#also no to that music choice lol sorry. you could have done better

[rottiens]

hi sorry for coming in your asks again lol but I'm thinking about endeavor..... like idk he's just always in the back of my head

anyway have you considered divorced detective endeavor??? like he's completely neglecting his family & responsibilities as a father, his ex-wife is shacking up with his younger (hotter) subordinate, basically drowning himself in alcohol and cigarettes. the one routine he's kept all these years is coming into your bar at the end of the week, getting a little too drunk, and letting the alcohol flirt with you (but you've always brushed it off knowing he's married). you've listened to him vent countless times and had to call a cab to take him home just as many.

you can clearly see the ways he's fucked up (it's pretty much always his fault) but you also see the regrets washing through his mind. he wants to be better, but he keeps slipping into the same habits.

he's been coming in a little more often lately, he hasn't mentioned the wife and kids in months, and he's not wearing a wedding ring anymore. He doesn't flirt with you as often as he used to, but not because he's not interested, because he is. because he's afraid of it going somewhere. because he's afraid he'll ruin your life like he has done to the rest of his family... and because he's convinced he doesn't deserve you.

i'm sorry i'm just so obsessed with a divorced detective au ok and i cannot believe this thought has not entered my head....

You really put me in a difficult situation here. Because I'm torn between the idea of, what would he really do? Would he walk away from you completely or would he continue to indulge a little more in the idea of flirting with you, knowing he shouldn't have you?

You miss him. You miss the Enji who would come to talk to you, babbling on about work problems without getting to anything specific because, of course, he can't discuss such topics with a civilian. But you are so full of life and hope, unlike him and everything he touches that he can't help but want to spend a little more time with you and Enji hates the bitter taste the hangover brings along with your image the next day.

After the divorce, he keeps wearing the ring for a few more long weeks, hoping that his failed marriage could be mended again. He knows he did it wrong, he knows he's been careless and a bastard, but he also knows he's selfish at heart and that the idea of having a happy family is so appealing.

Yet he lets it go. He lets go of his wife and his kids who are leaving with her, and you. He cuts off every shred of happiness in his life because he is tormented by the idea of being truly happy. Enji convinces himself that he doesn't deserve it. After all the bad decisions he has made throughout his life, he only deserves to sink into his misery, into the boxes full of items his wife never went to pick up from the house, into the loneliness of the cold walls, and into the ghosts his children's laughter left behind.

Enji refuses to go back to the bar, to see you. But he has no choice but to accept when one of his subordinates invites him for a beer, something to relax for the weekend.

Like every Friday, the bar is full of people. Pop music he dislikes is blaring from the speakers. I should go home, is what he's saying to Keigo just as he catches your gaze behind the bar. Your fingers greet him animatedly, sealing the words he was about to say and walking, as if spellbound, to where you are.

Enji can't believe you look prettier than the last time he saw you. You have a different haircut, a new uniform and your smile is so warm and genuine that his chest hurts; he couldn't remember the last time someone greeted him with such joy to see him.

Immediately, guilt grows like weeds inside him, weaving through his insides and creating roots.

You pour him the same old drink and his cheeks heat up at the thought that you remembered exactly which beer he likes.

"Thank you," he says without looking at you, picking at the foam dripping off the rim of the glass with one finger.

Your warm fingers cover his for a moment, drawing his attention to you. His fingers are still trapped on his lips, the gesture of tasting the beer foam.

"Is everything okay?" you raise your voice above the music.

Enji hesitates for a moment. "Work keeps me busy."

You purr away from him and turn your back on him, clearly not believing the half-truth he just told you, but you don't probe further.

Other customers approach the bar and you continue to prepare the drinks. Enji feels your gaze on him, which he avoids at all costs, gulping down the beer as fast as he can and eyeing Keigo on the dance floor, enticing some dance partner to accompany his peculiar moves. As he comes back to the front, you're smiling at him again, placing another full glass of beer in front of him.

"I thought you forgot about me," you comment innocently, leaning a little into his personal space.

Enji doesn't pull back, but you see him tense under the white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and suspenders that cling to his broad shoulders. His lips quiver not knowing what to say. Pathetic. Maybe you do the same with the other customers, and yet you still have him trembling with your mere presence.

"I couldn't forget you. You guys are my favorite."

You purr, reaching out to touch his hand to the watch hugging his wrist. The hand reads 11:35 at night.

"Are we your favorite or am I?" You look up at him through a slow blink.

Fuck. Something beats in his chest and in his pants. He'd forgotten this: the thrill of flirting with someone, with you, of feeling wanted. Of feeling desired. When was the last time someone touched him? He doesn't remember the last time he came in someone.

Enji clears his throat and, against his will, pulls his hand away from yours to toss a few wet red locks back.

"I think I should go."

"So soon?"

Enji had to get up and run before anyone else noticed the visible bulge against his thigh, smothering between the fabric of his pants and his now damp briefs.

"Yeah, I-"

"Stay. One more beer, on the house," you smile at him. Enji barely notices that you had clung to his forearm before he could escape. "Please." You lean in, and he takes a peek at your cleavage. Your lips find his hot cheek and leave a fleeting kiss there. Enji feels his whole body boil with heat.

He knows he's going to ruin you and hates himself for it. But he can't think of the consequences when that pussy wraps around his cock like it was made for him.

"Slow down, it's been a while.."

But you cling to him like you don't want to let go. Your nails on his back, mouth open gasping for air.

The bar is already closed, so your moans and his grunts are the only thing accompanying the music now. Your hips buck desperately as he thrusts you upright against the counter.

"Easy there.." growls enji, burying his fingers in your hips to keep you still. "Hold still. Just feel it."

Enji rolls his hips deep, his pants puddling at his knees. His curly hairs meeting your bare clit.

"Like this… nice and deep. Take it like a good girl."

His heart beats so fast, his balls tight around your drooling pussy. Every time he thrusts deep you lose the rhythm of your breath for a moment, the full force of his body and thighs pushes you against the counter, weakening your feet off the ground and you can only look at him with eyes full of eagerness as you split on his fucking thick cock.

And when you ask him to cum, to cum inside you; enji has no doubt. He's going to ruin you. And he hates himself for it.

[fallenrocket]

#HuntForThePirateHome Watch Party

(crossposted from my twitter)

Hunt for the Wilderpeople reflects a common theme in Taika Waititi's work, and in OFMD, about people's perceived worth/capabilities. It's easy to look at someone from the outside and call them a "bad egg" or an idiot/failure.

But with love, affirmation, and understanding, people are so much more than that. It's funny when Paula sums up all of Ricky's delinquency, but it's also so sad that she's pre-decided his kid's entire future, boxing him in before he's even started.

***

I'd forgotten that Oscar Kightley was in this. He was one of my favorite parts of Next Goal Wins!

***

In a weird way, Bella is a bit like Stede after his reunion with Ed. She's thrilled to have Ricky there and eager to lavish him with everything he could want, but she's also cognizant of what he's been through and trying to respect his space.

***

"I'm so happy we found you, buddy. I'm sorry it took so long." 🥹

***

"He's tricky like that, Jesus"--lol, I love it.

***

Taika is so good at setting up little visual things that pay off later in the film, creating a great narrative moment without any dialogue. It's such a gut punch when Ricky pulls back his blankets and the hot water bottle isn't there.

***

I love this movie. Every element is just wonderfully executed. The acting, dialogue, camera work, music choices, even the chapter titles--they all serve to enhance the story the film is telling.

***

"Do you want me to go find help? ...I'd die, wouldn't I?"

Julian Dennison is so great as Ricky. Taika's gift for casting/directing kids is impeccable, he never misses.

***

The most heartbreaking thing about Ricky's story about Amber is that we the audience (and Hec) understand what really happened better than he does. Brilliant scene, gaahhhh!

***

"'Faulkner is Cauc... Caucasian.' Well they got that wrong, 'cause you're obviously white." Love that line!

***

I love Ricky's "he made me do stuff" monologue. It's common to have one character innocently say something that sounds completely wrong to another character, but it's rarely done with such finesse. Nothing Ricky says sounds forced for the sake of the joke.

***

I like Ricky and Hec's conversation about "majestical" vs. "majestic." I relate to that feeling of knowing a word isn't "proper" but using it anyway because it feels closer to what I want to say than the real word.

***

@netflix is a great platform for Hunt for the Wilderpeople. It would pair wonderfully with Our Flag Means Death, another hilarious, heartfelt story with a unique vision whose amazing cast features some talented Polynesian actors! Won't you #AdoptOurCrew?

***

"She wanted to save us poor wretches when no one else wanted us, like rescue dogs"

This is a line that could easily be uncomfortable and patronizing. But we've met Bella, so we know that this is true in the sincerest way possible.

***

Paula is a subtle Miss Trunchbull, change my mind.

***

Oh god, poor Zag--you were a good dog. 😢

***

"I was trying to tell you it was like The Lord of the Rings!"

Ricky Baker has never done a single thing wrong in his life, your honor.

***

"Don't even get me started on the national rugby team! They're not human."

Psycho Sam has entered the chat!

***

Okay, so Frenchie would absolutely believe the same conspiracies as Psycho Sam, but he'd also be like, "Take it easy, man, alright?"

***

It's hard for me to pin down my favorite Taika film, but I think Hunt for the Wilderpeople is his quintessential film. While his onscreen role is small, it's like concentrated Taika Waititi, and it's the one I'd use to introduce people to his work.

***

@netflix, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is about finding a place to belong after you've been rejected

Our Flag Means Death, which is also about belonging, was rejected by its former streamer

You could #AdoptOurCrew and give this diverse, critically-acclaimed show a new home!

[persephoneflouwers]

i truly didn’t believe you when you said that harry would not be going anywhere after this tour ended. there was just no way in mind that after over two years of crazy touring, two movies, an album, the worst stunt of his career (imo), being over exposed by the media, and everything else in between that he wouldn’t want to take a break for at least a year. no way that he’d keep going and possibly have another project up his sleeve (tbd for now but looking more and more likely). no way that he enjoyed all of this so much that he wouldn’t rest and instead, just wanted this same cycle to continue… so, i just wanted to say that you were right, and it’s honestly been difficult to cope with that reality because it does change some things that i thought were true about who he is. and that feels harsh saying because at the end of the day, it’s my fault for creating this image in my head of who i thought he was. but there’s also parts of me that feel a bit led on or maybe even lied to (idk??) just certain things that gave me hope or that i justified but can’t anymore. it’s not his management or label and it’s definitely not because of his closet either. it’s him making these decisions for the purpose of his career and influence and money and i just hate that harrystylesTM is blending with the harry in my mind. and making me question how genuine some of the things he’s said and done actually were. you know if it makes him happy then ok, i get it. if he thinks all of this is justified then ok. but i just can’t bare to see him make these choices and then be miserable while stunting or try to gay/larry code or make music videos where we’re supposed to feel sorry for him. i still will tbh because god, i really do think he needs some better friends, a hug, and some help, but you make your bed and you lay in it. it’s his choice, and he chose the direction that even a week ago, i would’ve never predicted. so all in all, just wanted to say you were correct and it’s definitely made me think about things differently…

Ouch this is a difficult ask to respond to because the risk is to sound like an ‘I told you so’ kinda person (which I absolutely am but don’t want to now).

So mh, I think most people fall for the marketing and brand not just in this fandom, it’s about the current publicity and media distribution, when in reality that thing is full of crap, delivered by smart people whose job is literally selling things to you.

In US consumerism, the lesson n1 is ‘make it sensational’. The minimum most average thing becomes giant, incredible, out of this planet. When they put tickets for the last show last year on sale, they didn’t mention the ‘final show’ thing. This was clearly planned for later on, when there were two big zones in campovolo that weren’t sold out yet, they put on the final show label. It was smart because people bought the tickets in the fear of ‘Harry styles not going on tour again for years’ and for a fandom that is used to consume him like I consume tomatoes everyday even when I have tummy ache, this was unimaginable. I personally spoke with people from Brazil, Miami, Minnesota. They made it an event.

The end of an era, fandom called it. And of course, FOMO is real for this generation lmao

But I also speak always about the power of words, right? I think your brain chooses words automatically to convey a state of emotions and that is something that all the media training in your life can’t hold back. I am still pretty sure Harry knows that power too, since writing songs is his job I would expect he knows the nuance that lays in the difference between every word. And there words that have been said in a peculiar timing that made neurons in my head spike like fireworks. I didn’t rewatch what he said that night and I’m not a forensic language expert lol but there were moments where you could feel like you were living the Truman show experience.

I am sorry you feel like this, though. I know it’s harder here (unbearable on twt) because it seems nobody is matching your feelings, but I hope you will make peace with this.

My two cents is to let it go, let him go.

Another album, another tour who cares? They will feed it down your throat, everyone and their mothers will pretend to like it because that’s the easiest thing that gives you 1M views on tiktok and they will made up new achievements purposely crafted ad hoc for the whole picture.

Trust me, when I say I don’t like being overstimulated too, that’s why I don’t engage with his content and the only things I know is what anons tell me in the inbox and that’s okay. I just know that if I close my phone, none of this matters anymore in my life cause it’s soooo far away from what I do daily. It’s comforting in a way.

The ryan air motto “sit back, relax and enjoy your flight” is what life is about. Take care of yourself.

[geeksauruse]

Hello! My names Violet and I’d like a matchup for the 2012 tmnt brothers please! If not just ignore this lol

I’m 5’2 ½, I’m hourglass shaped with a lil chub so I wear baggier clothes and really prefur being covered up. I have shoulder length brown curly/wavy hair and Hazel eyes that appear brown but in the sun look gold and green (I really like my eyes lol) I typically war sneakers of some sort or work boots because I’m a busy person and even on my down time I’m moving so I don’t have time to let my feet hurt from heels n such even though I love dressing up.

I’m intelligent and usually always reading something, I can be very quiet but can make good conversation. I’m an INFJ so I’m very in tune to others around me. I’m extremely loyal to a fault and would do absolutely anything to the person I give my loyalty to. I love to bake and cook and even like to clean when I’m able to listen to music, cleaning is calming for me and lets me unwind with out feeling like I should be doing something. I’m the eldest daughter of six siblings so I have my fair share of responsibility and I take it in stride. I’m always helping and taking care of someone, I love that part of my responsibility because I’m a very motherly person. I have strong maternal instincts which leads me to befriend people who could be considered outcasts.

I can also be very stubborn and I struggle with depression, and anxiety. I have trust and abandonment issues which leads me to follow people around and be a bit clingy. I have a strong imagination which pulls me inside my own head a lot. I tend to be more involved with whats going on inside then whats happening in real life.

I really look for someone who has a sense of loyalty like my own, someone who would be ok with me being around a lot and being a bit clingy. I also want someone who has a sense of humor to: 1, help me out of depressive episodes, and 2, banter with me, I can be slightly sarcastic and love some good banter. I also want someone kind and empathetic, to match my own motherly instincts

I dislike people who are rude and mean for no reason and who are constantly looking for a fight. A big deal breaker for me is someone telling me what to do and not letting me make my own choices. I need someone to support me, not control me.

My hobbies are: Reading, Writing, listening to music, watching game plays (Mainly horror like fnaf), watching some tv mainly historical fiction or horror, art, like drawing, watercolors, that stuff, I also adore the forest and space so I’m always researching some plant or planet. I’m taking forensic science and psychology in school right now so whoever I get better be ready to listen to me rant about not only all of this but also new things I’ve learned lol

Bro I am so sorry this took so long and you were so patiently waiting for me to stop procrastinating( or you forget than I am sorry any way.)

Any way I would match you up with…

The lovable nerd Donnie!

Donnie would be you lover for several reasons, but let’s start off on how y’all met.

You were walking back to your house from the library with a fresh stack of books that looked interesting.

It was getting darker out as the sun began to set and night  began and an unsettling quite set in for the usually noisy city of New York 

As you walked though a quite steer you heard something, it was muffled but sounded like voices.

Against your better judgment you crept closer to the voices only to see what you thought was green, three fingered, turtle aliens.

They were talking about a recent robbery by the local gang “ the purple dragons”

You had crept a little to close and you slipped on a peice of loose paper falling flat in front of the massive creatures.

In an attempt to get up quickly to hit your head on the back of a pole that was sticking out of the dumpster.

Que Donnie hurriedly walking over to you to see what damage had been done, lucky for you not much you were just kinda out of it. The fists thing you noticed aside from him being not human were his beautiful eyes, the ones that looked almost identical to yours.

You are so out of it that you just said “ you have beautiful eyes” as he checked your pulse.

You were fine but had to promise that you would keep them a secret. 

You had no problem with this as the turtles began to come around more often to see you, and after a few weeks of gaining trust,you were introduced to spinster and the lair.

After your eye comment, you and Donnie became almost instant friends and you bonded over your shared thirst for knowledge and your intellects.

He loves seeing what you read so he can get new books for you and suggest books that he thinks you would like.

Wants you to cook for him since you have an interest in it, he also likes to listen to you about your many skills.

Thinks your amazing for being able to have so many skills and he fully loves that you like horrer games( he waters a lot of game play through.

Loves listing to you rant about what you passionate about, staters learning more about phycology even though he is also pretty in tune with people as well.

When he developed feeelings, it’s going to be an entire thing.

He starts giving more information on plants, space and he even started to save cool documentaries he thinks your going to like

When he confessed to you it’s going to be so sweet and messy, he expressed that he really only liked you and he would remain loyal till the end. 

When you started dating he started rotting to work up your confidence and wanted to help on your anxiety and depression episodes.

Knows how to help and did a bit of extra research just in case.

He wanted to help you I all the ways!

Insecure in the new outfit? He’s there to tell you how beautiful your curvy body is!

Are you upset an overwhelmed with sad and anxiety fill thoughts? He’s there with a new movie and blankets.

No matter what, he is there to support you

And make sure that you know you are loved for who you are no matter how big you are. 

He’s a snarky little boy so get ready for the sarcasm that comes with this relationship.

Does not mind you being clingy at all, to be honest it brings him out of his work Brain and into his loved ones Brain that can rest.

What’s to make all your inner world dreams come true and spends time making you personalised gifts to fit your wonderful imagination.

Donnie loves you lots and is ready to be there and stay there for however long you will have him.

“ I’m not going anywhere dove, I love you with every fiber and bone in my body.”

                                 💜💜💜💜

Hope you like it, have a good day!

[suuho]

Top 3 kpop mvs from the 2000s

hey!! thank you so much [: this got long, so without further ado...

1. bigbang, haru haru.

it's literally this and then [BRICK WALL] like, this music video literally changed the trajectory of kpop, it became a viral moment that lasted until, like, 2010. it catapulted bigbang to international stardom. i desperately cannot stress enough how this music video and song is a moment, and a high, that kpop is still chasing to this day and that they might never reach again. absolutely, purely organic genius. the brilliance of haru haru is how absolutely earnest it is with its very own melodrama. the acting. the conflict. oh my god, that story line. this is maybe the greatest kpop music video ever, just because it is impossible to replicate now. this changed lives. it did a lot to put kpop on the map. and it is just perfect as it is, and as a time capsule. i watched this approximately 3655467287 times in 2010 alone. i think people who know how iconic and influential bigbang are only ever choose fantastic baby or bang bang bang as examples, but haru haru is what turned them into yg's biggest superstars before inflated numbers, streams, etc. it's hard to explain if you weren't there, to be honest. on another note, i am pretty sure that gtop fight was my gay awakening, lol. another bigbang entry that just missed the mark because it was released in 2010: tell me goodbye. literally a masterpiece. narrative! CINEMATOGRAPHY! that top verse i can still recite word for word! a perfect marriage of everything that makes japanese kpop offerings impeccable. i carried a picture of that gdragon in my school diary until i graduated high school, lol. (choices, i know)

2. 2pm, heartbeat

i wanted to go with mirotic first, but i think heartbeat did the same things done in mirotic, just better. first of all, this music video does not rely on any narrative or any gimmicks, and it is still so well done. the angles and camera pans here, the obstructed shots, the lens flares. the contrast between the industrial gray and the eery, hollow white set. that choreography. this is so purely, undistilled 2nd gen kpop but in, like, a gothic fantasia. the atmosphere of this video is almost creepy which serves the song perfectly, and it is carried by performance, lights, and camera alone. i would have almost chosen again&again, because it does have a story line, but i actually think heartbeat's directive choices are so much better, and far superior. it is such an interesting music video just because how it is shot in a way that makes it visually appealing while simultaneously a little off-kilter. amazing. no notes. 100000/10 beast is not here, by the way, because if i would have chosen anything, it would have been shock, but heartbeat is once again the better offering of a similar style.

3. g-dragon, heartbreaker

one more masterclass. i am sorry, but this is another one of those insane offerings. the production design here is off the charts, the checkerboard heart eye-make up and bleached hair immediately became a signature hallmark look, the choreography is so memorable yet perfectly in sync with g-dragon's artistic persona. this music video felt insanely expensive back in 2009, and deviated from the nitty-gritty of that era. it was colorful, catchy, and immediately, insanely recognizable. replay factor? through the roof, especially with that breathe teaser making it a two-piece. also, the apple imagery was just another stroke of genius. like, this felt like watching a superstar emerge into the scene with that intro. "I'm all by myself, but it's all good," like yeah, sure, is this cringy as hell? absolutely. could anyone else pull this off in the year of our lord 2024? never, but it works perfectly here. the sci-fi influences. the masked dancers. oh my god. we will never have something this earnest, unironic, serious and yet glossy and campy.

3. shinee, ring ding dong

did you really think you would not find shinee here? c'mon now. what is there to say about this music video that hasn't been said yet. the wings. the choreography that the entirety of korea knows by heart. this made shinee my instant ults, my instant biases. dancing in the water!!! the concise color palette, the grays and reds, the hairstyles getting progressively more disheveled. watching jonghyun in this music video for the first time (and to this day) was like watching a miracle appear right in front of your eyes, that sort of gravitas and charisma is rare to come by and i am afraid there will never be anyone else quite like that. truly, one of a kind and just an insane moment in time to live through. how, in a way, unpolished this music video and their performance is is precisely why it is one of the greatest things ever. you can literally see them launching straight into their stage and performance genius from this. it's so crazy. this is like watching history being written, which is why it is one of the best kpop mvs of that decade.

honorable mention: sorry sorry by super junior. a perfectly slick, chrome fever dream that could be a commercial for all i know. i am sorry (hah) but when this song comes on, every ounce of, like, common sense leaves my body and i am stuck in this 4:17 true kpop marvel. it is just perfect. the production of this music video and this song. the aspect ratio (slay). the black and white. that tastefully measured autotune because suju has like maybe 3 decent vocalists. the group choreography shots look tight as hell, especially at the end. the last 15 seconds of this music video look just. fucking amazing. sorry, yeah, it had to be here.

ask me my top 3 anything, kpop edition 💌

[kayjayo1227]

Hello there, sorry to be interrupting!

I was curious about what issued you've personally encountered with Stampede!

I'm completely new to the series, I know there's an older adaptation also but supposedly it was very inaccurate to the story and I'd love to know the differences between iterations before sticking to one.

I am definitely 👌 close to just reading the manga and nothing else though, given that Stampede didn't really spark joy for me as I'd have hoped it would.

Thank you for your time either way!

Wishing you a stellar day :)

You asked so I’m gonna probably write a whole lot lol 😝

I am not by any means a Trigun 1998 purist or anything, I actually got some issues with it too later on once they deviate from the manga. Personally, I think between the three the manga is ABSOLUTELY the better version just in terms of storytelling and visual style and whatnot. I very highly recommend it.

Trigun 98 nails Yasuhiro Nightow’s visual style perfectly. It’s got absolutely iconic music, and it’s one of those animes that helped make anime a big thing in the US. Plus, I’ve got a lot of nostalgia for it personally because I watched it first and as a kid. It’s very good.

The problem with 98 is that the Trigun manga took a hiatus and was republished later under a different magazine, and from that point on is known as Trigun Maximum (if you do watch 98 this split starts to happen right after the stuff with Eriks and the little timeskip) so it misses out on a LOT of good stuff and makes up it’s own ending. But up to that point it’s a phenomenal adaptation.

Trigun Stampede is… it’s a weird case for me. Because while on the one hand I don’t hate the cg style here, I also feel like it’s wrong for Trigun. It’s so crisp and clean instead of gritty. They seemed to be leaning a lot more into the sci-fi side of Trigun than space western and it’s just a surprising choice?

They’ve done a great job characterizing Vash. I was actually very excited to see Knives using y’know KNIVES lol and (while I haven’t got there yet) I know the ending of the series plays into 98/the manga somehow. But it felt weird to me watching it when so many characters were weirdly different.

They made changes and I don’t get why? Like changing the planet’s name from Gunsmoke to No Man’s Land lol why? I personally was really hoping they would give us more accurate manga adaptations but instead they gave us something that was neither. It keeps a lot of that original Trigun peace and love to it, but every character change leaves me just looking at the screen and going “WHY”

Just for example about what I mean (and the biggest example of it)

One of my favorite manga characters is Livio. I love Livio. He isn’t in 98 at all. But he has a big part in the manga. The second he showed up in Stampede I was pretty annoyed. They took one of my favorite character designs and just…made it real bad. And so far the characterization doesn’t seem right either, although I’ll admit it bothered me enough I haven’t watched more yet.

None of these things make me consider it an abomination or anything, I do believe there s a lot of good stuff there. Just makes it hard for me personally to keep watching. It could be better!

Some comparison photos of Livio

And some comparisons of Knives

It’s just…it’s not bad but it’s not what it could have been 🥲 I don’t believe there is anyone out there that has read the manga that would think either anime adaptation is superior to it

Anyway, sorry for the novel! I love the manga and have been screaming at my friends to read it for years lol

Definitely check it out!

[dirtnote]

weirdly specific asks: 2, 3, 7, 14 (because we love reminding folks to drink water), 19, 25, 28, 30 (Would you ever choose to be immortal, why/not?)

2: thoughts on veganism? i have had thoughts on veganism but my ultimate position is that it's not rlly my business BUT i do think it's something that can only really exist in a world that had an industrial revolution. but also sort of exists as a reaction to it as far as meat products go? it's ironic when people want to go deep with it and claim it's The Way To Be when biologically we are omnivores and therefore need to be very specific with our diets, using grocery store shelf options, if we want to cut out animal byproduct altogether. like i don't think you can be vegan living ~off the grid~ or in literally any survival situation lol. on the other hand a lot of people are vegan because it's the moral thing to be, as far as consumption habits go. you could argue that if you want to consume morally... well you really can't! ALBEIT in this case the focus is on animal cruelty in an industrial context, rather than a goal towards Overall "moral" consumption under capitalism and btw i'm not like, 'critical' of veganism (nor should anyone be because who give a shit. truly. it's just a personal dietary choice) there's just aspects of irony to the mostly fringe internet vegans i'm referring to. and people who attempt to guilt a general audience out of their current eating habits. (i also think there IS a moral way to consume animal byproduct-- like, for example, raising chickens in your backyard and harvesting their eggs... or buying eggs from someone else who raises them that way. not everything is buying from corporations operating thanks to inhumane chicken mills)

3. a specific color that gives you the ick? there are so many colors in the world and i love most of them :) ..

but i'd have to say like, this general pukey highlighter greenish yellow. OR extremely bright yellow on walls. im so sorry. yes colors look better next to others and im not trying to be a yellow hater i promise. my lockscreen is art with a (different) shade of yellow as the background

7. what animal do you look forward to seeing when you visit an aquarium? omg well i'd have to say the octopus and jellyfish :) I LOVE JELLYFISH and just realized i had a dream about them last night. i get to see them in the gulf sometimes which if they are ouch kind is not so fun but we often get the ones without stingers. like moon jellyfish

14. do you think you're dehydrated? i don't think so, i'm usually sensitive to the feeling of being thirsty and generally go out of my way to make sure i have water all the time :) but i was putting off drinking water just now for a while so thank u

19. the veggie you dislike the most? honestly i am absolutely a veggie lover so i had to think about this for a while until i remembered that i dont really like radishes. a rare exception tho

25. would you say you have good taste in music? yes ^_^

28. last meal on earth? omg. this is the most difficult question cus how do i choose!!! also im hungry and should sleep so im just thinking longingly about chicken chimichangas now. i'm sure if i thought about it longer i'd come up with something else but i WAIT HOMEMADE TACOS WITH SOURCREAM LIME DRESSING. ok done

30. free question: would you choose to be immortal? ahh yes the question with the most endless list of pros and cons! on one hand, i'd like to think i'd handle having to be permanently ambivalent (considering the extreme temporary state of everything that comes with being immortal). i'd be curious to see where humanity goes from here, but if things go to shit like a lot of us think it will then im stuck with that!!!! :( and ive got technical questions as well. like if something globally catastrophic happened and everyone Died would i be the only one left for, like, eternity...?? does it last for the entire life of the universe? i dont think ive ever heard anyone ask that before? like do i end up chilling in the vacuum of space watching the last brown dwarf die off at the end of the universe?? so. all that said my answer is no i think. unless i get to sleep for a veryyyy long time like how a vampire does. but probably not so no </3

[marciabrady]

Regarding your well-explained post about what princesses should qualify and not and your take about Rapunzel, I have to admit that as a big Tiana fan it saddened me and it angered me that Disney threw Tiana so quickly under the bus once Rapunzel was released, in terms of merch, spin-offs, etc. You could argue if this was done because internalized racism or because PaTF wasn't appealing as a movie as Tangled, but as someone who loved Tiana once her film came out, even if her film had many flaws, I really wish for example she would had gotten a series before Rapunzel, I mean, her movie came first! Tiana also felt more mature compared to Rapunzel, her energy reminded me so much of Cinderella and Pocahontas in the sense that she felt like a young adult struggling to achieve her dream, while Rapunzel on the other hand felt so childish in comparison as you pointed out. Luckily Tiana is going to have her own series now, but still, the fact it took so long and that she was overshadowed by Rapunzel and then Anna and Elsa clearly saddened me. Sorry if this sounded like a vent out lol but in your last post about princesses you pointed out perfectly what was my main issue with the princess franchise when it came to Tiana and Rapunzel.

It really sucks because I feel like Tiana had to jump through so many more hoops as the first black princess that it ended up weighing her legacy down. Everyone had a different idea of what they wanted Tiana to be and she ultimately wasn't allowed to be herself and I think that's why the movie suffered the way it did from a creative standpoint. I definitely think she deserved a better film and so many choices were made that I don't agree with, but she also represented such a great restarting point for the Disney company with bringing back 2D and a more adult approach to story and beautiful music and just by virtue of being unique unlike the 3D successors. But I think so much controversy surrounded PATF that they thought it was better to ignore her altogether and Rapunzel and the Frozen were easy to push because of how thoughtless they were comparatively. It's funny though because I feel like Tiana would've been the one to benefit the most from additional outlets for her story (more films, a tv show, etc), but instead, everything kept being handed to Rapunzel and the Frozen sisters, who honestly felt like they didn't have much to say outside of their original movies. It also frustrates me because, just like Disney is super reactive to complaints over female depictions, they were SO reactive vs. proactive when it came to PATF. Like they're finally giving Tiana attention over ten years later after ceaselessly promoting the white princesses that came after her and, while it's good Tiana is getting attention period, it is sad that they're doing it such a self-serving way. Which...like, I do understand they're a business and there is a certain extent of appeasing and appealing to their demographic, but it's just sad, the disparity in how Tiana was treated compared to the other girls when she had so much to offer and show and teach us and how the success of her film could've given us a true Renaissance of Disney instead of what we have right now, which I consider the lowest point of all time in the company.

[mlobsters]

supernatural s6e14 mannequin 3: the reckoning (w. eric charmelo, nicole snyder)

that episode title does not give me the warm and fuzzies about this being a non-cringey episode. fingers crossed.

SAM Dean... I might've done... who knows what, and you want me to just forget about it?

DEAN You shove it down, and you let it come out in spurts of violence and alcoholism.

SAM That sounds healthy.

DEAN Well, works for me.

definitely a model for coping with trauma right here

DEAN It's not a joke. Your life is on the line here, Sam. This is not a debate. I mean, first you were a-a soulless dickbag, and now you're not. So we good?

SAM Yeah. Sure.

DEAN Good. Well, let's get your mind off it, shall we? You, uh, up for a job?

this just reminds me of the ruby/demon blood situation again. dean and whoever are telling him bad but sam's gonna do what sam's gonna do, because he thinks it's right.

DEAN Check it out. This thing's friggin' awesome! Be my valentine.

another anatomical heart valentine joke, again thought that was just a fic thing.

hoo boy the effects on the killer mannequins, not great. better when they keep it off screen and just spray some blood and make a splat sound, like the first murder.

SAM Right. I can handle it for 24 hours, Dean. I get you want to bury it. But I had to deal with my past year. You got to deal with yours.

DEAN Oh, yeah, and that worked so great for you.

"had to deal" like it's past tense lol

ISABEL Well, it went both ways. She did more for me than anybody else ever could. I just miss her.

ah look at the close siblings bonded by family trauma that aren't sam and dean, making sam do his thinky-emotion-thoughts face, did perhaps dean do more for you than anybody else ever could

is dean gonna be mad about lisa going on a date because i mean. they're broken up, no?

s6e6 you can't handle the truth LISA Yeah. But I didn't expect Sam to come back. And I'm glad he's okay. I am. But the minute he walked through that door, I knew. It was over. You two have the most unhealthy, tangled-up, crazy thing I've ever seen. And as long as he's in your life, you're never gonna be happy. That came out so much harsher than I meant. DEAN It's not your fault. LISA I'm not saying don't be close to Sam. I'm close to my sister. But if she got killed, I wouldn't bring her back from the dead! DEAN Okay, Lis... I'm not gonna lie. Okay, me and Sam, we... we've got issues. No doubt. But you and Ben -- LISA Me and Ben can't be in this with you. I'm sorry.

i mean, feel your feelings, be mad, but you're an asshole if you take it out on her.

LISA I know what I want. But I can't have it -- Not how you live. My phone rings, I think -- tiny chance it's you, big chance it's Sam calling to tell me you're dead.

SAM You know what? You're lucky you are the most suspicious interview of all time. I figured something like this would happen.

that made me laugh, let's hear it snarkysam

BEN Don't I get a vote? 

DEAN No, you don't. I'm sorry, Ben. But, you see, this way you got a shot at living whatever life you want. You know, pick one. Pick five. 'cause with me, there's just the one road.

BEN You're a liar, Dean.

DEAN Excuse me?

BEN You say family's so important, but -- but what do you call people who -- who care for you, who love you even when you're a dick? You know you're walking out on your family, right?

there's a lot of frustrating things about this whole deal (also what 11 year old talks like this). yeah, he moved in and fucking upended their lives, twice. because of sam, twice. it's one thing when you dick around with a romantic partner's life/heart/etc, but a kid, sigh.

this montage of lisa, ben and dean moments has terrible music. the score has been not great more than once this episode 😬

meanwhile, i love what they did outside this bar, the muffled music and conversation is so spot on. the foley in the show is consistently, noticeably good

well that was a choice.

ISABEL Well, the only thing I have of hers is a part of me. When I was 16, she gave me one of her kidneys.

laughed out loud. i had never considered how organ donation could throw a wrench into their eliminating a ghost situation. i bet they felt very clever coming up with this idea :)

chasing dean down with the impala..... also a choice. and we were doing so well in the cringe department

....how did this lady get skewered by a giant piece of glass? convenient, what with owning a haunted kidney and all. just die, problem solved 🥴

what is going on with the music aayyy on the less-scenic chat. not good, my friend.

salvage yard beer and chat. i did wonder about the logistics of bobby's business. self serve!

DEAN We saved a few dicks, and we killed an innocent girl. I got a heartbroken kid and a woman who's so pissed at me… I see what you mean about facing your past. It's, uh - It's awesome. Thanks.

--

DEAN Yeah, I guess. I'm just...I'm just tired of all the bad luck, you know?

SAM Well, you know, number one, bad luck is kind of in the job description. And two, it's not all bad. Really. Look at me. I mean, at least Satan's left the building.

DEAN Yeah. It's the little things.

*earnest eyebrows and forehead crinkles cranked up to 11*

SAM And I have a soul because of you. I never thanked you for that, did I?

DEAN That's all good, man.

SAM Well, thanks.

DEAN You'd have done the same for me.

SAM I mean it. Look, we keep our heads down, keep swinging. We'll lose some. Hopefully, we'll win more. And...I don't know. Anyway, for what it's worth, I got your back.

DEAN Yeah, I know. 

i read ahead on where lisa and ben end up and i have a feeling i'm going to have a variety of thoughts and feelings on how that goes down. such a frustrating storyline with not a great execution (best year of my life, lisa says)

[into-the-loidverse]

hey, I don't usually reach out to artists like this but I want to thank you for those culturally appropriate masa redesigns. I was a fan of his for a while and admittedly always found those designs he made to be extremely questionable (especially the GANESHA designs... if you have to TELL your audience what real-world God the character is supposed to be then you really messed up when designing them). Like you said, it goes to show that he did enough research to know what they were supposed to look like, but chose to go against it and hypersexualize the designs anyway because horny. Your redesigns proved that he not only could have done better from a cultural standpoint but that these characters would have still been beautiful even if they were wearing more than a yard of fabric lol. Masa has been doing this stuff for a VERY long time and I'm truly surprised that nobody said anything before. I really hope he learns something from this mess but from the way he's been reacting... well, I sort of doubt it. U dont have to respond to this, its just something i wanted to get off my chest, hope u have a good holiday mate

haha anon thank u so much !!!!!!!!!!!! i rly do appreciate this 😆😆💜💜 [long rant below oops soz anon]

oh yeah i definitely agree !!!! ive always had an issue and been pretty vocal [on insta] about his design choices in general bc…. this is a personal ick but i just hate hornybait art [esp from men] bc 90% of the time it looks uncanny that i dont understand how its hot…. this is especially seen in masas newer art - his clothing is vacuum sucked booby pocket that looks plasticky / nonsensical and the faces r just … yknow ? [doesnt help his woman anatomy hasnt improved much w the boobs being super high 2 the collarbone that it makes everything look off - and i always excused it bc i think it was when he drew the soap lagoon tribute image ? he said how he knows his artstyle is not how it was during onibi series and wishes 2 not return 2 it + the art is not the biggest priority over music which makes sense ! idk his art is always the best when not sexualised [or at least u cannot tell at 1st glance] like his avicii tribute / cappuccino pv or literally anything non human like guns / skulls etc]

edit: i just remembered the existence of patriot balalaika [hate that song sm as a russian immigrant] and i lied that song is the *best* researched song bc there is no sexualisation and it bases it true on the life of a war zone - WHICH FUCKING SUCKS that out of all songs it is that gets proper treatment .... what the fuck i get the dude likes military stuff but boooooooo so uninteresting [props 2 him removing the pv tho !]

im very happy that my redesigns served its purpose !! it was honestly quite easy after looking at multiple pictures + articles / blogs about said topic…. his la catrina is the best one only because it matched a cheap outfit i saw while researching so yknow thats something… his defence 4 ganesha also pretty much confirms what u said w hypersexualisation:

funny thing is during this whole situation i wrote an essay about fetishisation of women in comics 4 uni and he fits all the criteria of that so yay…. go cishet men 🥳🥳/s

i am so sorry anon 4 the long rant 😭😭 i too wish u a happy holiday !!!!!!!!!!!!! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

[holdinbacksecrets]

well, things have been weird... I think depression and anxiety has been hitting me hard this past week to the point of like chest pain, i think I'm very familiar with heartache lmao. I'm a senior now, finally made it to year 6 in med school, and currently in my first rotation, i don't know how to feel about that other than fear of my own incompetence and failure to compensate for it because I'm just so exhausted..

As for writing, i haven't done any for like close to at least 1 year, nothing, even poetry has been sparse, maybe max of 3 this whole year. It's like slow torture... it's like the first death described in black swan. I've been trying to plan a novel, but all i have is Pinterest boards for characters and a main idea of a plot and it doesn't seem that this year I'll be able to give it time because it's hectic and important and i also have my damn research on thalassemia patient's quality of life and whatnot.

Loneliness is suffocating as well, I don't know what to do with it, i blame it on adulthood and maturity, hell im 23 yet i feel like i have the loneliness of a vampire watching every loved one fade. there's not much to do about it. everyone's busy and i hate human connection as much as i crave it.

I thought by now you'd have relocated btw because it's been a while that you've been talking about it, also didn't you go back for masters or is my timeline of events wrong cuz trust me I don't even remember my name these days

hi friend 🤍

i’m sorry about the anxiety and depression. i certainly understand how hard both are to deal with. anything you can do to get even a little bit of relief? is therapy an option for you?

congratulations on making it to your senior year! that’s a wonderful accomplishment! i watch a few med student youtubers, and i’m so impressed by everything that you all do. it’s a fuck ton of work. is school a major catalyst for the anxiety and depression for you or more so other things you mentioned like human connection/loneliness? everything?

even if your plans for the book aren’t as far along as you were hoping they’d be, i still think it’s really cool that there are ideas dancing around in your head. they won’t just disappear either, so you can always dive back in when it feels right and the writing is coming. you’ll have to keep me updated on this. i feel you on the writing thing. i’ve finally been able to do some writing again after months of shitty work, but the longer it’s missing, the crazier us writers feel. i hope it comes back to you sooner rather than later. a year is a long time. idk if i’d ever write without music. it’s such a huge source of inspiration for me.

oh god… the loneliness. i’m so touch starved that i don’t know what to do with myself. a huge part of me wishes i could erase my dating experience last year bc absences following what that little supernova gave me are apparent as hell. i feel like my isolation from covid never really ended, and i’m still trying to move out of it and form friendships in closer proximity. hating human connection and craving it at the same time—felt. i consistently feel like i have to be a better version of myself first, but will i ever meet a version i’m satisfied with? there are always mental hurdles to navigate. do you have any friends in your med school program?

your last paragraph pierced my heart a little bit bc i too thought i’d be in a different city by now. i lasted in my grad program for three months. it was horrible. i took a class last summer, and i knew pretty early on that it was the wrong choice, but i still started the fall semester. i wanted to give it a sincere shot and not make a rash decision (i convinced myself it was rash but it was really my gut saying important things lol). maybe in the future i’ll go back to school and do something completely different. i kind of want to get an english degree, but the idea of doing another bachelor’s feels strange. i wanted to double major originally but didn’t. for now, i’m working a remote job i hate and constantly job searching for something else. i’m passionate about community engagement work and environmental justice, hoping i’ll find something. i still want to move to chicago. i’ll be there in september, and i’m hoping my time there will solidify feelings and desires about relocating.

[machinavellian]

hi :)

i just wanted to pop into your ask box to say thank you for writing interstate! (as well as precedence!). interstate is, to this day, my favorite fic, and also, it is the fic that inspired me to start writing fanfiction. i've read it like a million times- i have a pdf on my computer and an epub on my phone so i can highlight my favorite parts. (i swear i'm not crazy, just autistic lol). i could go on and on about how your writing is perfect. the characterization, the plot, the prose itself. i generally hate happy endings in fics but you managed to write one that i love. i'll never stop thinking about how you wrote the sex scene in one sentence. to be able to get across the whole essence in one simple sentence takes so much talent i could never. and the way you did the pov switch without switching povs (where norman is imagining what ethan is doing) was brilliant! (i am awful about accidentally switching povs)

i wish i could explain myself better, but i'm not as good with words as you are.

anyway, since i'm here i also have a question, and i hope it's not too vague or stupid etc. but how do you do it?? (i guess what i mean is, what books/other media inspires your writing? do you have a writing routine or a secret tip? or is it just natural talent?)

sorry for being a weirdo but your fic is my roman empire so to speak

thanks again for writing and publishing (especially in our tiny little fandom!!)

pardon how late this is, i'm not at all good at tumblr lmao. but ahhh, thank you, you're very kind! it's so great to hear that something i wrote meant so much to someone else, and it's SO great to hear that it got someone else writing their own fic! no judgment whatsoever about the hoarding of copies, my autism is the cause of many mysterious choices i make in life 😌

it's a little embarrassing in a way because i most definitely don't consider myself a creator of great literature or anything, i just work hard on my fics and take the process of writing them seriously (maybe too seriously)... but i'm going to try to answer your question/request for tips as sincerely as i can!

read. like for real, read other people's writing! i actually don't do this nearly as much as i would like to anymore and i can tell my writing is a little rustier for it. when i read other people's writing, i sometimes feel like i'm filling up an invisible "tank" that holds my ability to do words good. :') as a personal example, i have a short story anthology by vladimir nabokov that i've been slowly whittling my way through for a million years -- i loved his prose the first time i read it in middle or high school and i think it has been a big influence on my desire to look for unexpected turns of phrase and vocabulary words i didn't know before. sometimes i like to keep a list of new vocab words i encounter as i read to look up later, but usually i end up getting distracted and looking them up as i go. 😩 though this is easier than ever if you're reading digitally, i suppose! i think learning to identify the things you like in writing is really important. for me, that has a lot to do with not only finding the exact words i want to describe something, but also their cadence/musicality in a sentence. i remember very little about the poetry terms i learned in school, but i think learning about the anatomy of poems can be a really useful tool when it comes to prose also! or if nothing else, it can be fun to try experimenting with shuffling around the order of words or substituting one synonym for another to see how it changes the overall sound and feel of a sentence.

write! then tweak/rewrite. i actually hate the advice "you gotta just write" lmao... pisses me off every time because i know it's true 😭 i can dick around writing notes/meta as long as i like (and i do), but there's truly no other way to make progress like just fucking writing SOMETHING down even if you hate it and think it's bad. i used to get academic papers done in college and grad school by quickly and sloppily blasting down the basic gist of my main points like a 10 year old and then going back and revising it to sound like an adult. it's a little different with fiction because i'm writing something i already actually want to write, but it can still help to jot down the bare bones of a scene even if i don't even use it in the end. writing out dialogue can help a lot in my experience. i do feel pretty strongly that revisions are nearly always necessary -- i don't always get my fics beta'd by another person, but at minimum i have to put it down and re-read it for myself to make sure everything is flowing the way i want it to. betas really are helpful, though, because a LOT of times i'll think something makes perfect sense in my head only to find out my friend has no idea what i'm on about lmao. this can also help with things like switching povs, like you mentioned! there's nothing wrong with having a pov switch happen in your fic, mind you! it's just that ideally it's happening because you wanted it to happen instead of like, uh-oh, i need to convey some information about norman that ethan doesn't have a way of knowing. it's funny you mention the fap/fantasy scene because i think that's literally what happened when i was writing it, like... i think i was like "hmm, i want to emphasize that ethan is most definitely Into norman and this thing that's growing between them, but i've stuck with norman's pov this entire time and i don't want to put one solitary scene of ethan pov in there, if i can help it... but hey, norman's a profiler! visualizing what people do when they're alone is his whole thing!" so that was the perfect excuse to frame it that way in the end. ✨

canon review for characterization. this has less to do with the mechanics of writing, but honestly, if i had to choose, i'd much rather read a fic that totally nails the characterization than one that's perfect on a technical level. y'know that meme that's like "he would NOT fucking say that"? i do everything i can to avoid eliciting that response lfkdslf. iirc while i was writing interstate i basically always had an LP of heavy rain playing so i could observe the way the characters react in different situations, listen to their speech patterns and the types of words/language they use, and just kind of... idk, absorb the general vibe a little bit, i guess? i know i just mentioned you have to write Actual Story and not just notes to make progress, but i do also tend to have a LOT of notes about like... "okay so norman actually really likes this guy, but the reason he's holding back his feelings is because he's given so much of himself to his work and he's so used to looking at people in the abstract that he struggles to connect with them, leading him over time to decide that he can't or isn't good enough to be what ethan deserves, and what could ethan maybe say or do to help challenge that so they can move forward?" etc etc.... at the risk of being Very Autistic, i find i do a lot of if/then calculations when it comes to plotting character beats. 😅 "if these two particular lonely dudes start to form a connection one night at a bar, what then?"

have a thesis. this feels kind of ridiculously pretentious when i write it out, but it honestly really helps me a lot with staying focused: it's basically me answering wtf my point is. why do i think this fic needs to be written in the first place? it's the thing i want to accomplish, the idea i want to share with people who read it. even if i don't have a solid statement to make, there's always SOME kind of central question i'm trying to answer -- a lot of times, that question is as simple as "man, you know, i really wanna see these two bone. what has to happen for that to be possible?" for precedence i think it was basically just "hey wouldn't it be fucked up if...?" and for interstate it expanded to "hey i think these two deserve a happy ending and they deserve to share it together. what does that look like?"

so i dunno, hopefully all that is at least slightly useful and not just self-indulgent rambling, but thank you for giving me the ability to self-indulgently ramble if nothing else 😭

but above all, please do not doubt your own ability! writing is hard and sometimes sucks but it's also a lot of fun and there's not a right way to tell the story you want to tell, it just matters that you tell it. so... DO 💪

[chipped-chimera]

Ok sorry but hold on a sec while I get real neuroscience/social psychology-ey about this.

So I have been a good 'drawer' since I was very young, but I also have a keen interest in psychology for mental health (and honestly autism) reasons. I think one of the most formative things I've ever done in my young life with regards to my perspectives with art, was read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. At like, 13 (see what I mean about the autism? lol).

Did I need this book considering I'd gotten into my high-school with a literal art scholarship with my demonstrated skill? No. But I was interested in the neuroscience perspective of art + if there was anything I could draw from it that would help my own art improve.

I don't remember the specifics, but my main takeaways were this:

Absolutely no one pops out of the womb with innate art skill. Like language and reading, it is a developed skill, not born out of biological necessity. Natural talent doesn't exist.

Because skill in art tends to be devalued in western society across the board ('starving artist' mentality, how shittily VFX artists have been treated for years, OpenAI already knowing how to ask for permission to make an AI ethical because they were scared of the music industry but threw that out the window crawling for training data for stable-diffusion, how art is constantly stolen and reposted with 'credit to the artist!' without actually linking or crediting said artist - LITERALLY TAKE YOUR PICK) being artistic is not encouraged. As children we all draw (to make art is human, I sincerely believe this), but there will be a point where it goes from being an encouraged part of child development to 'this is a childish waste of time' and actively discouraged as a poor career choice. If you wondered why most people's artistic skill level is 'frozen' and can only draw like an 8 year old - this is why.

The reason people remain stuck in this frozen state is lack of education, because our societal structure doesn't emphasize the use of art. It's considered 'optional' or a 'hobby'. It's not a critical part of the curriculum like math or english. Reading and mathematics are not innate skills either, they have to be trained. The difference here is you straight up just did not get any education to make progress.

As an adult, we tend to get discouraged when we can't draw well at all for all the aforementioned reasons and give up (or if you're extra scummy, make AI art and claim artists are 'gatekeeping' as your excuse) but the only difference between you and someone who can draw, like me, is I grew up in an environment where drawing was encouraged, not torn down as a 'childish activity'. So I've literally spent most of my childhood practicing, that's the only reason I draw better. I just have more years of practice under my belt.

There's no such thing as talent in art. You might be able to pick colours well instinctively, heck you might be a tetrachromat (like I suspect I am) giving you an advantage that is innate and biological. But beyond that I honestly believe the only talent you can have is being stubborn and doggedly aiming for and perusing your goals, even when you feel discouraged. You will always see what is wrong in your own art, no matter if you started drawing seriously yesterday or 30 years ago. It's what I call 'the curse of the artist's eye' - but it is a good thing, because it means you still have room for improvement! You still have things to learn! If you think something about your art is shit, use that as motivation. Learn from the experience. Go find drawing books about the thing you're weak at drawing. Come at it from a different angle, utilize references. Keenly observe what you're looking at.

Also lastly, the most important one: the biggest barrier to improvement for most people is having to wind back years of ingrained symbology and actually start seeing. What do I mean by this? When you draw a portrait of yourself, ears, eyes, nose, etc. you aren't drawing your face at all - you're drawing a collection of learned symbols, the representation of an eye, a nose, a mouth, that you may have learned at 8 years old - then never progressed further. To break out of this you have to stop seeing 'eyes' and 'noses' you have to start seeing shapes and lines. One of the activities to demonstrate this in the book was to take a picture of a still life scene or something and do your best to draw it. Then take that picture, flip it upside-down and draw it again but upside-down. Generally comparing the two pictures, the upside-down version always had a drastic improvement - because you basically forced your brain out of using recognized, ingrained symbols and had to rely on shapes and structure instead.

Also as a side note: Having ingrained symbols isn't a bad thing - it's the backbone of artist style. But this is why most professional artists, even with highly stylized style recommend learning anatomy and doing life drawing first - because they have spent time learning to understand how things actually look and improving their skill, before basically developing a symbolic shorthand. I can usually tell my symbolic associations are getting too strong or I've 'forgotten' how to draw things when I start getting a lot of 'same face syndrome' in my art. That's usually a sign I need to go hit the books, practice drawing from life again so I can remember that. I don't just practice drawing eyes once and never do it again - I probably do a refresher, at minimum, once a year. And each year it gets a bit better.

So that's it. Talent doesn't exist, everyone can draw - all you gotta do is be stubborn enough to keep learning. Go forth and draw shit!

No really, this is literally it - in my lifetime I've infected at least three people with the drawing bug telling people this, girl in my italian class went from going 'I wish I could draw' to sitting next to me in fine arts in my final year of school. Just practice dude - and be stubborn about it.

truly the best thing to say to someone who self-deprecatingly tells you they "can't draw" is "why?"

[whateverthedragonswant]

TW: 1x04 "Masters of War"

Disclaimer: It goes without saying, if you don’t like, don’t read. And as I always say, criticism of a show does not equate to criticism of actors (or executive producers) as people so if you choose to continue, please leave all stanage (in particular, AA baggage) at the door.

Written by: Julia Cooperman

Directed by: John T. Kretchmer

Rating: 4.5/10

Pros: Dean sounded like Dean; Bianca as Millie; Carlos in his Navy uniform and his overall presence in this episode's narrative; PTSD was given more appropriate handling than in the pilot; all of the main actors seem more settled into their roles; good music choice, costuming, and set dec - it's beginning to look a lot like the 70's; some of the parallels set up

Cons: some of the dialogue - soldier boy needs to stop, seriously; POC gets shoved in as the sidekick again during a "heroic" moment; this god character and John being the "chosen one" story line wasn't all that believable

What’s with the would-be comic book Samurai wannabe with a glowing...sword?

Dean voiceover: “Fighting the battle between good and evil isn’t easy. Especially when the first monster you have to face is the one inside yourself.” - sounds a lot more like Dean

…and we get our first gratuitous shirtless guy scene 

The fight choreography for this sparring scene was better than it’s been in previous episodes

“Am I interrupting whatever hetero mating ritual this is?” - it’s official, Carlos is definitely my favorite

I have to say there was a little more chemistry between John and Mary in this sparring scene - it felt like Meg wasn’t trying that hard and she was relaxed and enjoying the scene; same with Drake

Ooooh, Carlos was in the Navy, nice

Another “soldier boy” *cue eye roll* - at least this time the way Meg played the line was a little more natural

More Maggie mention - I’m curious to the full story on this and why it affects Mary so much - I get that it’s her cousin, she was killed on a hunt, and that Mary feels responsible but what exactly happened?

This PTSD episode that John is having is way more realistic than the one they brought on in the pilot so I’m glad they treated this topic with more care

Okay so it’s not a samurai but an old Roman soldier with a…mace-looking weapon? - now appearing to John as well, it’s obviously going after veterans suffering PTSD as its target - something war related?

Drake’s acting in this scene is alright but also a bit forced especially with the hand shaking

Relevant line: “Talk is cheap, kiddo. It’s our actions that matter most.”

Carlos in his Navy uniform = 👌🔥🔥

Ngl got a bit of a once-over appreciation from Millie in this scene, not that I can blamer her lol - Carlos’ line capped it perfectly

I love Bianca as Millie btw

Oooo Carlos turning on the charm

Okay so they’re keeping the Mary hair, good

Oh okay so the reporter guy is the one the wife talked to and the guy Mary was at the movies with previously, nice

“All across the country” dun dun dun

I have to say I’m glad to see Carlos and John working together - I get that this show is supposedly about showing John and Mary’s backstory but I like when we get to see them working with other characters, too

Somehow I get the vibe that this monster poses as a patient in the groups, not the doctors - I could be wrong but that’s just the vibe I get

Jojo nailed this scene - very nicely done

“My friend died and all I got was a lousy scar” - I’m sorry, does this line not have “this happened and all I got was this lousy T-shirt” vibes? You guys are killing me with this dialogue sometimes

Hmm, okay maybe it is something to do with the doctor, like something attached to him or something and when he gets threatened/shouted at, boom, it kills that person

This is the most Mary has looked like Mary since the show started

Welp, John’s now next on the list - guaranteed; though I have to say Drake nailed that scene I think

Yes, Carlos, take charge

Ooo lava lamp! Love it! BRING ON ALL OF THE LAVA LAMPS (I love those things)

Oof that wallpaper is terrible, however completely on cue with the time period we're in so nicely done, set dec

I do like the parallel of both Mary/Latika and John/Carlos dealing with the past and both Latika and Carlos being the ones to initiate John/Mary into doing so

Uh oh…Carlos, run!

The burning cherries of the cigarettes image - nice!!!! Now that's a great shot!

Oh man, here we go - so does this god feed on PTSD episodes?

Oh he uses the PTSD episodes to get the guys, got it

Relevant line: “You put him in a dangerous situation with an enemy, and he is going to run straight towards that enemy every single time.” - relevant because this feels on brand for John’s later post-loss iteration as well as hunting in SPN; though this has me wondering why Millie is so chill with John hunting knowing this about him, just sayin'

Oh…fuck…

I’m sorry, but this is supposed to be some big scary god? It looks like a guy on his way to a costume party after browsing the clearance rack at Party City. Or he’s on his way to audition for one of the villains of the original Power Rangers TV series, not realizing the show ended years ago. And what is with that voice???

Fucking knew it! Of course it was Jimmy!

Oh now the gods are stepping in to help with the Akrida? And they’re relying on this kid to be the one to stop them? Especially when the hunters “are too weak to stop them”? Not even Mary? Really? What the… This was such a good episode up until this moment

And yet again, we have John being the “hero” with Carlos being the “sidekick” - sigh - I get that this show is called The Winchesters and where it’s supposed to lead but come on, man

Bianca seriously is perfect in this role

Well at least they’re being realistic with John losing to a god

Nice, Millie!

“I was right. You are just like me.” “No.” - John beats him bloody but yeah he’s not like him at all, he's such a hero

Yes, Carlos, you should be concerned

So basically, John is the chosen one to go against the Akrida? - S I G H

“Just John? Why?” exactly, Latika, exactly!!

I’m glad the dr said that to Carlos - to me, that was more important than being the supposed god-hand-picked weapon against the Akrida

Nice to see this group’s closeness

Awww Carlos extending a hand to John - loved this scene and I think both Drake and Jojo nailed it

Nice song choice! There we go, we’re starting to settle into the actual time period

I’m glad Carlos went back to group (and John’s empty chair is very loud) - I think showing that was very important not only for Carlos' story but also as a message

Powerful image of Millie holding onto John in the tub

Episode theme: dealing with the monsters you carry/demons inside yourself

Chemistry: John and Mary; Carlos and Latika; John and Millie; Millie and Carlos; Mary and Latika; Millie, Mary, and Latika; Carlos, Latika, and Mary

Monster: can this really be considered a monster? Not scary at all, but kind of makes sense with the story told this episode - I just want to know why some random god is more worried about the Akrida than any Hell or Heaven factions, just a thought

Ending Thoughts: this episode was probably their best one yet, it felt like they are slowly starting to turn a corner, they just need to make some more tweaks. For once this felt like the reboot it is, not completely relying on SPN but gleaning enough from it to tell its own story.

[candiliam328]

perhaps a hot take but... i dislike that season 2 opening scene where five's siblings suddenly have upgraded powers. like i really really dislike it. whatevenwasthepointofthat

[shadow--writer]

Hey, I love your writing! Could you do the MC proposing ask, but with the other 3 characters (asra, muriel, and lucio)? Tysm ^_^

I would be thrilled to! So sorry this took so long I had completed most of it and then gasp NO MOTIVATION >:V

But here it is my love! I’m so glad you love my writing, it makes me so happy to have people enjoy my works! I’ve recently started buying Asra’s route and dragging myself back into the game haha. (the paid choices in their route make everything so much BETTER OMFG)

Requests are still open as well! Please make sure look at my rules lol, three characters MAX! :D

Asra, Muriel and Lucio x MC proposing 

~~~~

Asra

Dead silence for like a straight few minutes. They’re just staring at you with their mouth hanging open

Yeah you’re starting to get a little worried

Did he like...clock out? 

Then he just lights up and tackles you in a hug

The two of you go FLYING. Landing hard which, ouch, but you’re laughing too hard to care 

They’re TRYING to kiss you but with the big grin on their face it isn’t going well for them at ALL

Kissing all of your face, making you giggle

The amount of times they’ve repeated “I love you” while kissing you so softly has you dizzy 

uh yeah he forgets to say yes

Like every one of these morons. He’s too busy crying and holding you like if he let go he’d wake up

but he turns bright red when he remembers he forgot to

ya know

answer you

ofc he says yes. Yadda yadda they're bawling their eyes out again 

More kisses. All over your face, each exposed skin he can get to is getting a kiss goddamnit. 

All the love in his heart and yours is just spilling over as they press their forehead against yours and whisper ‘I love you’

Muriel

uh yeah u broke him. Muriel.exe has stopped responding 

This bitch looks over his shoulder to make sure u weren’t talking to another Muriel you were hopelessly in love with

Nope ur proposing to him 

Annnnnd he’s broken again. Great. Job well done 

oh so slowly he’s gonna start smiling, a little quirk of his lips, to full on grinning as he starts crying 

Little tears then he’s sobbing and laughing because holy SHIT he loves you so fucking much

SWEEPS YOU OFF YOUR FUCKING FEET!

Kisses you so hard all you feel his him and the joy bubbling up will be chef’s fucking kiss let me ASSURE you

Spins you around, holding you like if he let’s go he’ll wake up from a dream 

Of course when he realizes what he’s doing he’ll let out a little wheeze, and turn brightass red

As if you just didn’t,,,,,tell him you wanted to spend your life with him 

Will kiss the tip of your nose softly 

He’s the only one who doesn’t forget to say yes right away love that for him

Gonna hold your hand for the REST of the day. No sir he’s not lettin you go nuh ah

Lucio

Lmao his mind is gonna play wii music for like five minutes straight right after your whole spiel

mhmmm mhmmm you might’ve just killed him on the spot nice going there my friend 

He’s gonna faint if you don’t catch him idk why it’s not like he wasn’t married BEFORE

Dumbass really looks you dead in your fucking eyes and goes: “really? Really really?”

....yes really really 

Also forgets to say yes in the midst of having you dip kiss him 

Is he heavy? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Definitely.

Don’t let him take that kiss places without getting an answer he will be MORTIFIED if he never even fucking said yes

Which he does say

Eventually 

You’re very distracting you know 

He also smudged his eyeliner from crying lmao

Hugs you so hard your ribs crack, knocking you over with another kiss as he says yes

He’s gonna be all sunshine and rainbows for the rest of the day, lighting up each time he remembers you proposed. And he will not shut the fuck up about it lmfao