#addicted to taking screenshots of my horses

[icarianarts]

[thechekhov]

I always hate asking when specific content gets put out, because I feel like I'm being kinda entitled about the content creators make. So respectfully, with no desire to rush or demand anything from you, when will you put out more Dungeon Meshi? Practically no-one reacts to that manga, so it made me excited to see you get into it.

At this moment, respectfully... I have no idea!

I want to keep reading and reacting, but unfortunately it takes TIME. Reading the comic, I could get through all of it in about 3-4 hours flat, but reacting and screenshotting means it takes me 20 minutes per chapter. Which means I need 2-3 hours to read a volume.

But I'm horribly, terribly addicted to being busy. I am constantly working on either my SU comic, or DnD stuff or another, standalone comic, or some sort of 4-7 page long infograph for a person who asked a simple question on tumblr.....or..... Honestly the list goes on.

I cannot answer your question, but I just want to reassure you that I'm not failing to post because I don't care, or because I forgot.....

I'm failing to post because my brain is a merry-go-round of creative projects and the only way to ride is by running at it full tilt and grabbing onto whatever the closest horse idea is for dear life.

[readjthompson]

Well, since my novelette Cancel Toby Chalmers! (copyright me, now) has been sitting around, completed, for nearly 16 months, I’ve decided to share it for free, until it’s later released as part of a Toby Chalmers collection.

Here's Chapter 10.

Chapter 10

“Wow, they actually did it,” Toby announced to a hypothetical audience, alternating between primal rage catalepsy and giggly nihilism. He closed his laptop to avoid smashing it, then massaged his temples, blinking frantically. He clamped his jaw shut to stifle his screams.

All of his books’ Amazon listings were gone, as was his Author Page. So, too, had every trace of his fiction been expunged from Goodreads. Google searches turned up no literature, neither synopses nor cover art. Years upon years of honing his fiction yielded no evidence whatsoever online.

Toby had purchased author copies of his own titles before the great erasure, however: a hundred of each book, stored in boxes in his garage. Attempting to list them on eBay, he’d found his account deactivated. He’d left a copy of each in his local Little Free Library bookcase, and planned to do so again, probably. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure what to do with ’em. Would door-to-door selling gain me sales or bullet wounds? he wondered.

After composing himself slightly, feeling half-spectral, he reopened his laptop, to search for traces of his existence on social media. There, too, all evidence of his books and references to him as an author had vanished. Posts and replies branding him a racist remained, though, along with screenshots of his drunken meditation on blackness.

Joseph McCarthy Jr.’s call to action post had been edited, with every mention of Toby removed. Lest Toby feel entirely neglected, however, Joe had crafted a brand-new post in his honor, released to the masses just a few minutes prior. And, boy, was it a doozy.

Toby saw his own photo staring back at him—a squinting, smirking portrait that he’d always hoped conveyed wit, but feared imparted the opposite impression—the one he’d been using as his author photo for the last couple of years. Aside it was a second photo, its subject a strangely hirsute grade-schooler that Toby had never seen before. Beneath them, it read:

AN UNCLE’S ORISON

Oh, my wonderful, diverse social justice superstars, my much-valued supporters in horror fiction renovation, my Rocks of Gibraltar in the tempest, my radiance in the howling void, I beg of you, right now, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, please, please, please attend my plea.

After the opioid epidemic seized ahold of my sister Clementine, after she let horses sodomize her for bindles of heroin and became famous on the internet, after she overdosed in the carwash with nary a vehicle in sight, she made the courageous choice to check herself into rehab. The good gal’s been an addiction center patient for just over two months now, showing extraordinary progress, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.

Clementine has a tremendous heart and I love her dearly. So, naturally, I volunteered to take care of her son while she gets the treatment she needs. I’ve paid for his food out of my very own pocket, introduced him to some of my favorite horror films (Jordan Peele’s first, natch!), and ensured that he kept up with his schooling. Overall, Shadrach’s a great child—smart as a whip and nearly as handsome as his dear old uncle is—but he’s had some, let’s say, moral deficiencies that I’ve been helping him overcome.

As much as it shames me to admit it, the boy’s shown evidence of insensitivity to the black cause. I caught him laughing at an African American that he saw on TV, as if that individual was less human than those of other races.

Well, you know that Joseph McCarthy Jr. won’t permit bigotry in his radius, especially when it’s coming from his own family! Immediately, I devised a series of role-playing exercises to make poor, misguided Shadrach sympathize with black folks and their culture. The boy was showing great progress; congratulations were forthcoming. Then infamous racist Toby Chalmers came along and spoiled everything.

I don’t know how they first communicated—some sort of clandestine message board, I’m assuming—but one night, a fully grown fellow showed up on my doorstep, asking for Shadrach by name. The boy’s just eight years old. No way would I let him near a cisgender, racially challenged, straight man I don’t know.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Toby Chalmers,” the man answered.

“That evil fellow from social media who thinks that blacks are worth less than dirt?”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Toby then declared. “Don’t you know that those coal-coated animals will never accept you, that they’ll rob and rape you any chance that they get?”

“Lies!” I shouted. “Black is beautiful! It is! Stay the heck away from my nephew or I’ll call the police!”

Silly me, I assumed that Toby Chalmers possessed enough intelligence to realize that I’m not a man to be trifled with, that I have pal-o-roonies all over the planet, linked by a love of horror fiction more powerful than religion. Your strength is my strength; my strength is yours.

But then I began sighting Toby Chalmers when Shadrach and I were out in public—lurking in a parking lot’s periphery, seated behind us at the movie theater, even browsing at the comic shop. As I couldn’t prove that he was stalking us yet, I tried to photograph him with my cellphone, but the man kept hiding behind his hands every time I snapped a picture. Clearly, he was planning something terrible.

My worst fears were confirmed just a few nights ago. Shadrach and I had spent the entire day together, shopping and singing, dancing and gaming, grubbing and gabbing, as close relatives do. After an invigorating supper of lobster ravioli, I left the boy to his own devices while I attended to some Transylvoria correspondence. There are many exciting things in the pipeline, believe you me (OMG, OMG, OMG, one of my favorite movie stars is thinking about writing a monthly column for us! Keep those fingers crossed, fam).

A couple of hours later, with my evening’s editorial duties behind me, I looked at the clock and realized that it was my nephew’s bedtime. Naturally, a nurturing fellow such as myself would rather die than miss an opportunity to tuck that boy into bed. My heart was so full of love; indeed, I couldn’t stop smiling.

That lip curl upended itself when my door knocking went unanswered. Entering the guestroom that I’d donated to Shadrach for the duration of his stay, I found him absent. Most of his clothes were gone. The screen was missing from the window frame.

Indeed, it seems that evil Toby Chalmers has abducted poor Shadrach, undoubtedly to indoctrinate him further in Toby’s black-hating ways. I’ve already contacted the police, but I need the help of all of you good people, too. Spread these photos and this story all across social media, so that if either of the two shows their face anywhere, the authorities and I will be notified, and Shadrach can be deconditioned, and Toby Chalmers can face justice.

Now and beyond forever, I love all of you, my exquisite, intelligent, diverse pal-o-roonies.

“What…the…fuck?” said Toby. Before his eyes, by the thousands, Joseph McCarthy Jr.’s words accrued likes and reposts. Replies sprouted every second: “Toby Chalmers can’t get away with this,” “We’ll stomp that child rapist to mush,” “Stalkers don’t belong in our country,” and myriad variations.

This smirking sack of pudge actually thinks that I visited him? Toby wondered. He thinks that I abducted his strange, hairy-faced nephew? Do I have a lookalike out there? Nah, Joe must be fabricating this story, for attention. Where’s this asshole live, anyway?

A quick internet search revealed that Joseph McCarthy Jr. and Transylvoria were based in Georgia. That’s like three states over. No wonder the cops haven’t bothered me yet. Will they, though, sometime soon? Do the posts of social media jackals carry much clout with authorities? I doubt that there are many Transylvoria fans with badges, but how can I be sure?

Whatever the case, I can’t keep letting this lit scene fascist take shots at me. People incapable of writing horror fiction don’t deserve to control it. No one does. Art should always, always, always evolve unrestrained, and have its existence acknowledged. I’m gonna have to kick this loser’s ass, aren’t I?

Grinning at the thought of Joseph McCarthy Jr.’s mouth imploding under a clenched fist, at watching that slanderous scumfuck writhing on the ground, choking on his own teeth shards, Toby navigated Transylvoria’s website.

“Holy mackerel,” he soon exclaimed. “Transylvoria’s Media Outreach Luncheon—whatever the fuck that is—is just a couple of weeks away. Joe is signing autographs there and everything.”

Perhaps I can’t fight cancel culture as a whole, Toby thought, but I can at least hurt this malefactor, this prime pile of dog shit. How satisfying will that be? I can wear a disguise and devise an escape route. If I do happen to get caught, assault’s just a misdemeanor anyway. Totally worth it.

He flexed his fingers and stretched. A mad impetus had seized him. I’ll start a literary blog under a false name on a free site and whip up a dozen quick reviews, he thought. That oughta get me through the luncheon’s registration page. Their website doesn’t take payments, so I’ll pay the fifty bucks there, in cash. I can do this. I’ve gotta do this. Fuck Joseph McCarthy Jr.

[underestimated-heroine]

Not my twelfth archive post 😭

General

My turn dog video

What happened with John green was fucked up

If Wallace from Wallace and gromit died

-core "and none of you have sex"

Peggle 2

Size comparison between prehistoric animals and modern descendants

If you found out you were pregnant right now tiktok

The Minecraft poem is public domain now

Deaf culture reference post

Human pet guy

This makes me personally uncomfortable to malicious scale

Worst opening sentence competition

My fish brain want to go home video

Explain the Jewish holidays to me like I'm 5

If I was famous I'd release a bad song nct

The pigeon post

Harriet Porber

I hate you Christmas I hate you Christian hegemony

On writing plotting made simple

How to tag posts which might trigger epilepsy

Martin Bühler bike guy activism

How to search tags on Tumblr

Neil gaiman you have to practice writing

Zhao on "authors that made social media work for them"

Can you do a horse drawing reveal

2023 I hope you all kys

This post is like running through a minefield girl boy palette

The departed Matt damn Mark Wahlberg different people

On writing - writing is a skill practicing descriptions advice

2022 Tumblr Year in Review Month By Month

What data Tumblr live takes

Good fucking Lord quit sex-shaming people

I hate job hunting - wait did Anne Boleyn die? post

Share your genome sequence in ur bio

On writing: Plot Structure infograph

Finally some actually constructive criticism on a post

Jewish Concept of Lashon Hara

Riverdale banned fanfiction?

"everything's fine" knitting pattern

Mitch and bitch story

"I'll let this white girl say it since very few people listen when we do" mental illness social currency tiktok

Pornbot dms comic

Atla southern raiders were looking for hama

Why you hating on the red hot chili peppers longboarding across campus world heritage post ask

Harry Potter Legacy Chick Fil-A

Why is the US like that (Christian cults)

Ratatouille rogan Shapiro video idek

No doesn't exist on the internet anymore

"I forgive myself for doing that" and "I shouldn't have done that" can coexist

The US did not come together during the pandemic

If someone told me they felt like Harry Potter after we had sex

Anti-aging outrage post idek

Anime "is this the episode where he lost his house"

Ancient people fish with the sexy tits tiktok

Scooby Doo post "I've heard people say this website is free but you pay in other ways"

repeat after me: rest for art

Beautiful by ordinary days comic

Glaze comes out data-poisoning against art thieves

Reylo Lord farquad

Hippo post

Do not stand over my grave and weep poem comic

Monty Python Lady of the Lake quote 💀💀

Cops searched afroman's house and then tried to sue him for making a music video of the search

Fairy tail's strongest team freaks rating

Personal

Loid Anya younger than he thinks

Support voice actors

Black and white movies gripe

AU were race horses

My Nasha hair headcanon

Fairy tail AU where Juvia joined ft first

Gajevy vs. Gruvia

When this website was obsessed with astrology

Iconic spy x panel finally animated

The irony of picky eaters

Gray loved being in Juvia's body

Pops & Mops

Lake mungo Joel Anderson legend

Lamborghini-sized breasts and pills

2023 is cockdickpenis year

"um yeah that's called an addiction" fuck off

Google thinks I'm being bullied for baby names

Fandom influencer types -_-

This website defending the reputation of bees

Shrek "I need a hero scene" dad looks like he's watching a car wreck

Scrimp scrive fuck around

Sailor moon redraw redeaw

Laxus Jellal BrOTP

Comedian vs. rich housewife video

Jan 4 2023 antiwork screenshots

I wanted Natsu to beg for forgiveness

Rankin bass Rudolph

Don't take your managers on good faith. Ever.

Gray Fullbuster to an enemy

Pornbot "how dare you block me" dream

Goodbad boy (yes it's tod)

Rieklings

Fairy Tail Chasing Tails fic

Poll vampires werewolves etc.

Fairy Tail Gendercross Big4 Guys

[chaifootsteps]

No offense, but your takes on Lopoddity sounds like a lot of petty high-school level nonsense that's incredibly overblown. ("Omg guys she made one of her characters a drug addict in their backstory!" Oh my god, it's fictional horses, who cares).

Not to mention a lot of claims within the lop tag are not backed by evidence. And I don't know about you, but last time I checked, making claims about someone (especially one that could be considered harmful) without any evidence to back it up is a bad thing. "She defended anti vaxxers!" Do you have any proof for that? Cause' I could easily claim that you robbed a bank, but without any proof of that, I'd expect to be either flat-out argued against it or at least questioned about it.

That's how its supposed to work. You can't just make claims without anything to back it up. It makes you look misinformed at best and potentially malicious at worst.

- Mid-key defends Lop's choice to give her character a drug addiction during what's stated to be a dark time in his life, criticizes the fact that she had his drug of choice be Adderall and how she went about doing this.

- Get accused of stuff like this from people with no reading comprehension.

But here you go, a screenshot I feel like I've posted before, but a refresher never hurts!

[troistimesthree]

C H A P T E R   I  ---  Where Am I?

Beep, beep, beep

What is that? Adriana thinks to herself as she slowly regains consciousness.

Opening her eyes for a second, she closes them back as they are assaulted by the bright light in what seems to be a hospital.

Before she can even gather her thoughts to figure out where she is, a pair of unfamiliar voices shout for help, calling out to the hospital staff that she's awake.

She keeps her eyes closed, listening to the conversation happening around her.

The people keep calling her Bebe which is odd because that is not her name. In fact, that's the name of a horse she met when she went riding a few summers back so being called and referred to by that name again and again is frustrating and slightly insulting.

She finally opens her eyes when the nurse touches the back of her head, lifting her up from where she is laying.

"Don’t touch me…" she groans, annoyed at being denied her favorite role as an observer rather than a participant.

"Bebe!" the two unfamiliar people shout out to her, looking at her with worried looks on their faces.

She doesn't know what stops her but she doesn't correct their misunderstanding and instead focuses on getting the nurse to stop touching her.

Finally, the woman backs off and she looks around, not speaking.

"Bebe?" the mother asks, "how are you pumpkin?"

"That's not my- " she begins to speak but is cut off by the father.

"Don’t worry sweetheart, we'll get you out of her in no time!" he says, anxiously looking around, showing that it is him who really wants to get out of here.

By this point, Adriana had already realized that she, for some reason, was not in her own body.

Her body is one she spent her whole life honing and she knew how every inch of it felt. This body had none of the scars of her own and it was a completely different shape, size, and even shade. This was not her body.

The last thing she remembered was walking home from work and being hit by a car then watching the car and the one it hit trying to avoid her, burn as she lost consciousness.

She could still hear the explosions and the sound of scream as the car hit her.

She must have died and somehow her soul ended up in this body instead of hell where it probably should have gone.

There’s no way her real body made it... She can still feel the cold road beneath as she lost consciousness.

Something about the parents made her think they weren't exactly sane. Maybe it was their clothes or their anxiety at being in the hospital but something told her that telling them she wasn't their daughter could really send them over the edge.

Anyways, if she said something like that out loud, who in their right minds would believe her? No one, that's who.

So she went home with the Hart couple and went to sleep in Bebe's bed. She would deal with the problems tomorrow when she absolutely needed to.

Ok so this is a bit confusing, I know, but I've decided to spice up my gameplay a bit and give one of the base game families a cool backstory so that I can start playing Bebe Hart as my gen 1 founder Sim. I'm going to start out with no EP's for now and  gradually add CC (because I have a really big CC addiction haha) as I go on. Only using what I need.

The story I came up with (because I wanted to play around with Bebe's traits and style) is that a YA Sim, Adriana, is reincarnated as Bebe and now she gets a second chance at life. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Bebe's soul right now but I'm going to give her original character a good ending somehow, so don't worry about her too much.

Oh yeah, I also plan to improve my writing and screenshot taking and editing as I go along too…

[loveconfessions]

@privateldaho tagged me forever ago to do a moodboard based on myself, thank you so much bby. This was actually really fun thing to do :)

an album cover: Rooms of the House by my favorite band, La Dispute. Stay Happy There is actually one of my all time favorite songs.

something you have been eating/drinking today: I’m a coffee addict. That’s something that I drink everyday.

Quote or text of your choosing: “My mom’s house was blue.. No, it was green. It was green. How could I forget that?” I was too lazy to edit a picture of the quote, so that’s just a screenshot from My Own Private Idaho scenery. That line really stuck with me but I’m gonna spare you from the essay where I explain it all. Also I'm a dressage rider so the horse fit.

stand out physical attribute: not sure if that counts but I have purple hair and I guess that’s something that stands out first when people see me.

an inanimate object in favorite colour: i find rocks and crystals pretty fascinating. Purple is definitely my favorite colour.

a subject of study: I’m already a professional animal attendant but I’ll start my studies to become a vet nurse in January. So I just added a pic of one of my favorite dog breeds - borzoi

favorite type of plant: I’m very interested in house plants and plants in general, but especially green house plants. I work in a small flower shop and discovered monstera adansonii, aka swiss cheese plant there. I find it so cool that it grows holes in it’s leaves, making it look like some bug has been eating it. It also loves to climb and can grow pretty huge/long, I really wanna own one.

celebrity crush: I.. take this as ‘someone I look up to’. Keanu Reeves.

favorite type of weather: rain definitely! Rainy evenings makes me feel calm.

@nandor @bplesbian @achievementhunteraddict97 @iero @candlelite @tauruswifey @thecampfirescene @scullayitsme @peiikko and ofc no need to do this if you have already done it or just don’t feel up to doing this

[theodoragottwald]

Blogroll: BfA Edition

As we all know I’m addicted to sideblogs and alts, so here is where I’ll be listing them and detailing the direction they’ll be going in for this expansion!

Character Blogs

Theodora Gottwald

“Fortune find you.”

Blog: @theodoragottwald

In-game name: Theodora (FINALLYYYY)

Race: Worgen

Direction: Theo will be serving as an impromptu field medic in Lordaeron following the major battle. She may or may not head to Kul’Tiras sometimes after, I haven’t decided yet. Currently seeking connections with military/medical groups and/or guilds for this purpose! She will not be available for festivals or markets as either a vendor or entertainer for a while.

Ithise Fleetfoot

“Victory is not something that is given to you. It is something you take.”

Blog: @ithise

In-game name: Ithise

Race: Blood Elf

Direction: Ithise will be deploying with her guild to protect the Banshee Queen’s lands, and will eventually end up in Zandalar with them. Currently, she is my main in game, and this isn’t likely to change any time soon.

Zosine Goldmyst

“I was born for politics. I have great hair and I love lying.”

Blog: @zosine

In-game name: Zosine

Race: Blood Elf

Direction: Following an attack on his research for a Wretched cure, Zosine will be moving his operations to Shattrath for a time. As always, Magisterial or Scryer contacts are always welcome! I don’t do much with him outside of my own storybuilding, so it would be nice to get him some friends.

The Rest Of The Goldmysts

“Google search: Can horses smell fear.”

Blog: @goldmysts

In-game name(s): Hamearis, Ellathedar

Race(s): Blood Elf

Direction: With their home destroyed in an Alliance attack, the brothers Goldmyst find themselves and their very large family displaced to Shattrath. They’ll be focusing on rebuilding their ranch when it’s safe to do so. Farstrider or Blood Knight contacts are always welcome!

Inspiration Blogs

Lux Invicta

“The naaru have not forgotten us.”

Blog: @lux-invicta

Race: Draenei

Content: Anything and everything that reminds me of draenei aesthetics and culture, as well as anything that makes me think of Khaeraa, my soulpriest. Includes photos, art, and screenshots.

Ru-Shanna Shaldorei

“The Nightborne will survive.”

Blog: @ru-shannashaldorei

Race: Nightborne

Content: Art, screenshots, and photos reminiscent of Nightborne culture, Suramar, etc. Also an inspo dump for my eventual Felbourne Viendreaux.

Eunoia

“Anar’alah belore.”

Blog: @morningflames

Race: Blood Elf

Content: Formerly a blog for my mage Lyrinel, this blog has since become a photo dump for all things Soft Elf. Sad Girl Quotes, pastel and lace, and anything and everything golden and gilded can be found here.

[fly-pow-bye]

DuckTales 2017 - “Who is Gizmoduck?”

Story by: Francisco Angones, Madison Bateman, Colleen Evanson, Christian Magalhaes, Bob Snow

Written by: Christian Magalhaes

Directed by: Tanner Johnson

Storyboard by: Emmy Cicirega, Ben Holm, Jason Reicher

It’s Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera, right? Well, it's a little more complicated than that.

The episode starts with Donald Duck trying to get a loan from the bank for the repairs for his houseboat. I'm assuming this is due to all that damage that shark did to it. This would be the perfect job for Donald, as he was able to take them on in a previous episode. If only he wasn't all tied up with one of those pens on a string.

Thankfully for everyone, at least at first, Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera was also in the bank trying to open an account. Right from the beginning, we're hinted at Fenton's financial situation: since he's an unpaid intern, he has to ask the bank if he can open an account with no money. After he accidently says his catchphrase while failing to hide from all of this, the suit activates. Sadly, there's no repeat of the amazing magical girl transformation sequence here.

Gizmoduck still pretty much beats everyone out of sheer luck, due to not having total control over his suit. The one time he tries to hit Bouncer Beagle with a pie, the hand just throws it on the ground.

It's not just incompetence: there's an internal Processor Core, represented on his interface as a Little Bulb. When he uses too many of his powers, it overloads and makes him spin around shooting lasers and pies everywhere. While this succeeds in making the Beagle Boys run off before getting a single dime out of the bank, this does destroy it.

Huey was there, and he was enamoured by all of this, as shown here. Not everyone else is happy, though. Because of this kind of destruction, Gizmoduck has a Spider-Man-like reputation when it comes to the media. Huey tries to tell Roxanne Featherly, the recurring anchorwoman, about how Gizmoduck is a hero and that he saved him, but this doesn't stop the news from calling him "Robo-Crook". Not a recurring theme.

This episode does not focus on Scrooge and the nephews, or even Donald as he just disappears into the "far more interested in repairing his houseboat than participating in adventures" void. Instead, the vast majority of this episode's focus is on Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera. It's a neat change from the usual.

Another hint at the financial situation is that he still lives with his mother; this reboot’s version of M'Ma Crackshell, who, according to the credits, everyone else calls Officer Cabrera. She's a police officer in this version, constantly carrying her badge. She speaks a few Spanish words, and is addicted to telanovelas, continuing from the original's addiction to soap operas.

This episode has a lot of slapstick even when he doesn't have the suit on. He has to juggle around a missile while talking to his mom, and having to use a stretchy arm to stop a pie from hitting her in the face. The pies are a running gag throughout the episode.

We cut to Mark Beaks, talking to one of his interns about how much he wants Gizmoduck. Okay, maybe that's not the best way to word that, but I'm keeping it. Because it wasn't hinted enough that this guy is a villain, he does all of this in the dark. Mark Beaks also builds an emblem with Waddle's logo on it. That may be the first thing he's ever built that isn't a smartphone app and/or stolen from someone in a while.

If you don't pay attention to the background, you'll miss out on some excellent foreshadowing. That's something that happens in this series a lot, and I appreciate it.

After that, we see Gyro training Fenton in the ways to use the suit. This only consists of reflex tests, which doesn't really excite Fenton. Unlike Fenton's dreams of being able to use Gizmoduck to save the world, Gyro only wanted him to do mundane tasks like lifting boxes to high places.

Gyro warns Fenton that he better not use the suit in a way that would make it go haywire, and make him lose all of his funding. Yeah, Gyro doesn't have any idea about the bank incident. The news crew didn't get a good shot at who this robo-crook looks like, but I would think this genius would be able to put two-and-two together. Fenton can hope that someone won't tell him about this amazing robotic hero who has tons of gizmos at his disposal...

...especially not when Gyro is having trouble with the Pep machine. That running gag will be as present as that guy from Lilo and Stitch’s ice cream falling to the ground. Gyro goes to the junkyard and finds Gizmoduck in the middle of a slapstick montage of him figuring out which gizmos are malfunctioning, and he's not too happy.

In the middle of all this, he accidentally fires a missile, which he has to chase after. Even he laments that this isn't a continuation of the pie joke, possibly caused by Gyro turning those down earlier in the episode. End scene, cut to commercial.

This missile almost ends up hitting a helicopter piloted by a certain someone everyone seems to know. This stranger he saves happens to be really excited about this, and says "yay" with glee as he is flown to safety. No surprise, since he happens to be...

...the memelord himself, Mark Beaks. As a thank you for saving him from the destroyed helicopter, he offers Gizmoduck a job opportunity. He tells him that the city doesn't exactly like him, and with his help, he can become the beloved hero of Duckburg he wanted to be. Or, in his exact words and convienent smartphone app...

Mark Beaks: See, right now, you're a bad meme.

Yeah, have you seen his new Gizmoduck Meme Generator? I will say this; this episode is by far his best appearance in my opinion. It is apparent in that earlier scene, but it will be even more apparent later in the episode.

Despite the huge job opportunity, he decides not to accept it, and flies away. I would almost think he would have taken it immediately after Gyro got angry at him, but it would seem a little out of character for him to immediately turn his back on.

However, it's not too out of character for the reboot's Gyro to turn his back on Fenton. Gyro and Little Bulb respond the best way they know how: by firing him and literally setting the suit on fire to start again on a suit that doesn't have gizmos. How he managed to know about the helicopter incident but not the bank incident is not really explained. Maybe Huey told him about it, too. That rascal.

The Headless Man Horse is there, too, still doing his one joke while wearing the Scrooge head. I think they're trying to make him a meme. Eh.

He says Blathering Blatherskite, and crashes through the walls and flies off to Waddle. A very disappointed Huey looks on, hinting at a future scene. Gyro apparently doesn't notice his suit he was going to incinerate just flew out of the building.

He comes back to Mark Beaks to seal the deal, as he doesn't have a job any more. Mark Beaks even rebrands him as Waddle Duck, as shown in a PowerPoint presentation. Things are looking up, not only can he be a hero, but he even gets some love from his M’Ma. She's glad that he is working at a real job at Waddle instead of an unpaid internship with Scrooge.

We get a true montage: not only does Waddleduck help out a variety of people with various mundane problems, it is all backed by a Waddle Duck theme that feels like it's straight out an 80's movie. This is even repeated at the end credits, giving us an alternate credits theme for the first time.

Ironically enough, this is pretty close to how Gyro wanted the suit to be used in the first place, and the simple tasks aren't complicated enough to make the suit go haywire.

One of the customers is Huey, who isn't too happy with Fenton's business decision. He uses the app to tell Waddleduck to throw away a piece of paper that represents his faith in him. Huey has every reason to not be a fan of Mark Beaks, either, as he experienced first-hand that he's a crook. He still uses their products, but that's pretty accurate to real life. There's a lot of reasons to not like Wal-Mart, but dammit, some businesses need cheap soap!

Eventually, he’s going to have a problem. While he's lifting up a car to help someone parallel park, Waddleduck notices that the Beagle Boys are robbing a poor family. Much like RoboCop, Waddleduck has some new directives: he can't save anyone unless they install the app and give all their details.

He goes up to Mark Beaks' office, clearly angered by the situation, to turn off the directive. His office happens to be in darkness in this scene, which hints that this is going to be the huge twist!

While I’m not going to delve too much into the big plot twists in this episode, I really need to talk about this particular one. Much like the last time I had to do this in the Goldie O'Gilt episode, it wasn’t even a matter of if, but when and how Mark Beaks’ plan is going to happen, but it's still a delight to see without me spoiling it to you. Watch the episode, it's good.

← From the Confidential Casefiles of Agent 22! 🦆 The Other Bin of Scrooge McDuck! →

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Ultimately, Mark Beaks decides that it wouldn't be great if someone else was the beloved hero, and taps a few things on his phone. He removes Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera as the owner of the suit, and puts himself in his place. He doesn't even have to say the codeword to take off Fenton's suit, that's the power of the Waddle emblem. Yeah, that's definitely not the best way to word that, but I'm keeping it.

He even gets his own transformation sequence, which is even more Sailor Moon than Fenton’s from Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System! I guess two transformation sequences would have been too much.

The real Robo-Crook shows up at a press conference, and his first course of action is to show off his secret identity as Mark Beaks. He hasn't even done anything, and he's already a terrible superhero. Maybe he's just that confident in his guards. Huey doesn't buy it at all. He never does figure out who Gizmoduck is, which I was a little confused by until I realized he didn't even appear in Gizmoduck's debut episode.

One can probably guess how this will mess up for Mark Beaks. Even with all of his experience with it, Fenton Crackshell could barely control his super-suit. Mark Beaks got this suit a minute ago. He also decided to get rid of the directive that prevented the suit from using its gizmos to help anyone except people who have the app, so he has no restriction on how he uses its powers!

Sure enough, the same going haywire that happened to Fenton in the beginning happens to Mark Beaks here, minus the whole "stopping a bank robbery" thing. He was just showing off by firing lasers randomly and not really caring that its causing destruction, which is fitting for his character. They actually stop to show a scene where the smartphone he used to steal the suit gets run over by him bumbling around, causing the Waddle logo emblem to fall off of his chest. Without this scene, there would have been a plot hole later in the episode.

They have to resolve another issue, as well: that pesky Processor Core that's causing all of this. It's Huey that helps out in this situation, I won't spoil exactly how, but not before he gets into danger due to the malfunctioning suit. One of the lasers hits a billboard that he and Fenton's M'Ma happened to be under. In a heroic move, Fenton leaps towards the falling billboard, and, with intention this time, says the magic words.

It turns out that emblem was the only thing keeping Fenton, or anyone else who knows the secret passphrase, from stealing back the suit. I would have questioned how he was able to do this after getting hacked, but that scene I mentioned earlier does explain it quite well. Mark Beaks just kind of disappears after this; it's more than likely he'll get away with what he did being that he's rich. There's some nice development there. I will say that a scene at the end reminds me of a certain Batman movie to the point where it could be a reference to it.

Thankfully, it is not played straight, and it does end well for Fenton and anyone who wants to see more Gizmoduck. This is helped by an appearance of a character who you expected to see, swooping in at the last minute. Who is this sort-of Deus Ex "Machina" helping out the machina? Watch the episode to find out.

How does it stack up?

My expectations were simply to see more Gizmoduck, and this pretty much delivered. It's a good slice of the life of a superhero.

Another day, another bin, another Lena episode. Can't wait.

← From the Confidential Casefiles of Agent 22! 🦆 The Other Bin of Scrooge McDuck! →

[recentnews18-blog]

New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/the-creator-of-bojack-horseman-comes-from-a-home-of-funny-jews/

The creator of 'BoJack Horseman' comes from a home of funny Jews

Jerusalem draws in animation bigwigs from all over

Antisemitism czar slams German cartoon as ‘Nazi propaganda’

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Bojack Horseman. (photo credit: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT)

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While growing up in Palo Alto, Raphael Bob-Waksberg was a serious consumer of popular culture. He would watch TV for hours on end and view movies over and over until he memorized them. In particular, he was a huge fan of “The Simpsons.”

“We used to talk about Bart and Lisa at the dinner table as if they were real people,” said his mother, Ellen Bob.

Nowadays, the conversation around American tables is more likely about “Bojack Horseman” a successful Netflix animated series created by Bob-Waksberg. The show’s fifth season premiered on Sept. 14.

In addition, Comedy Central recently acquired the rights to reruns of “BoJack Horseman,” reportedly making it the first Netflix show to enter TV syndication in the United States. Season 1 reruns are scheduled to begin on Sept. 26.

The show is an adult drama-comedy set in an imaginary Hollywood populated by humans and anthropomorphized animals (the eponymous main character, BoJack Horseman, has a horse’s head and man’s body), and has catapulted Bob-Waksberg’s career to new levels in the real Hollywood.

In addition to his work as head writer and showrunner for “BoJack,” Bob-Waksberg is developing new shows for Netflix and Amazon. He’s also writing a book of short stories scheduled to be published next year by a major imprint.

The 34-year-old’s success has come as no surprise to family, friends, rabbis and teachers in the Bay Area who nurtured his creativity and independent thinking from an early age.

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“I think Raphael was really headed in that direction since his teen years,” said family friend Nechama Tamler, a longtime Jewish educator who early on recognized his writing and performing talent.

Simultaneously sad and funny, but mostly funny, “BoJack” is a satire about the elusive nature of happiness. It has gained praise for its intelligent writing that does not adhere to the typical sitcom formula, and there is no emotional closure at the end of each episode. It’s an ongoing, frustrating effort for characters to learn and grow from their mistakes, and to grapple with the meaning of existence.

The titular character, the deeply flawed BoJack Horseman (voiced by Will Arnett of “Arrested Development”), struggles after his successful acting career flounders. Fans still recognize BoJack for his role as a young, single guy who adopts three orphans in a popular late 1980s sitcom called “Horsin’ Around.” However, now he’s a 50-something depressive addicted to alcohol and drugs. Critically, he lacks the required self-awareness to stop from hurting himself and those closest to him.

When Todd (voiced by Aaron Paul of “Breaking Bad”), a slacker who lives on BoJack’s couch and suffers the equine actor’s constant indifference, has had enough of BoJack’s apologies, he yells at him: “You can’t keep doing shitty things and then feel bad about yourself, like that makes it OK. You need to be better … You are all the things that are wrong with you. It’s not the alcohol, or the drugs, or any of the shitty things that happened to you in your career, or when you were a kid. It’s you.”

The message is that there are no easy answers, and that making amends takes hard work. Ultimately, actions speak louder than words.

Bob-Waksberg’s father, David Waksberg, recognized the Jewishness of this value immediately.

“When a friend asked me about it after the first season, I said it was about teshuvah,” he said, using the Hebrew word for the Jewish concept of repentance.

For his part, Bob-Waksberg wasn’t quite sure how to answer when asked whether his Jewish identity influences his writing, and in particular the melancholic humor of “BoJack.”

“Asking me that question is like asking a fish how much being in water has affected it,” he said.

Bob-Waksberg grew up in Palo Alto in the late 1980s and 1990s with two younger sisters, Becky and Amalia, in a family that was — and still is — very involved in the Jewish community. David Waksberg worked to free and resettle Soviet Jewry, and is now the CEO of the San Francisco-based Jewish LearningWorks, the central agency promoting Jewish education in the Bay Area. Ellen Bob ran a Judaica store (Bob and Bob) with her mother for 26 years, and in 2011 joined Congregation Etz Chayim as executive director.

Humor was always central to life at home.

“We like to laugh … big belly laughs,” Ellen Bob recalled. “David is a great storyteller and joke teller. He would regale the kids with routines from Steve Martin, Woody Allen … and songs from Tom Lehrer. I’m more of a wisecracker. Like my son, nothing gives me more pleasure than to make someone laugh.”

She said she is always pleased when her son makes a point of telling his interviewers (and there are many) that his was a happy childhood, and that BoJack’s family is not based on his family of origin.

“I’m delighted to be known as Raphael’s mother, as long as people don’t think BoJack’s mother is based on me,” she said, alluding to Beatrice Horseman (Wendie Malick), a neglectful and abusive heiress to a sugar cube company who appears primarily in flashbacks.

In looking back on his childhood and adolescence, Bob-Waksberg pointed to Mid-Peninsula Jewish Community Day School (now Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School), the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre and the Gunn High School drama program as other outlets where his creativity was rewarded.

“In school, there were a handful of teachers who understood me. And there were many who didn’t. I didn’t make it easy for them,” he joked.

Rabbi Sheldon Lewis, rabbi emeritus at Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto, recalled Bob-Waksberg as “not an easy student” in the religious school.

“It was because he was so clever and beyond his years in creativity, humor and mischief,” he said.

Despite having grown up in the Palo Alto academic pressure cooker, Bob-Waksberg was never saddled with any expectation that he would become a doctor, lawyer or founder of a startup. His parents were always supportive of his creative leanings.

“It was pretty clear to me that he was going to need to figure a way to make a living through the arts because it was the only thing he knew how to do,” his mother said.

Like “BoJack Horseman,” the shows Bob-Waksberg is writing for Netflix and Amazon are also animated. It’s not a format the graduate of Bard College in New York originally planned to work in when he moved to Los Angeles after trying his hand at comedy writing in the Big Apple.

In his spare time, he collaborated off and on for a decade with his high school friend, illustrator Lisa Hanawalt, on a cartoon featuring human-like animals, which became the basis for “BoJack.” Hanawalt is now a production designer and producer for the show.

The program was in development with Michael Eisner’s company, Tornante, for a couple of years before it went to Netflix, which wanted it to be put into quick production for a summer 2014 premiere.

“I didn’t know I would get into animation. I was initially writing for live action, but ‘BoJack’ is the one [project] that went,” Bob-Waksberg said.

He said this decade has been an exciting time to be working in animation, and that he has an appetite for more.

“Animation is a format, not a genre,” Bob-Waksberg said. “There is a lot to do in animation for adults. What has been done in the past has been limited in scope and has lived in the shadow of ‘The Simpsons.’ The new shows I am developing are about women, which is really fresh.”

Much has changed for Bob-Waksberg in the past few years. On the personal side, he was married a year ago.

Bob-Waksberg and his wife have not yet found a synagogue in Santa Monica that feels like the right fit for them, but they welcome Shabbat on Friday evenings at home.

“My wife grew up more observant than me, so she has been a good influence and has helped me reconnect to Jewish practice,” Bob-Waksberg said. “We even had benchers [blessing booklets] at our wedding, which surprised my parents.”

Professionally, Bob-Waksberg has become more aware of his role and responsibility in the pop culture universe. First, he checks himself as to whom he hires, ensuring that he brings in writers and cast members of diverse backgrounds.

Additionally, he doubts he would now make some of the jokes he made about anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and Nazis in the show’s first season.

“Those jokes were made in the spirit of Mel Brooks, in the sense that you have to laugh at the things that scare you,” he said. “But now I think a lot about how what is said on ‘BoJack’ will be perceived by the audience.”

Speaking to that point, Bob-Waksberg recalled how, as he was growing up in Palo Alto, other kids would tease him with anti-Semitic taunts they had heard on the Comedy Central animated series “South Park.” The writers of that show meant it to be satirical and did not intend to actually be anti-Semitic, but that was lost on Bob-Waksberg’s young tormentors.

He would hope that viewers take dialogue from “BoJack” in context, understanding that it is not what the writers are saying, but rather the flawed characters’ thoughts or opinions. However, Bob-Waksberg said he is more averse these days to taking a writing risk, lest the point be lost or weaponized.

“If we make jokes that are bad for society,” he said, “then it is on us.”

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Source: https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/The-creator-of-BoJack-Horseman-comes-from-a-home-of-funny-Jews-567244

[markdecastroweb]

The 7 secrets of a $2-million-a-day man you can steal to win the lottery

The secrets of a giant winner revealed - can you improve your chances of winning using Billy Walters’ strategy?

Billy Walters was a Las Vegas-based sports gambler who sometimes spent up to $2 million a day and raked in hundreds of millions a year.

And now he reveals his philosophy. Although this article is about his own methods, you can look at each one and see how it adapts perfectly to the lottery player.

In fact, there's very little difference in the way he played, and us. Except for the amount of money he spends each time he plays, of course.

In an article written by David Duffield of Champion Bets, Billy reveals his secrets. It makes for a fascinating read.

A 37-year winning streak is basically unheard of in the gambling industry. But Walters has been able to achieve this and often bets more than a million dollars a game. He single-handedly moves the market.

Walters’ hundreds of millions of winnings have enabled him to build an empire that includes multiple mansions, golf courses, hotels, property development, car dealerships, a $20 million private jet and various other business interests.

Billy Walters boards his jet with 60 Minutes reporter Lara Logan (center) and wife Susan. PHOTO: 60 Minutes screenshot

Here are some lessons that punters can learn from a man described as the Michael Jordan and Warren Buffet of the sports betting world:

LESSON #1. Don't Expect Instant Success

Walters didn't succeed right from day one, in fact, he went broke many times. As a younger man he described himself as a gambling addict and compulsive loser. That seems to be a very common experience amongst gamblers who ultimately become very successful.

"I can assure you that every successful gambler I know has been through some monumental failures on his way to getting there."

Lottery Lesson: I talk a lot about the need for patience. Fact is, you're competing with millions of others number combinations, and your set won't come up each time. Keep playing and the numbers will eventually swing your way.

LESSON #2. Information Gives Him An Edge

Walters has surrounded himself with sharp minds and employs an array of experts in the roles of consultants, statisticians, mathematicians and computer programmers to help him compile, analyze and ultimately profit from huge amounts of information.

Many years ago Walters even employed people to coordinate with the Las Vegas airport cleaning crew to gather used newspapers from all the incoming flights. A team of readers would then analyze all of this information that most of the linesmakers and the general public were not aware of.

Lottery Lesson: The Silver Lotto Membership Site is the best way to stay current with the latest number trends. I have the best info for your winning strategy there.

LESSON #3. Value Is Everything In Both Business And Gambling

"If you value something at ten, then you're a buyer at eight and a seller at 12."

But this concept of value is very different from how most punters operate. They are very keen to back their chosen team or horse, and will do so without giving enough thought to a fair price.

Lottery Lesson: You can spend too much or too little to try and get your winning results. Use my recommendations and find the right amount to play with PRO Custom Profiles.

LESSON #4. The Bigger The Value, The Bigger The Bet

The Walters team produces their own lines and only bet when they are different to the market. Returns are enhanced by their wagering approach since the bigger the discrepancy (ie. estimated value or positive expectation), the bigger the bet.

He has incredible confidence in his own numbers and looks to exploit his advantage the most when that edge is the biggest. But success isn’t about making one big bet. Walters never lets it all ride on one game. instead, he spreads out his bankroll across many opportunities where he has a positive expectation

But we’re not talking huge margins. Simply tossing a coin will get you a 50% betting against the spread. A 52.4% winning percentage is required to be profitable. For all of his work and success, Walters winning strike-rate is ‘just’ 57%.

But the sheer volume of his bets and the ability to optimize his bankroll management has enabled him to amass hundreds of millions in profits.

Lottery Lesson: The only way to improve your odds is to play often. If you're playing larger games like Powerball or Mega Millions, you need to spend more than with a smaller game.

LESSON #5. There Will Be Drawdown

Walters may win every year, but he has previously said he has plenty of losing weeks and losing months.

Change is inevitable but some constants remain.

He succeeded by using the edge that came from reading all the small-town newspapers. But they died when the internet arrived. That is just one small example of how almost everything evolves.

So Walters adapts his approach to stay ahead of the game, but he still believes that the fundamentals of gambling success remain the same.

He says, "The game of handicapping sports is really the same game as it was 40 or 50 years ago. It’s much more competitive now, and the numbers are much better than they were in the 80s, but it’s still the same game. It still comes down to evaluating information."

Lottery Lesson: Nothing has changed with mathematical odds either. My System is the same as it was over 25 years ago and still gives increased wins.

LESSON #6. Computers Can Only Take You So Far

A feel for the market is also exceptionally important.

Billy Walters makes it clear when he states: "The computer whiz kids who are involved in sports today don’t have a clue, I mean a clue, about how to bet their money. They don't have a feel at all for which way the line is going to move. There is a big difference in knowing how to bet and when to bet your money in sports. It is almost as important as handicapping is."

LESSON #7. Don't Be In Denial

"A lot of people have a difficult time stepping back and doing a re-valuation..."

Long-term winners do exist. Walters success shows that it is actually possible to succeed in the betting world. It’s not easy, but he is living proof that it is definitely possible.

Lottery Lesson: If you have evaluated what game to play and when, then you need LottoPredict and PRO to speed up your win rate.

Winning takes persistence and a long-term view, something that Billy Walters follows with tremendous results.

RELATED: Follow this $2 million-a-day guy to increase your lottery winning chances this week

NOW WATCH: Billy Walters talks more about his strategy

The 7 secrets of a $2-million-a-day man you can steal to win the lottery published first on https://188lotosite.tumblr.com/

[captainderyn]

Little Bit of An Update

I’m probably going to become super inactive during the week when it comes to posting writing or drawing. Thieving will probably take forever to update again, ect ect because life sucks and is busy. 

On top of school, I just got a job working/training a horse 2-4 days a week on top of working with my own horse 3ish days a week. And with each time at the barn taking about 2 hours minimum...we see how it adds up. 

So that leaves weekends for me to write, cutting out certain days when I have potential prep for an event or the actual event itself. Writing time is drastically reduced and sometimes that writing time goes to vegetating on SWTOR feeding my screenshot addiction recharging my brain.  

Basically, if I stop posting writing regularly it’s probably because life’s a bitch that doesn’t want me to play with my characters. 

[heroesandvillainsofmbti]

DS9 MBTI: Doctor Bashir, an Introduction

One precept that DS9 set out to challenge from the beginning was the idea that characters on Star Trek couldn’t come into conflict with each other. This idea made it tough for the writers to create interesting stories, so on DS9, non-Starfleet and non-Human characters were introduced to spice up the mix. Doctor Bashir, however, is fully human (if a little enhanced), and though he’s idealistic as any Star Trek character, his youth and naivete actually served to make him the biggest jerk on the show.

He annoyed everyone for most of the first couple of seasons, until his natural do-gooder-ness began to mature. It was a risk the writers, and actor Alexander Siddig, were willing to take. Though some fans never overcame their first impressions, I think the gamble paid off.

And speaking of maturing, can we talk for a minute about how well Alexander Siddig has aged?

Wow. Just…(knocks back a drink)

Okay, on to the episode list.

Best Doctor Bashir Episodes

“If Wishes Were Horses” (season 1)

Fans generally hate this episode (almost as much as “Move Along Home”), but I think it’s a hoot (ditto “…Home”). If nothing else, it shows you Bashir at his absolutely annoying, immature worst, setting you up for the arc he would go through in the future.

“The Wire” (season 2)

This is the moment Bashir starts to grow up, and it’s arguably one of DS9’s best slow-burn dramas. He’s persistent but caring as he nurses Garak through the withdrawal from his implant, and sees all kinds of ugliness from his friend. I don’t know how you can still be annoyed with the doctor after this riveting hour.

(“Distant Voices” is Bashir’s only Season 3 ep, but I don’t think it works. We do get the reveal that Bashir intentionally missed his infamous exam question here, and I use the screenshot of the elderly Julian at his birthday party for many a birthday greeting.)

“Hippocratic Oath” (season 4)

After getting them to begrudgingly like each other, the writers threw Julian and Miles into conflict again. Bashir wants to help a group of rogue Jem’Hadar beat their white addiction, so that they can be free of Dominion control, but O’Brien has no patience or trust for their enemy. It’s a classic Star Trek ethical dilemma, with both sides making good arguments, and both making hard choices that leave you thinking.

“Our Man Bashir” (season 4)

A campy, DS9-style romp, this adventure finds most of the main cast turned into holographic characters in Julian’s James-Bond-style fantasy. This is just good fun, and it takes a nicely dark turn at the end when the skeptical Garak butts heads with Bashir over how to best survive the scenario without killing the others. The accents alone make this one worth watching.

“The Quickening” (season 4)

Season 4 was a great year for Bashir, especially after the dry (for him) Season 3, and this episode remains the quintessential Doctor Bashir story. The man’s trying to save an entire planet, working obsessively to find a cure for the Blight, certain that he’s the medical hero for the job. Good support from Jadzia, too, as the patient-but-wiser sidekick who helps him regain his perspective.

“Doctor Bashir, I Presume” (season 5)

A controversial character choice by DS9’s writers brought us the surprise reveal here that Julian Bashir is genetically engineered. They hadn’t planned it, but there are seeds of this throughout the series if you look for them in retrospect. Alexander Siddig does great work going through a whole range of emotions, from pride to shame to affection for his parents, who are played by a lovely pair of guest stars. The subplot with Rom and Leeta’s romance, with Robert Picardo visiting as well, is also a lot of fun.

“Statistical Probabilities” (season 6)

I have mixed feelings about the Jack Pack characters, but Bashir’s certainly trying his hardest to do good here in his work with these genetically engineered misfits.

“Chrysalis” (season 7)

If we didn’t have the Jack Pack, we’d have never had this lovely episode, one of Star Trek’s best romances. A superb guest turn by Faith Salie (who’s also doing fun work these days on NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me”) gives Bashir a chance at love at a time in his life when he finally isn’t desperately chasing every attractive woman in sight. Of course, he’s also trying to fix her, and he’s idealizing her beyond what she can cope with, but the chemistry between them is so cute and sparkling, you want it to work. I also read queer subtext into this episode when Bashir speaks about finally being able to love without hiding who he is. And that impromptu a cappella scene breaks my heart every time.

(I didn’t include Bashir’s Section 31 episodes, because that plot annoys me, despite William Sadler’s epically oily turn as the villainous Luther Sloan. “Inquisition,” from Season 6, is suitably mind-trippy and entertaining, if you want to catch it.)

[lovemesomesurveys]

what is the second to last letter of your first name? ”I.” how bout the last letter of your last name? -- 5th letter of your middle name? -- what time was it 17 minutes ago? 6:09AM. when was the last time you ate your favorite food? I had ramen a few hours ago, which is one of my favorite foods.

what food is that? ^^^ describe the shoes you wore today I haven’t worn any so far and have no plans to. do you drink coffee? I sure do. what song are you currently listening to? I’m not listening to music; I’m listening to an ASMR video. tell me a line from that song -- how long has your favorite animal been your favorite animal? I’ve loved giraffes and dogs since I was a kid. when was the last time you spoke to your mom? Last night before she went to bed. tell me about something interesting you did today It’s only 6:28AM so not much. I dozed off around 230ish and woke up at like 5:45 needing pain medicine and then decided to scroll through Tumblr and do some surveys for a bit in hopes that I’ll be able to fall back asleep soon. do you have a job? where? Nope. what is your pet (if you have one) doing right this second? She’s in the living room so I can’t see her at the moment, but I’m going to assume she’s on her couch asleep. what kind of pet is that? She’s a doggo. what is/was your favorite subject in school? English. do you have an instagram? Yes. if so how many posts do you have? *shrug* I don’t feel like checking. have you ever been to Europe? No, but hopefully someday. if so, what country(ies)? -- what's your favorite number? The number 8. does that number have any particular significance to you? Yes. what did you buy the last time you went to the mall? Christmas gifts. what battery percent is your phone at right now? 59%. can you juggle? Nope. what do you expect to be doing in 3 hours from now? Sleeping, hopefully. have you ever done any acting/theater? I actually took a couple acting classes for electives at community college. I’m still surprised I did that. how is your hair currently styled? It’s up in its usual messy bun. do you have a pinterest? I do. if so are you addicted to it like me? No, but I do like spending some time on it. do you know anyone who lives in Massachusetts? No. what's the last movie you saw in theaters? I saw A Quiet Place 2 a few days ago. It was nice being at the movies again and finally getting my movie theater popcorn I had been craving. did you enjoy it? Yeah. what's your favorite color combination? I love pastel combos. can you speak any foreign languages? if so, which one(s)? I can speak a little Spanish. say something in said language: (and its translation) ”Estoy cansada pero no puedo dormir.” --> “I’m tired, but I can’t sleep.” what are your plans for tomorrow? I don’t have any. have you ever visited the location of your favorite movie? I haven’t visited any movie locations, but I think that’s cool and would love to do that with several locations. ever read The Book Thief? (if not you should, it's really good) Nope. what's been the best part of your summer so far? Nothing so far. I hope to make a few beach trips, though. do you know what boomwhackers are? Uhh, no. how about a vibraslap? Nope. what's the last thing you took a picture of? **starting this at a later time* I think it was a screenshot. what's your computer's wallpaper? Alexander Skarsgard. how about your phone? I have a Grumpy Bear Care Bear theme going on currently. what's the last thing you watched on youtube? I’m currently watching a YouTube video. how many facebook friends do you have? (if you have facebook) 100 and something. do you use vsco? I have the app, but I’ve hardly used it. what kind of phone do you have? An iPhone 12 Pro Max. are you musically inclined? No, unfortunately. if so, in what way(s)? -- do you prefer to type in word or google docs? I used Google Docs throughout university. what color is your water bottle? I don’t have a reusable water bottle. are you smart?? I feel I’m just very average. besides basic human nessecities what's one thing you can't live without?: I’d really like to always have my coffee, ha. what religion are you? Christian. have you ever seen your favorite animal in real life? Yes. tell me about a song that has personal significance to you. The acoustic version of “Everlong” by Foo Fighters. what are your opinions on Hamilton? The play or the person? does your cat purr really loud? (if you have a cat) -- does your cat have major mood swings? -- who do you admire? My mom. last time you went to starbucks, what did you order? A venti peppermint white chocolate mocha. have you ever gotten a really good grade on a test you didn't study for? Not a test, but essays and assignments that I may have BS’ed a little. how about a bad grade when you studied really hard? Yes. what's your favorite book you had to read for school? One of them is A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. how about your favorite book in general? I couldn’t choose just one. ever heard of the musical Honk!? (the ! goes with the title) No. have you ever met your favorite celebrity? No. who is that person? Alexander Skarsgard. how many times have you seen your favorite movie? I have many favorite movies. can you count to 100 in any languages other than English? Spanish. when was the last time you went to the beach? September 2019 aka waaaay too long ago. what's your dream concert? Hmm. what state do you live in? California. have you ever been in a youtube video? Yes. I’ve uploaded some vidoes before a longgg time ago, but those will remain private now forever. I don’t know wth I was thinking lol they’re so lame. A friend and I uploaded a few as well that are just like...why. how about in the newspaper? Yes. on TV? Yes, on my local news. on the radio? To request a song back in the day. do you prefer to call, text, or email people? Text. what's your dream job? I don’t have one. :/ last time you were in a theater/concert hall/auditorium what was it for? I saw The Phantom of the Opera a few years ago with my aunt. do you have pierced ears? Yeah, my earlobes are pierced. what's your favorite grocery store? We do our grocery shopping at Walmart and it works out fine. tell me a line from a song you particularly love I have many favorite songs. do you like elephants? Sure. how about giraffes? I love giraffes. describe the shirt you're wearing? I’m wearing an Adidas dress shirt. It’s quite comfortable. what did you have for lunch? I haven’t had lunch, yet, it’s only 6:57AM. is it sunny outside? Not yet. can you stand on your head? No. what's your favorite restaurant? I don’t have one. would you rather travel to the past or the future? The past. what's the best gift you've ever received? I couldn’t possibly choose. describe your perfect day. A nice, relaxing day at the beach. did you have chicks in your class in elementary school? Yes, I went to co-ed schools. I’m also a “chick.” Or are you referring to baby chickens? That would be odd, but *shrug* maybe that was the norm where you’re from lol. do you doodle in your notebooks? Yeah. what month is your birthday in? July. how many times a day do you brush your teeth? At least once, but I try for twice. when did you last change a lightbulb? I don’t remember. what's the last song you sang? I don’t recall at the moment. do you know anyone who had a baby recently? Someone on my Facebook did. do you avoid the cracks on the sidewalk? Yes. name 3 things in your refridgerator. Creamer, soda, leftover pesto pasta from last night. have you ever won an award? Honor roll awards and club stuff.

last time you had ice cream, what flavor? I had a homemade chocolate banana milkshake last night that was made with vanilla ice cream. what other tabs do you currently have open? Pinterest, Bzoink, YouTube, and Google. what's the 4th song in your iTunes under letter S? *shrug* I haven’t used iTunes since like 2012. the 2nd song under letter M? -- do you prefer to travel by car or plane? Depends how far I’m going. what internet browser do you use? Chrome. what's your favorite kitchen utensil? Forks and spoons are pretty great. how do you feel about ducks? They’re cute. ever ridden a horse? No. can you eat with chopsticks? I haven’t given them much of a try, but when I have I was flimsy and just gave up quite quickly. do you know what imbakwa moyo means? (without looking it up)? No. tell me a line from the song you're currently listening to. I’m not listening to music. have you ever been to a u-pick berry farm? No. are you good at dancing? Nope. would you like to swing on a star? That sounds terrifying. have you ever forgotten to do your homework? I was good on staying on top of that because I worried about that happening. do you like Shakespeare? No. if so, which play is your favorite? -- are there certain words/phrases that trigger songs in your brain? Yeah. would you rather read a book or watch a movie? Depends on my mood. who sent the last text message you received? My dad. don't you hate that rainbow spinning wheel on the computer? It’s quite annoying. how many minutes are in a year? 525, 600 minutes. do you only know that from Seasons of Love? Yep. what's your favorite article of clothing? My oversized grahic tees and leggings. Although, these shirt dresses I recently got are very comfortable and convenient. do you prefer even or odd numbers? I don’t have a preference. ever heard a hammer dulcimer? No. do you enjoy going to the library? I loved going to the library as a kid. I went all the time. when did you last write someone an actual letter? I have no idea. what's the last gift you received? A new pair of Beats wireless earbuds. did you know that strawberries and raspberries are not actually berries? I did know that. I still say they are anyway. are you good at spelling? I think so. can you roll your r's Nope. can you lick your elbow? Nope. do you have a twitter? I do. do you recycle? Yeah, cans and plastic bottles. when's the last time you rode the bus? Like 5 years ago. I used to have to take it sometimes in college. what's the longest vacation you've been on? A week. what's your favorite kind of donut? Glazed and maple.  do you own anything from Vera Bradley? No. when you go in a pool do you jump in or use the ladder? I don’t do either. I can’t swim, so if I’m going to get into the pool I have to be helped into an inner tube. do you have perfect pitch? Uh, no. I have no athletic abilities. what's your mom's name? I don’t know if she wants me sharing that. do you have an uncle called Steve? Nope. do you have multiple friends with the same name? I don’t have any friends. do you play neko atsume? No. I don’t even know what it is. what did you think of The Fault In Our Stars? I liked the book and the movie. did you prefer the book or the movie? ^^^ The movie actually had me really crying, though. do you like yogurt? Nah. do you like riding on carousels? Nah. ever played with a pinwheel? Yes. do you like museums? I do. if so, what type is your favorite? I like historical ones. is your bedroom a mess? It’s a little cluttered at the moment. Things have been hectic and I have all these medical supplles spread out right now. what's your favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving? Turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, my brother’s homemade baked mac and cheese, rolls, appetizers... ever had a treehouse? No. have you ever seen a kangaroo in real life? No. a year ago today, what were you doing? I could check my Timehop app again and see, but nah. are you procrastinating on something? Not at the moment. do you have a brother? I have two. a sister? No. do you know what a pandereta is? No. are you currently reading a book? I am. what book is it? ”The Girl and the Unlucky 13″ by AJ Rivers. how are you today?? Eh, alright. when's the last time you used a dictionary? I don’t recall. which do you dislike more, doctor or dentist? The dentist. what's the last thing you searched on google? About a movie. do you ever have conversations via text/email with people in the same room? I have. what was your favorite book when you were a little kid? I had many. I’ve always loved to read. ever owned a pet bunny? Nope. how about a goldfish? Yes. what color hair do you have? Naturally, it’s dark brown, but I dye it red. what did you eat for dinner? I haven’t had dinner, yet, but probably just some leftover pesto pasta from last night. what song, if any, is currently stuck in your head? None at the moment. are you right handed or left handed? Right handed. what website did you last visit? (besides this one) Google. what time do you usually go to bed? When the sun is coming up. Sigh. have you seen the movie Miracles From Heaven? No. what is your opinion on muffins? I love muffins. do you remember your locker combination? I don’t have a locker. do you listen to classical music? I haven’t in a long time. ever take buzzfeed quizzes? Yeah. what's your favorite store? Boxlunch and Hot Topic. when's the last time you were onstage? My UC graduation back in 2015. does it snow where you live? No. :( do you like pasta? I loveee pasta. how about chinese food? Yeah. do you prefer to color with markers or colored pencils? Colored pencils for sure. do you usually look good in pictures? Ha, no. I never do. describe the case on your phone It’s a Winnie the Pooh one. what kind of shoes did you wear today? I didn’t. have you seen any plays/musicals recently? No. what's your favorite thing you've been for Halloween? Eh, I don’t really have a favorite. what do you like to eat at the movies? I have to get popcorn. It’s a must. what was your favorite TV show when you were 10? Whatever was on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel basically. do you have neat handwriting? No, my handwriting is shit. what's your favorite quote? I have several. when did you last have a glass of water? Like an hour ago. what's your shoe size? 6 in women’s US. do you wish you were older or younger? Younger. I’d even be fine if I just stayed this age. do you have more than one best friend? No. when did you last brush your teeth? This afternoon. are you wearing socks? Yep. Always. are your nails painted? Nope. I haven’t painted my nails in years. why do people park in a driveway and drive on a parkway? It is what it is. is the glass half empty or half full? Mine is empty. where was the last beach you went to? About 2 hours away. why does the dentist talk to you when they have stuff in your mouth? I never understood that either. when did you last get a haircut? Over a year ago. how many lights are on in the room you're in? Three. do you like wolves? They’re beautiful animals. what are the first 3 digits of your phone number? --- how long is the song you're currently listening to? I’m not listening to music. have you ever bought anything on etsy? Yeah, a lot of things. do you prefer breakfast or dinner? Dinner. have you ever experienced a tornado? No. a hurricane? No. an earthquake? No. do you like sushi? Ew, nooo. are you registered to vote? I am. when did you last eat waffles? A couple days ago. do you wear glasses? Yes. do you like spicy food? I loved spicy food, but I can’t have it anymore. :( do you like your neighbors? I don’t know them. do you play 2048? No. what's your dream college? I already went and graduated from college. have you ever been to Africa? No. have you seen your favorite movie more than 5 times? I have many favorite movies and a lot of them I’ve seen countless times. what did you last post on facebook? I shared some meme thing.

do you use a mouse or a trackpad? Trackpad. what's your favorite word? *shrug*

what voice part are you? Huh?

how is your hair currently styled? In a messy bun. how much caffeine have you had today? Just coffee this morning so far. where do you typically do your grocery shopping? Walmart. do you know anyone who has a birthday soon? One of my cousins. when did you last receive mail? Recently. what was it? Bills, of course. are you sitting on a chair? Yeah. what did you last watch on youtube? An ASMR video. is your bedroom upstairs or downstairs? I live in a single story house. are you wearing any jewelry? No. do you prefer sunrises or sunsets? Both are nice. have you ever seen Wicked? No. (if you have) what's your favorite song from it? -- what's your favorite game on your phone? I like to play murder mystery games sometimes. do you take surveys a lot? I’d say so. do you wear a watch? Nope. what was your biggest accomplishment of the day? Getting out of bed. did you ever have an American Girl doll? Nah. how about webkinz? No. have you ever seen the awesome fountain in the detroit airport? I’ve never been. ever thought you saw someone you know but it turned out to be a stranger? Ha, yeah. what web browser do you use? Chrome. are you wearing shorts? No. what do you wish you could do this summer? Beach vacays. have you ever skipped school? In college sometimes. has a song ever freaked you out cause the volume was up too loud? Yeah, I’ve jumped many times because of that. I’m so jumpy. do you have an ipad? No. is there anyone who you miss even though you don't know them very well? No. what's your favorite time period in history? I find various times in history interesting.  when's the last time you were in a church? It’s been five years since I’ve been in an actual church, but I’ve been attending the live streams to a local church for over a year now. how do you typically watch movies? Certain movies, like the ones I’m really into and excited about or just think looks really good, I like to go see in theaters for the first time. I also watch through some streaming service or on TV. besides money, what would you like a lifetime supply of? My favorite foods. do you like rain? I love it. do you shop at thrift stores? No. look behind you! what's there? My back pillow is right behind me. who did you last talk to outside the family? My doctor.

can you touch your tongue to your nose? No. what/who do you fangirl/boy over? Alexander Skarsgard. where does your dad work? A car repair shop. have you ever caught a fish? No. do you play candy crush? Nope. Never got into those games. flappy bird? No. do you have an ipod? Yeah, but it’s been stored away and unused since 2012. do you celebrate christmas? Yes. I love Christmas. how many songs do you know all the words to? Many. when did you last eat a donut? A few days ago. what's your favorite ride at the fair/amusement park? My favorite amusement park is Disneyland and I enjoy majority of the rides. what are 3 things you want to do before you die? Get my shit together, do something with my life, and travel. have you ever shopped on redbubble? Yes. what is on the walls of your bedroom? Some canvases and framed photos. what brand of toothpaste do you use? Sensodyne. what do you wear to bed? Clothes. do you eat seafood? Nopee. who do you admire? My mom. what color is your computer? Silver. do you do your own laundry? I need help with that, which my mom does. ever broken a bone? yes. what restaurant did you last go to? The last one I physically went to and ate at was Denny’s last year before the pandemic hit. I get takeout regularly, though, from various restaurants and fast food places. what do you spend most of your money on? Food. when did you last see your cousins? It’s been awhile. when's the last time you saw a rainbow? I don’t remember.  when's the last time you were on a boat? Years ago. what time do you usually get up? Between like 9 and 11 lately. do you like fluffy cats? Sure. what's your favorite time of year? Fall, Halloween, winter, and Christmastime. what's the most beautiful song you know? Hmm. what's your favorite stuffed animal? All my many, many giraffes and my two Baby Yoda plushies. what do you put in your ice cream sundae? Strawberry syrup. any plans for the weekend? No. is it sunny outside? No, it’s 11:40PM. have you read the hunger games? Yep, I read the series. can you speak Spanish? Very little. do you like enchiladas? Sure.