allah for help, and doing the most you can--it is possible.

I hope these tips do help you, and everyone is different as everyone has different struggles and bad habits. These will either help you or guide you to overcome those habits in your own way. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make it easy for us.

⤑ 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑶𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛

I have seen a video of someone asking a scholar why do I still commit these bad deeds/habits if I am performing my five daily prayers? and the answer to this was the quality of your namaz. Do you rush into prayer, are you zoning out, are you not on time for namaz, and etc.

There is of course a lot to this but the quality of your namaz and how much time you spend with our lord does affect our hearts.

One of many ways to re-connect with our lord to become better with our daily prayers are:

Performing your prayers on time (I understand how our laziness could get in the way or how we are so into whatever we were doing before and cannot detach ourselves from this but, a quote I read and did help me at times like this was "Put your time and effort to Allah, and Allah will put his time and effort to you too.")

Recite a dua/surah after your namaz (Ayetel kursi, a repentance dua, La ilaha illallah, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul hamdu, yuhyi wa yumitu, wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir, and etc.)

Perform your wudhu 15-10 minutes earlier (Let me tell you when I did this it was so effective. When you perform wudhu earlier, you are in a clear-minded state and are purified. Along with you being on time for namaz, this additionally helps you become more focused during namaz)

Perform Dhikr (Subhanallah, Alhamdullilah, Astaghfirullah, La illaha illallah, Allahu Akbar)

Learn the meaning of what you are reciting (When you learn and understand the meaning of the surah/dua's you are reciting, being focused becomes easier and the connection becomes stronger)

⤑ 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Create distractions for yourself to not commit those deeds/habits!

Do what you love and enjoy (Go back to those hobbies you used to enjoy! or hang out with your friends and family.)

Educate yourself (Look up interesting things; Learn something new; Watch an islamic podcast)

Get to work (If you have any outstanding work or homework, get straight to it.)

Learn a new surah (Let's say you REALLY have nothing else to do, then what better way to spend that time in something worthy--learning a surah!)

Go outside and enjoy nature!

⤑ 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑯𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒔

Along with giving up those bad habits, create new good habits to incorporate in your day-to-day life!

Each day, add something in your routine--even if its small! For instance, get back to that skin care routine you were so lazy to do; or go on that walk you kept saying later to; or even folding your clothes and organizing your closet. Each time you add a good habit to do, you become distracted to those bad habits, have less time do commit them, and on the long run you are creating habits for a better difference!

With this in mind, please do not do everything at once. To prevent a negative on-going cycle, just like that book "Atomic Habits" said, that "If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you'll end up with 37 times better by the time you're done."

A habit to always include and progress even more is repentance! Recite and repeat Astaghfirullah; Ya Gaffar and Ya Gafoor; as well as the repentance surah's! Before doing anything, always say Bismillah and whether you're doing chores or scrolling on your phone, always say Astaghfirullah. This helps you be more aware of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala!

And lastly, remember you can do it!

: ̗̀➛ Allahumma musarrifal-qulubi, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta'atika

O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, November 9

WILLOW: By the way, are we hoping to find a body, or no body? XANDER: Call me an optimist, but I'm hoping to find a fortune in gold doubloons. GILES: Um, body would mean flesh-eating demon, no body would point towards the, uh, army of zombies thing. Take your pick, really.

~~BtVS 2x02 “Some Assembly Required”~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Red Moon (Darla & Drusilla, not rated) by SeleneBlue

speaks volumes (Buffy/Faith, M) by storiesfortravellers

Surprise (Buffy/Angel, E) by MeTheMermaid

Chemical X (Fred, Maggie Walsh, E) by Kittenwritings

[Untitled] (Giles/Reader, M) by romeactivelycries

[Chaptered Fiction]

Okay Dad, Chapter 1/6 (Ensemble, T) by Work

Tears of the Slayer, Chapter 1/? (Buffy/Angel, Buffy/Spike, E) by MadMaster

You're a Beautiful Person, Chapter 3/? (Willow/Tara, M) by firagasauce

The Comedown, Chapter 2/2 (Buffy/Angel, T) by Descended_from_Hufflepuffs

Maps, Chapter 4/6 (Buffy/Faith, E) by thisyearsgrrl

The Right Swipe, Chapter 15/? (Buffy/Giles, E) by DancingAngel0013

The Phoenix, Chapter 1/? (Buffy/Spike, ensemble, E) by OffYourBird

Firebell in the Night:, Chapter 50/150 (Willow/Tara, E) by TheLightdancer

With Sprinkles, Chapter 44/? (Xander, anime xover, M) by dogbertcarroll, Narsil

Little Light, Chapter 16 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Melme1325

Oh My Goddess, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Maxine Eden

Incarnate, Chapter 21 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Sigyn

Oh My Goddess, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Maxine Eden

[Images, Audio & Video]

Gifset: Cordelia Chase + Outfits (Season 2) (worksafe) by clarkgriffon

Artwork: “She’s cold, she’s dark, she’s cynical (Buffy/Spike, depiction of blood, mostly worksafe) by o-cm-draw-o

Artwork: Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S3 Ep8 “Lovers Walk” (worksafe) by nightheartcomics

Artwork: Collage #228 (Buffy/Spike, worksafe) by thedecadentraven

Artwork: Collage #230 (Spike, worksafe) by thedecadentraven

Video: Drusilla's Diary Entry 1 by Slayin It with Juliet Landau

Crafts: Fun little embroidery project I made for my friend’s birthday [Scenes from Gile’s slide show in ‘Hush’] (worksafe, depiction of show-typical violence/blood/death) by littlethingstitching

Crafts: I’m creating an art piece for every episode of Buffy and Angel: BTVS 601. Bargaining Pt. 1 (worksafe) by tmcarlee

Nail art: My friend did Buffy nails for Halloween and I finally get to show them to this sub! (worksafe) by Confident-Smoke-6595

[Reviews & Recaps]

Season 4 first time viewing! by Specialist-Orchid-80

I am SUFFERING through Angel season 4 by Anna3422

PODCAST: You Said Glice! (S5E4) by It Stakes Two

PODCAST: Big G and The Slaymaster General (S5E5) by It Stakes Two

[Fandom Discussions]

i just finished watching buffy s1-s7 for the first time and like. s6 is good. not perfect, but still by beets-are-not-green

Look I’m just saying if we got to see Spuffy have explicit sex multiple times we deserved to get to see when Spike and Angelus did by thequeenofsastiel

i do find it immensely boring when your interpretation of spike’s complexity involves dumbing him down to some variation on “human good, demon bad” the same way the show tried by slugessence

I don’t think we give Cordelia enough credit for driving a car through the school by aphony-cree

more on Faith and dog parallels! by juanabaloo

[anon ask] So, apart from how it happened, what’s your take on the Spike soul thing? answered by thornfield13713

Were the slayers a good idea? continued by multiple posters

Buffy Season 2 rewatch by Btvs fan, multiple posters

Lilah and Cordelia were Outstanding by Nostromo87

Very minor criticism that drives me crazy whenever it happens by Agvahl

The Beast is by far one of my favorite baddies/demon/monster of the Angel verse by moses616

S7 E6 "Him" by distortionisgod

The Inca Princess by opmdl6

Anyone else wish Buffy and Willow didn't become roommates so fast in season 4? by jdpm1991

Angel finale by anthonycaruana

When Groo left, after realizing that Cordy did not love him, what do we think happened to him? by jengafat

tell me you’re a BTVS fan without telling me you’re a BTVS fan by perfectmoonwalker

How do you feel about every season having its own unique feel to it? by precita

Demon Sports Team by No_Introduction_4136

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: The Best Fighters in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Franchise, Ranked by CBR.com

PUBLICATION: How an Iconic Episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Explores Queer Issues by Tell-Tale TV

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[musette22]

I was listening to the new podcast episode with Seb, and he mentioned being more director-oriented than before, going after particular directors to get the more challenging, unique stories like The Apprentice and A Different Man, and, of course, my first thought was dirty (oh, yeah, pursing strong direction, I see you Seb 👀), but then... of course, my evanstan heart took that idea and ran.

Imagine, if you will, Chris taking a crack at directing again, aiming high, not exactly for himself but because he cast Sebastian as his lead and he wants to, more than anything, lead Sebastian to be the fucking best he can and transform him into another one of those unforgettable characters he's known for bringing to life.

I don't know, just, the thought of Chris pushing himself to direct his wild and free and brilliant boyfriend is so sweet to me. I have no idea what that story would be, but I would love to see it <3

Ooohh thanks for the link!! And also lmao, of course your first thought was dirty, wouldn't expect anything less (and that is 100% a compliment btw!) But also also, of course the next thing you thought of was Evanstan 🥹 That's where my mind immediately went too! I just think it would be wonderful to see Chris do more directing, and the way you describe Chris as wanting to aim high not just for himself, but for Sebastian, who is brilliant and deserves to work on a high quality project, is so sweet and so Chris. He'd absolutely feel that way and let it lift him to another level of directing!

And conversely, I think that Sebastian would thrive under Chris's firm but kind guidance (not just in a personal context 👀 but also professionally). Not to mention the fact that Sebastian's innate desire to be good and perform well would be dialled up to eleven when it's Chris's he's trying to please... Makes me think of how I once got the equivalent of an A+ on an tricky essay assigned by a professor I had a crush on and whonI just really wanted to impress and have him be proud of me 🙈 And Sebastian would no doubt want the same from Chris, so he'd be giving it 110% and probably give the best performance of his career yet (and given the fact that he's usually outstanding, that's saying something). Aahh just imagine the press and audiences lauding them as the next Scorcese and DiCaprio (but cuter and gayer) 🥹

I also can't think what such a story would be, right now, but arghh, the possibilities are endless! We can only dream and hope 💖💖

Thanks for sharing your lovely thoughts with me, S! Hope you're having a great Sunday 😘

[wildfernflower]

Tony is a Band Manager not Music Producer. Problem is that except for the major media that interviewed Cait most are crappy articles on dubious online sites that simply copy and paste wrong information from other shady sites and continue to post as clickbait. In a recent podcast with Lauren Lyle, the host clearly said that he knows Tony very well and that he is The Fratellis' band manager. HIs name is mentioned twice on the band's last album with thanks and appreciation. He doesn't need a SM to do his work. Phone calls, messaging, e-mails and in person meetings are still used to do business and obviously he does them all.

The fact that you continue to use wrong info. to push your own agenda is quite clear to anyone who is aware of both sides.

“Tony is a Band Manager not Music Producer”

Whether T is a music producer, band manager, or both, it doesn't make his persona look better, more professional, or just more "real". In numerous articles though he’s mentioned as a music producer:

According to your own words, these are “crappy articles on dubious online sites that simply copy and paste wrong information from other shady sites and continue to post as clickbait”. So these are not credible sources, as you’ve admitted, but no others exist. Nobody can verify his qualifications and find out what his real job is, because there is no mention about him to be found either in serious press or on serious websites like Linkedin – you have surely read my reply to an Anon, where I compared T’s skills and accomplishments (zero entries) to those of N. Brown, the tour manager of The Fratellis.

The difference is striking and puzzling, but you deliberately ignore it. It seems natural and beneficial for a career and recognition in any field, specifically in the music/entertainment industry, to have many skills, achievements, contracts, etc. and to make these facts public and widely known to the potential new clients. Well documented career path proves professionalism and competences of the producer/manager and encourages the clients to start successful cooperation, regardless of what your working style is. Why to harm your own career by staying anonymous and hiding that all? (Unless you have nothing to show …). T does have a phone (we saw him sitting at the table glued to the screen during the events C had dragged him to), possibly he has an e-mail address, too … Do you expect him reciting his competences each time a client calls him? E-mails and phone calls are “still used to do business and obviously he does them all” – do you know him personally to be sure what his working style is and that he “obviously” do them all? Perhaps you believe T enjoys such a broad recognition and his accomplishments are so significant that he’s in great demand and doesn’t need any publicity? So why nobody has heard about him? If he was that recognized, why - when press reported on C's wedding 4 years ago - had there never been any mention of how outstanding and talented man Caitriona had married? Usually, the journalists (especially tabloid journos) dig a lot to find out some interesting facts and details about the person with whom the celebrity is getting married to. But nothing more apart from T being a music producer had been found back then and hasn’t been so far. Isn't it a bit weird? I’ll bet many people hadn’t heard about him and his profession until then.

“His name is mentioned twice on the band's last album with thanks and appreciation”

That’s possible, maybe his name was mentioned also on one or two older albums of Fratellis, you probably know better than me. But have anybody heard about his other achievements? Is that all he did during all his professional life? One mention on the album? Almost 20 years in the industry working supposedly as a producer/manager, almost 47 year old guy and his only “success” is his contribution to one album and being acknowledged once or twice by the same band? No cooperations with other artists? No other projects? Simply these acknowledgements? That’s all? T and the members of Fratellis are surely good friends, there was a photo of them on IG, and probably that’s why he’s mentioned occasionally as a manager, and why Fratellis are his only connection with the music industry over many years.

“In a recent podcast with Lauren Lyle, the host clearly said that he knows Tony very well and that he is The Fratellis' band manager”

This was the first time anyone had spoken publicly about T in the context of his career in the music industry. How do we know what he said is credible? Perhaps, as I wrote in my comment back then, that journalist wanted to give his good pal T some publicity if he’s not doing well in the music industry? It’s a bit suspicious to mention him at all, and definitely unprofessional to suggest him managing Fratellis links OL to great music. If T is such “an amazing fella”, why does C never say a word about him and never mention his name, why isn’t she proud of him, why does she never walk red carpet with him, why does she avoid being photographed with him in front of the media wall, why is he always trailing behind her along the corridors, why does she use him as a coat hanger, why does she keep him in a background, why is she ashamed of such an “amazing fella”? It seems to me that T is much more involved in his job as Cait's paid assistant whom she drags along everywhere, even to insignificant interviews, to prove he’s her husband than he is in his alleged job as the music producer/manager.

“The fact that you continue to use wrong info to push your own agenda is quite clear to anyone who is aware of both sides”

I’m not pushing my own agenda, I don’t force anybody to adopt my point of view. I’ve explained how I see the things.

If you think I'm using wrong info, please, tell me the source of the correct one if you know. If you're “aware of another side” – perhaps you're in touch with T, or hanging around with the people who know him, or have tips from reliable friends in the know, etc. - feel free to share your knowledge and prove me wrong by evidence.

[he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle]

2023 Year in Review

In celebration of the coming New Year, I decided to do a re-watch of every drama I gave 3 or more stars in 2023. Only 15 made the cut, which given the number of dramas I watched (I started well over 200, although I dropped at least a third of those) is not that many.

(My rating system is pretty simple: 1 ⭐ = terrible/don't recommend/waste of time, 2 ⭐⭐ = pretty good/enjoyable/would recommend to others but probably never re-watch, 3 ⭐⭐⭐ = good/likely to re-watch, 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = practically perfect/would re-watch frequently. As you can see, it's more about what I personally enjoy than what's objectively great. So some objectively good shows aren't on this list, like La Pluie or Wedding Plan or Our Dating Sim or Doctor Cha or King the Land or Call it Love, because they got a lower score from me because I'm not that likely to ever re-watch them even though I'm glad I watched them and I'll happily recommend them to others. Of course, my ratings are subject to change over time too because I often surprise myself with what I re-watch. Some shows that I originally gave 2.5 stars have eeked out 3.5 stars over the following year or two just because they grew on me and I kept re-watching them.)

As such, my plan to ring in the New Year is to re-watch:

Lost/Human Disqualification - ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ - (IQIYI/Amazon Prime, kdrama, slice of life, healing journey, slight romance, a 42yo woman pushed to the breaking point by life crosses paths with a 27yo man who is mourning the loss of his friend, outstanding dialog, killer A+ acting, tw: infidelity, miscarriage, and suicide BUT DON'T LET THAT SCARE YOU AWAY)

Hit The Spot ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, kdrama, romcom, 2 women begin hosting a sex advice podcast, funny, sex positive education, extraordinarily relatable, high heat, 8 30min eps)

The Glory ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Netflix, kdrama, 36yo woman patiently takes revenge on her childhood bullies, slight romance, incredible dialog, A+ acting, excellent pacing and powerful reveals, tw: the highschool bullies are evil little sociopaths who do some extremely horrific shit)

The Eighth Sense ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Viki, gay romance, kdrama, incoming freshman who is a rural-transplant to Seoul meets exiting senior and joins his surf club, gorgeous production, healing past trauma, A+ acting and insanely believable physical chemistry, good OST)

Love Tractor ⭐⭐⭐ (IQIYI, gay, short kbl, big city law student with musical ambitions hides from his responsibilities in the countryside and meets a younger himbo farmer with a heart of gold)

Sing My Crush ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (IQIYI, kBL, a talented but heartbroken young man is about to give up on his musical dreams when he is adopted by an eager wannabe manager, best friends to lovers, cohabitation, pining, good plot and chemistry)

Moonlight Chicken ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (YouTube, Thai, gay romance + BL, one night stand between a struggling chicken diner owner and a recently promoted office worker turns into more, HS student and lonely deaf boy become the cutest couple to ever cute, A+ writing and acting, themes of: found family, making a home, love matters even when it doesn't end well, class inequality, queer generational divides, letting go of the past, a radically compassionate look at first love, last love, lost love, and unrequited love)

Bed Friend ⭐⭐⭐ (IQIYI, Thai, gay office romance, enemies to FWB to lovers, healing past trauma done right, ridiculously pretty leads, consent kings, high heat, A+ lead chemistry and acting, soft landing in the final 2 eps, tw: sexual assault)

My School President ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Viki, Thai, BL, high school boys singing their feelings [well!], wholesome, gentle, sweet and funny, A+ production values, peak low-heat BL with well-executed tropes)

Be My Favorite ⭐⭐⭐ (Youtube, Thai, BL, repressed and fearful boy travels back in time to his college days to woo his crush and falls in love with his supposed rival instead, themes: living each moment to the fullest so you won't have regrets, kindness as a catalyst for character growth and positive change, bravery in the face of uncertainty, telling people you love them can only be a good thing)

Laws of Attraction ⭐⭐⭐ (IQIYI, Thai, gay, mystery/romance lakorn, evil unhinged babygirl lawyer and the heroic idealistic taekwondo instructor who falls for him work together to solve the mystery of his niece's death, loveable granny, A+ lesbians, happy endings all around, great acting and lead chemistry)

Jack O'Frost ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, Japan, gay, amnesiac young man and his co-habitating ex begin their relationship again, short 6 ep, A+ acting, excellent production values)

Hold my Hand at Twilight ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, jdrama, twenty-something city mouse meets country mouse and they begin the journey towards making their dreams come true, cohabitation, warm-hearted, angsty 3rd act, A+ acting, excellent banter, post-credit epilogue)

Kiseki: Dear to Me ⭐⭐⭐ (Viki, Taiwan, gay, hardworking med student falls for the gang member he secretly treats, insane plot includes time skip and amnesia [2 tropes I usually hate, but actually done well in this case and not annoying], domesticity, cohabitation, hurt/comfort, friends to lovers, short total runtime)

Fake It Till You Make It ⭐⭐⭐/⭐ (Viki, China, romance, 🔥 lead chemistry, snappy banter, disarmingly honest and vulnerable leads, this couple wants to eat each other for dinner AND dessert but constantly chooses not to because of other life priorities and fears, friends with killer UST to lovers who communicate shockingly well, all the characters feel like real people instead of caricatures)

[castlebyersafterdark]

It’s been so quiet on here that no one has talked about Noah’s Letterboxd reviews post Saturday Night. Here they are (warning- some minor spoilers):

The Substance (5 Stars):

One of the best films I’ve seen in past months. Wow. The jaw-dropped look on my face when the credits hit tells you all you need to know. It was truly flawless from start to finish, with not a single dull moment in its 140-minute runtime. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley deliver outstanding performances, fully embodying their characters. The story is a horrifying but important celebration of self-acceptance, reminding us that we are perfect just the way we are. This is the ultimate anti-Ozempic / plastic surgery film of the year.

It Follows (4 Stars):

So so goood…. And then they just don’t end it. What the heck?! It was so well shot and well acted and then they just didn’t bring it home. Unsatisfied.

We Live In Time (5 Stars): Beautiful tale about making the most of your days you have. I sobbed in the last scene. I loved how they didn’t show her dying but rather a soft transition into the aftermath. Felt like more of a gut punch.

Heathers (5 Stars)

“I love my dead gay son!!”

Anora (5 Stars):

WOWWWW man that was amazing. Everything about it. I loved how real it felt. The scenes were so much longer than normal and I loved that about it. You would sit with these characters in one moment for such a long time and it made it feel so authentic. Nothing felt produced or scripted. It was also SO FUNNY at parts. Mikey Madison was amazing.

I also really appreciated her dynamic with the bald guy. It was such a stark contrast to her relationship with the Russian boy, which was purely physical. With the security guard, it was about connection—they��d just talk or share silence, and it felt real. Their journey from enemies to lovers was so satisfying.

Mermaids (5 Stars):

Cher, Winona Ryder, and Christina ricci? Iconic. Love that Noni’s thing became ending movies with dancing scenes. She eats everytime

Cinderella (4 Stars):

“Be kind, have courage and always believe in a little magic.”

I love him, he's so cute!! Crossing my fingers for the dream scenario of the core 4 boys actors starting up a movie review podcast one day. Literally the biggest dream. Noah is so insightful and honest and I love that he's not afraid to show passion and sincere thoughts on films. I love Letterboxd for the tracking and lists aspect, but so many people on there use the review function just to be quippy and it's so NOAH to be sincere and show his love of exploring film. Even when he doesn't say much it's still pretty fun and honest.

Also him being Winona's number one fan is the sweetest thing 🥹❤️

[jhenvs3000semester]

Blog 2

My ideal position as an environmental interpreter is to combine my love of nature and conservation with my goal of becoming a physician. While studying to become a doctor, I have always believed that preserving human lives is inextricably linked to environmental protection. What good is it to repair the human body if our planet is in crisis? Human health can only have a long-term future if the earth is healthy. This understanding fuels my outstanding dedication to environmental education and conservation.

As an interpreter, I would help others understand the deep relationships within ecosystems that allow life to exist—not only for species but also for humans. Whether guiding hikes through protected conservation areas or hosting workshops in local parks, I would emphasize the importance of the environment in maintaining our health. Examples include how woods clean the air, wetlands filter water, and biodiversity enhances ecosystems, benefiting human communities.

This employment would also allow me to express my enthusiasm for conservation. I would emphasize the links between environmental health and human health, arguing that protecting the environment is critical to our survival. I want people to understand how human and environmental well-being are inextricably linked. We cannot live as a species if we continue to damage the ecosystems that give us with clean air, water, and food.

At the same time, I intend to make environmental education more engaging and accessible. I envision creating interactive, sensory experiences that inspire people to fully immerse themselves in nature. Whether it's leading a group into a forest to feel the texture of leaves or urging them to close their eyes and listen to the sound of the wind, I'd show my audience that nature is more than just something to look at; it's something to experience and comprehend on a deeper level.

Along with in-person events, I envision myself providing instructional content through blogs or podcasts, allowing me to share my enthusiasm for medicine and the environment. For example, I could address how climate change affects public health or how conservation measures can improve community well-being.

To be effective in this profession, I need to use my communication skills, which I am also building for my medical career. Just as doctors must explain complex medical concepts to patients in understandable terms, environmental interpreters must break down the complexities of ecology and conservation into approachable and entertaining lessons. I'd need to be adaptive and able to interact with youth one day and then debate climate science with adults the next.

Finally, this work is an opportunity to combine my passions: helping people and safeguarding the environment. As an environmental interpreter, I would assist others in understanding that human health's future is inextricably linked to the health of our world and that by nurturing both, we can create a healthier, more sustainable future for everybody.

[c-schroed]

Podcasts I Adore - Within the Wires, Season Four: The Cradle

Sigrid, I don't tell you this enough. I love you.

You're my daughter. Of course I love you with all my heart and I am proud of you, Sigrid.

You have a lot of responsibility, a lot of stress, managing the daily needs of The Cradle as your mother travels the world, learning everything she can about how to better our little commune. How to restore the innate love of mother and child to the Society.

Season four is so darn well written. And gosh, I really  h a t e  this season. I hate it from the bottom of my heart. Because season four excels at presenting us a true cornucopia of a thing that other seasons also gave us, but only in small doses: Frustration.

Meet Freya Brigettesdotter, wannabe-leader of "The Cradle" a commune living out of reach for mainstream society in what in our world would be Sweden. In the world of Within the Wires, however, there is no Sweden, as nations have been dissolved in this alternate history after what would have been our world's World War 2 (only much, much mor catastrophic). And more importantly even, families have been forbidden as a fertile ground for triblism and nationalism, to prevent any new catastrophies like this. Of course, not everyone agrees with the ideas of this New Society, and thus communes like the Cradle exist, where children still grow up together with their parents instead of being raised in governmental facilities.

However, the Cradle is unfortunately lead by Freya, who one day had to go undercover because the government found out about her missing IDs. But seemingly, Freya's understanding of "undercover" is more one of "Live, Laugh, Love", and so she travels the world on a trip of self-discovery that eventually will turn into an ego-trip of classical "Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss" qualities.

Of course, Freya stays in contact with her poor flock of followers, by cassettes sent to the Cradle from wherever she resides currently. These cassettes always have two parts: One personal letter to Sigrid, Freya's daughter, and one public part, with inspirational tales or sermons for her followers at the Cradle. And as both parts perfectly document Freya's journey into egotism and recklessness while in return giving us just a few hints about the reactions of the people addressed by her, we as audience are left very, very helpless.

Of course, one is always quite helpless when listening to a narrative podcast. The story will be told either way, and the listener seldomly can influence how it progresses. But no podcasts can make you really feel this helplessness as intensely as Within the Wires, and no other season focuses that much on this feeling as season four.

So yeah, I hate season four. Not because it happens to be bad, but because it's designed to be bad. Because voice actress Mona Grenne does an outstanding job in playing this self-bedazzled villainess, and because the production of the podcast is above any suspicion of cheapness. But still. It took me a while to really appreciate this season for what it is: Nothing more and nothing less than a perfect little lesson in frustration. 8 out of 10 points.

< My review of the Black Box bonus season

My review of season five>

[aviculor]

It's the last day of my vacation and I'd be remiss if I didn't watch a movie.

I don't know when MaXXXine got its digital release, but here it is in full HD rather than a camera recording with "WIN REAL MONEY AT SLOTS.NET.RUS.EXE" plastered on it. I've heard middling reviews about this, but I loved X and I respected the vision for Pearl so I've been looking forward to finishing the trilogy. We're following Maxine Minx, the final girl from X who's trying to get her big break in Hollywood several years later and there's a serial killer on the loose. I can probably guess the twist based on the "Pearl and Maxine are basically the same person" concept of X and the fact that Pearl was all about Pearl killing people for allegedly being in her way of stardom. I'm sure Mia Goth has given another stellar performance if nothing else. There is a new Dead Meat Podcast ep about this, so I'll be checking that out afterwards.

As you would expect, the arc phrase "I will not accept a life I do not deserve" is back. We see a young Maxine doing the Pearl dance, which is a connection that just raises further questions. Is it a real dance move? Is it a reference to something? Is it meant to imply that Maxine actually is a long-lost relative of Pearl and being played by the same actress wasn't just a narrative parallel? Or maybe it was just meant to highlight that Pearl actually was just floundering around like a small child at her professional audition. Another call-back is that Maxine has dyed her hair blonde, while the talent scouts in Pearl were looking for an "All-American Blonde". That's a real juicy piece of environmental storytelling considering we're following Maxine struggling to become a "real" actress after having already made a name for herself in the adult film industry. A career move she has come to regret and resent.

Oh, well, now I have a different theory about where this is going.

"The Texas Porn Star Massacre". Clever.

It was certainly a creative decision to have the detectives' final standoff against Maxine's dad be entirely offscreen.

I'm noticing a lot of...passiveness from Maxine despite ostensibly being a confident girlboss movie star with X factor. She just stands there silently while her director or her co-star or whoever else is there basically monologues at her. She follows orders and directions from people without question. In order to keep her role in the film, she was literally told to just obey whatever she was told. She stated verbatim to the director that she would do whatever she says. Then she essentially stumbled into other people solving her problems for her without much action on her part. The PI chases her into the Bates Motel, but does she kill him in a scene homaging Psycho? No, he gets stopped by security before he can enter. When the PI was lured into the alley and Maxine was facing him down in a car, I thought for sure she was going to run him over as a nod to the end of X, but no, her agent and the bouncer are the ones who got their hands dirty on her behalf. Then the climax comes and the detectives save her from her father rather than her saving herself, and she's not even present when her father is mortally wounded. When the police show up, it *looks* as if she had taken matters into her own hands and acted with agency, but she actually just happened to be in that place at that time. I feel like all this is clearly deliberate. I'm looking forward to hearing other people's thoughts and if they picked up on this too.

I'm not sure what to make of the ending. I'm glad everything worked out in the end? I'm glad nothing bad happened to her or her career after she blew someone's head off with a shotgun while surrounded by police helicopters telling her to drop her weapon? Was any of that even real or was Maxine still fantasizing?

I think I did like this film. The way people were talking about it, I was worried. It wasn't outstanding, but it was a lot better than I was led to believe. There were hints towards the "fear of aging" theme of X, but they definitely could have made it more prominent. If they did a better job of tying together what X and Pearl had going, the ending might have been a little stronger.

[infinite-mess]

Welcome to my infinite mess.

This shall be my cozy little cave, where I shall go to watch all sorts of animated movies, series, etc. I’ve always had a passion for the medium, and I think it’s time to put my so-called “excellent writing” skills to use with this here blog.

My love for animated media isn’t the ONLY reason I decided to start this blog, however. I’ve had struggles in figuring out how to deal with certain media. Usually, whenever I have found even slightly unfavorable aspects of media, I would throw the entire thing out like it was nothing. But I’ve seen so many people who, although they also draw the line somewhere, love certain pieces of media while also criticizing it at the very same time. But…how can one LOVE or even LIKE a piece of media with issues in it? I felt like starting a blog could serve as a healthy outlet to explore my thoughts, as well as to potentially find some new pieces of media to add to my small pile of favorite movies, shows, etc.

I was mainly inspired to make this blog by a website known as AnimeFeminist, as well as several of the team’s outstanding WordPress blogs, as well as some blogs here on Tumblr. I found Tumblr to be the easiest and most efficient site for me to make this kind of blog on, so that’s what I’m doing.

How will this blog work? Well:

I will do polls where you guys can decide which shows/movies I should watch

Near the end of each month (unless stated otherwise in the following month’s post) I’ll update you all on my media progress with “progress posts”!!!

I will probably do reviews on finished shows/movies, stating my opinions on them as well as stating wether or not I would recommend them to anyone

A lot of what I may be watching will be anime. It’s not the ONLY form of animated media I want to cover, but anime may end up being the majority of what I end up covering.

I will PROBABLY not be doing seasonal anime watches. I prefer to watch shows that are either already finished, have an end in sight, or have otherwise gone on for a while.

The exception to this rule is a concept called “Wild Cards”! With these, I will only limit myself to watching an episode of that show on a weekly, biweekly, etc. basis depending on how long the show is, and the shows that qualify to be wild cards have to have a confirmed new season coming, or at least be confirmed to still be going. Most of these wild cards will be anime, and every 3 months, I will do a poll which will decide the new wild card entry.

For certain media, I’ve wanted to do “watchalongs”, which are posts discussing a specific portion of a show (like 5-15 episodes each or SOMETHING, depending on how long the show is). This was inspired by AnimeFeminist’s watchalong podcasts, but instead of a podcast, it’s a Tumblr post, and instead of there being multiple people, there’s just one person (me). Not all of the media I discuss will have watchalongs!!!

Recommendations are ALWAYS welcome! Wether you decide to comment on THIS post, on my progress posts, on poll posts, or even on my reviews of certain media, I can never get enough of recommendations from people. Please note, however, that I can say no to any recommendations for multiple reasons. There will be some shows or movies that I just won’t watch for one reason or another, and there are places where I will draw the line on which media I watch.

With any and all media I watch, the minimum amount of episodes of a show I have to watch before deciding wether to continue is 3, and I have to at least watch a 1/4th of a movie before deciding as well. (if they make me uncomfortable enough, however, I don’t have to follow these rules)

I’m unsure of what the results of this blog attempt will be, as well as wether it’ll actually be able to live up to my expectations, but the only way for me to find out is try! So again, welcome to this infinite mess.

[flatbstanley]

Justin: This is Justin Santoro with Quotidianum, your daily guide to the Holy Catholic Church. Today we’ll be discussing the role of women in the Church. To that end, I’ve invited two outstanding young women to join me: my daughter, Gianna, and Claire Newton from the podcast “Catholic Girl Things.” Claire, why don’t you start us off by telling us a little about yourself.

Claire: Sure! Thanks so much for having me! So I grew up Catholic, but in a very, like, liberal way. My parents were always telling my sister and me that we could do anything a boy could do. We were even altar servers! I got to a point where I was like, “If men and women are equal, why can’t I be a priest?”

Justin: That’s something that so many people get wrong. Women and men have separate roles to play. They are not equivalent. Women are the givers of life and the nurturers, while men are the ones that Christ chose to lead his Church.

Claire: Exactly! But it took me a really long time to get that. When I was in high school, though, I started listening to some great Catholic podcasts. Quotidianum was one of them, actually! That was when I realized it was better to embrace what God gave me rather than trying to be a man.

Gia: I'm glad you said that, because I think it’s really important. Girls my age get so offended when somebody tells them that they can’t be exactly like boys. They start shouting about women’s rights and all. But thinking about what you can't have just makes you miserable, and you can miss out on the great opportunities that God's given you. For example, if I were set on being an altar server, I never would have gotten involved with embroidering the altar cloths at our church. That's a great job for women, and I absolutely love it!

Two hours earlier...