#and I am a huge proponent of ‘the shipping is not the only thing about the show’

[hannahhasafact]

Thoughts on a show ending

[princesscolumbia]

What does that mean to you?

So I once again have found myself checking out someone's pinned post to look for other sites they may be on (this usually happens when I notice an art piece or writing snippet that they mention that seems to reference a larger work that I'm not familiar with), and they had the usual DNI list and I saw on that list, once again, the following:

"Pro-shippers DNI"

Which, okay, fine, I'm not going to yuck anybody's yum, but I couldn't help but look back up at their blog header image that showed some of their own art...and it was a sapphic ship.

Of two teenage girls.

I started following their blog because one of their art pieces came up that features the same sapphic ship that they featured in their header and I am a huge advocate of that particular ship.

But then they put in "pro-shippers DNI".

On a blog where the person declaring that they don't want shipping happening anywhere around them are actively doing the thing they're saying they don't want in their sphere.

And I keep seeing shit like this!

Like, you don't like shippers, okay, fine...so why are you shipping characters from a fiction piece?! When you do a thing that makes you a doer of the thing, so if you ship two characters that means you're a shipper.

And here I am, staunch proponent of free-speech, pro-sex worker, sex-positive, ready to defend this person's right to ship whomever they damn well please because that's their right and there's no such thing as "a little censorship"...

All I can think is there's some sort of lingual schism that's happened at some point, along the lines of "rubber" being an English word with two completely different meaning depending on which side of the Atlantic you were born on.

The pro/anti ship debates/arguments/flamewars that I've experienced are about whether or not it's appropriate/ethical to ship anyone unless they're specifically a canon item, period.

As you can guess (if you've read, like, any of my content), I have no problem putting blorbos in situations where shipping does, indeed, occur. According to my understanding of the terms "pro-shipper" and "anti-shipper" that lands me solidly on the "pro-shipper" side, a stance that I've had to defend against some extremely toxic anti-shippers who not only show an appalling lack of understanding of the concept of "fanfiction" and "fandom" and "shipping," but also seem to struggle with "fiction is not reality" and "free will." As in, they're trying to subjugate my free will to their desire to not have shipping exist, anywhere, in any context.

But...

However...

...(and I'm wondering if this may be somehow generational?)...

...I keep seeing accounts that are for people who ARE ACTIVELY PROMOTING SHIPPING OF CHARACTERS that have "Pro-shippers DNI" in their profile or on their pinned posts!

Either this is classic, "It's okay for me, but not for thee," behavior or they have a fundamentally different definition of "pro-shipper" than I do.

[thequeenofsodor]

Headcanon: Rosie has been on Sodor way longer than you’d think...

World War II is a notoriously glossed over time in Sodor history. On an unrelated note, Rosie is a USATC S100, a class of locomotive that was built in the USA and exported to Europe for the Allies’ war effort. Rosie’s introductory episode is one which does not feature any kind of origin story, nor is she said to be new. She just kinda shows up and is treated as if she’s been a character who’s been around this entire time... I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this... 😈

During WWII, the North Western’s roster would only consists of the first six engines, a few of the remaining pre-NWR Grouping engines, and presumably a gaggle of LMS loaners who may or may not be called back home to assist with their home region’s war effort. The prospects of this fleet pulling through in one piece don’t look that good on paper IMO. I think it’s not out of the question for FC1 to put in a call for some reinforcements, and given how the North Western was made for the WWI war effort and likely borrowed many War Department engines back then too, it’d only really be following tradition! And so, Rosie enters the picture. Definitely not in the pink she debuts in on TV, probably in some kind of austere black or gray. She definitely wouldn’t have been alone, I’d like to think there could have been an S160 on Sodor too to help with heavy goods. I am a huge proponent of Hank being an S160 instead of a PRR K4 (I’ll probably make a post about that at some point in the future), but it does have the unfortunate affect of knocking Hank’s one and only episode out of canon on a surface level not only by changing his basis but by making his arrival party impossible due to the presence of Toby and Emily, who would not be there in WWII! But again, this is better suited for another post. Let’s just leave it at “Rosie arrives in Tidmouth straight from America, along with an S160 who may-or-may-not-be Hank.”

I figure the reason she comes to admire Thomas specifically so much is because she was likely assigned to work on his branch line, and thus had a lot of proximity to him during her formative years. TK&ELR Coffee Pots 2-4 would still be around until the early 50s, but they were used sparingly after Thomas’ arrival due to their poor condition among other things. So it would make sense to send a perfectly capable, brand-new tank engine to work alongside Thomas in their place. Rosie would be personality-wise where she is in her Model Series episodes: cheerful, childish, and way too idolizing of Thomas. Admittedly I have no idea if the ongoing war would even allow her to be this way, but I suppose she may be in a similar boat to Thomas? He was built and shipped off right at the start of WWI, and yet was still relatively innocent, albeit not to the degree of Rosie... I figure they were both either sheltered from the respective Horrors of War, or it simply did not affect them as deeply as one might think. Man-made horrors beyond locomotive comprehension? I dunno for sure. I also figure Thomas would loooove the attention of his new charge at first, only to slowly get sick of her over time and end up where he is in her debut episode. Upon the end of WWII, all of the S100s and S160s (save the 10 S100s that became the SR’s USA Class) that were based in the UK were repatriated back to the USA. Given Sodor’s history of, ahem, “retaining” their wartime assistance, I don’t think they would have given them back. But since Rosie’s presence would no longer be a priority on the Ffarquhar line, I think she’d be transferred to another depot on Sodor, possibly either Vicarstown (as per her later role in the CGI Series) or Cronk (which in the RWS would be a major hub for rail on the North Western, and could use a dedicated shunter). I figure this work would keep her sufficiently occupied, which is why FC2 wouldn’t just put her back on the branch during the Knapford Harbor renovation, which otherwise in this HC would be way easier than transferring Percy and bringing in Duck to take his place at Tidmouth.

Thomas probably breathed a sigh of relief once he knew he was safe from Rosie’s potential return! Though since Sodor engines love to stray from their allocations whenever the plot demands, that doesn’t mean he’s safe forever...

And of course, as soon as the war ends and she officially becomes one of the Fat Controller’s Engines, this is when she’d get her ever-so-loved Pink livery... To be honest whenever I think of Rosie’s livery timeline I never come up with a reason why she ever chooses pink. Like, obviously she starts in a wartime livery, and then at some point chooses red over pink as a symbolic way of reinventing herself and ceasing to model herself after anyone else. But at the stage in her life where she idolizes Thomas so much, why would she pick anything that’s not NW Blue? I suppose we’ll never know. Anyway since FC1 has pretty much given up all hope of a standardized livery by this point, I’m sure he’d just accept it and resignedly tell the paint shop lads to start mixing a shade that’s never gone on a steam engine before.

I think that’s all the bases covered. The only thing it doesn’t cover is any of the development that would lead to Red Rosie, but I feel like those events would be a decade or two removed from the war and not really on topic anyway. I just thought this would be a fun way to look at Rosie, or at least an alternative to “she’s one of the 10 SR USA Tanks and came to Sodor post-Oliver”. The only real downside to this HC is that its incompatible with my former pet idea that Rosie was a follower of the Railway Series in the post-war years and her idolization was more akin to a parasocial relationship, and that doesn’t really work if she’s arrived on Sodor and stayed there before the books were even published. Oh well, at least this new Rosie HC would be a much more mentally healthy Rosie, lol.

[ninthhousedyke]

Nona The Ninth Live Blog #9

Okay yes it has been FOREVER but I can explain: I’m lazy. Also like…I sadly had to do human things like finals and not killing myself so I’m just getting back into everything. I also already do know most of what happens in the end because spoilers exist and I read them, but I still want to finish the book and catch any details I haven’t seen on my dash. Okay let’s begin!

Gideon just….playing dead….while Pyrrha carts her around like a sack of potatoes is such an image and I love her.

No I wanna know what Cam said to Gideon in that truck! Was she yelling at her for stupidly thinking Harrow hates her? Was she asking “bro wtf”? Was she trying desperately to jab more needles into her as Gideon just laughs? WHAT DAMMIT!

Okay so I do know that Pash and Gideon are cousins, but is THIS the moment Pash realizes it? Is her “oh fuck no” because she sees the ginger hair and knows it’s Wake’s DNA?

Nona worried Pyrrha will flirt with Pash is so cute.

“I hate to agree with Pash but she’s right.” “Thank you; fuck you.” Everyday I am more and more glad I wrote a hatesex fic about these two because every interaction proves just how much it was needed.

Wow so BOE cannot control their people at all! Merv Wing is just doing their own thing with the Sixth House basically?

Aweee Hot Sauce and Nona made up!

Hot Sauce being named Hot Sauce because she likes hot sauce is such a non-binary mood.

AHHHH WAKE HAD PASH’S PICTURE ON HER!!

So will Pash ever know Gideon is her cousin? Is that coming next?

Oh never mind there’s a resurrection beast now

I love how the most dangerous thing Nona can think of is Cam

The resurrection beast spoke THROUGH Judith!?!

I know Nona is Alecto but DAMN that conversation with Varun and the “And I never was” at the end are still so damn powerful.

“Is anything ever really truly ready to die?” TAMSYN STOP IT RIGHT NOW

Gideon just taking a nap through all of this lmao

I just read the John chapter and I’m gonna need a minute…..or five.

Okay let’s talk about John!

The moral grayness of the entire backstory to this universe is insane. Blood of Eden are the descendants of the top 1% who fled the climate disaster they caused, and John was one man with an insane gift granted to him by a dying planet’s soul. Is there really a correct way to handle that situation?

So he threatened to set off all the bombs if the trillionaire ships were allowed to launch, and then not only did he actually set the bombs off, but he took the souls of the dead and literally Adam and Eve-ed up a body for Earth’s soul just to try and catch the fleeing ships. And he didn’t even get them all! This man ate the souls of the universe to stop some rich assholes from running away!

That line about John caring more for vengeance than salvation hits harder now that I know HE MURDERED THE ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM!

RIP Cristobel

He also watched all his friends get murdered which has gotta take a negative toll on someone. Cassie and Nigella had JUST gotten married!

Like I’m finding it really hard to feel upset at his actions. What was he supposed to do? Let the rich live and the poor die? On the other hand, I’m a huge proponent of murder is always the option but nuking the entire world and building a Barbie doll body for Earth was a bit much.

Alright done with John! Back to my babies!!

“Kind of pretending to be dead here.” Oh Gideon I cried reading that. I’ve missed you so much.

Gideon asking Alecto if she loves Harrow is so painful and I just want these two to kiss for real when they’re both back in their correct bodies and states of mind.

Palamedes really is THAT BITCH. He has no formal training in the River or how it works but he’s like “yes this is a good solution”

Cam has two dads AND a sister?! Why is this information I’m just now hearing about! Oh god she’s gonna die isn’t she.

“We were children playing with reflections of stars in a pool of water thinking it was space.” OH GOD TAMSYN STOP THEYRE GONNA DIE

So that’s who Paul is….huh…the spoilers did not prepare me for that one. So we just lose both of them at once? We now have this third thing who is a Lyctor and is neither of them? No go back. I don’t want this. Take it back now!!

So Pash and Aim and Noodle are going to the Nine Houses. So we’re gonna get more Pash in book 4? Please don’t kill Pash. Let one person in this series have a happy ending and get to live without any body-soul fuckery.

WHO TF IS AIM

River time!

Okay I should really go to bed now but hopefully I actually finish this book in the near future.

[prinxlyart]

God bless ya for providing your perfect takes on Willumity! If anyone hasn't beaten me to it, I would like to ask your headcanon on how their relationship would start, and how do you think thwir children would be! Oh, and on another ship, how you think Boschlow would unfold?

My heart is too full for this, I need to dump it all out into this post

Hmmm, their relationship could start any number of ways. I don’t have a favorite that I can pull from my imagination. My sad angsty polyamorous heart wants there to be a lot of sad tension between all of them (Willow is upset because she can clearly see that Luz and Amity like each other, why would either of them pay attention to her?? // Amity is upset because Luz was able to befriend Willow so easily and so quickly and they were immediately affectionate with one another on the first day they met. They deserve to be happy together without Amity ruining it or having her overbearing last name hanging over them. // Luz is upset because she’s helped Willow and Amity rekindle their broken friendship and watched it blossom into potentially something more?? She’s so scared she’s going to be left behind again. She’s had friends in the past that ditched her once they became closer to one another. Luz is downright terrified that it’s going to happen again. ) [projecting?????? Whose projecting I’m not projecting]

I feel like if anything, the dam would break what with all these unresolved romantic feelings bearing down on them all. I don’t know who would break first, but whoever she broke in front of would let her know she needs to speak to the other two about it ASAP. Because if worse comes to worst, they’ll gently reject you and insist you all remain friends. None of them would break off their friendships with one another due to unreciprocated feelings.

Once they do sit down and confess their feelings for one another they all just. Start crying in utter relief. They don’t have to lose anyone, and even better, they like me back.

RE: Kids? I have no idea. I’ve never been one for fan kids much, I usually leave that to others and appreciate it when someone makes one I actually like. I think the only thoughts I’d have on them having kids would be that these three would be the Most Supportive Parents in the world with an even more supportive network of grandparents. Like. Any kids they have will be adored so much they might accidentally smother the poor thing(s).

I feel like Luz and Willow would insist they have more than one kid (if they do decide to have kids). Neither of them have siblings and grew up rather lonely as a result. They don’t want that for any kids they might raise. Amity is only a little reluctant to agree because she grew up with Edric and Emira, but ultimately agrees with her wives that that would be best.

Oh, and family gatherings at holidays would be so fucking chaotic oh my god. They either need to enlist the help of someone in the construction coven to expand a portion of their house or consider renting out a public space if they all say they’re going to come because there’s just so many people. Absolute Chaos. Luz adores the family gatherings because she always wanted to be part of a big family and now she is.

They tend to stress Amity out only because of the amount of planning and cooking to be done, but ultimately ends up enjoying herself (it’s still weird to see her parents attend these gatherings and playing with her children and wait- did dad just sneak her some of the dessert?!?! UGH, she’ll be awake for hours thanks dad).

Willow also loves the family gatherings but gets easily overwhelmed by the amount of people in attendance. She’s the one that would go one by one with everyone that came and just spend some time with them, catching up until the conversation naturally flows to the next person. She has now idea how Luz can ping pong off the walls with the energy she does, but she’s always admired that about Luz. It also tickles her heart and makes her feel warm and fuzzy inside whenever Luz’s pinballing ends up aimed at her because Luz will always put both hands on Willow’s shoulders, give her a kiss on the cheek and check in with her. Once they’ve confirmed they’re both doing okay, Luz will kiss her cheek again and kinda nuzzle their heads together before she’s off to talk with someone else. Luz does the same thing with Amity and even still after all these years, it reduces Amity to a blushing mess. Anyone around that witnesses it either coos at how cute they are or gags at the display of affection (take your pick at who lol).

You can’t just ask me to switch gears right in the middle of domestic fluff and just rewind way back to potential Boschlow stuff oh man. Let’s see....I personally am a huge proponent of Boscha getting her act together, not related to her feelings for anyone, before she tries to pursue Willow. Whether or not Willow is part of the process of her changing for the better can be up to you. But Boscha has a lot of stuff she needs to sort out before I let her anywhere near my plant daughter Willow.

I actually follow a couple fics dedicated to exactly that. Jackal’s Ladder was REALLY good and has finished! Idk if the author is going to continue it as a series but I’ve got my fingers crossed 🤞. The New Normal is another favorite of mine. It really looks into what bothers Boscha and makes her the bully she is, tears it all down, and makes her build herself back up. And she’s not doing it to please anyone. She’s just doing it for herself. (But then there’s tiny hints of Boschlow on the horizon that I’m super eager for).

All in all, I think Boscha is an interesting character and could have a great relationship with Willow; she just needs to get her shit together first. Idk how it would happen tbqh, but maybe Willow sees how hard Boscha is trying at being a better person? Maybe she sees Boscha doing something genuinely kind to someone else like helping an elderly witch at the market? Idk, something soft like Amity reading to kids that proves that she’s actually doing this “being better” thing for herself and not for an audience that she’s trying to fool. I think at that point Willow genuinely believes Boscha is trying and is encouraging her in her efforts, even going as far as extending an olive branch so they can try being friends. Willow’s curious about the person Boscha is when she’s not a bully. And now that she knows for certain that she’s not lying or doing this for some kind of cookie points, she’s willing to put in the effort.

I think it’d be very fun to watch Willow realize Boscha has a crush on her and then use that to flirt with her mercilessly. Because she does kinda sorta reciprocate those feelings?? But she’s still not certain of them yet. And it’s so much fun to watch Boscha turn the same color as her hair. So until she sorts out those feelings, she’s just gonna flirt relentlessly with her until something changes.

[austennerdita2533]

ooh can you do those same top three questions but for suits and tvd :)

Sure can, nonnie! xx

*Just as a general disclaimer for anyone else who happens to read this: my ship preferences are what they are. I’m simply stating my opinion/preference and am in no way encouraging hate or fights. Discussion is always welcome, of course, but happy vibes here only!

*2020 sucks enough as it is without bringing ship drama into it, you know?

TVD

Top 3 seasons:

-1, 2, and 3 without an ounce of hesitation. This was when the show was at its peak in storytelling, characterization, ship development, magic/mythology etc.

Top 3 romantic ships:

-Klaroline. One of my highest echelon ships for reasons I do not need to enumerate; however, I will say what I love about them most is they challenge as well as complement each other in beautifully rich, convoluted ways. Their back and forth is ridiculously entertaining, too!

-Kalijah. They have spice, and angst, and forbidden love, and 500+ years of cat-and-mouse chasing and I will be over here bitter about them for eternity! 

-Forwood. *excuse me while I cry over “until we find a way” for a few hours* These two went through so much to be together! Their progressive arc in s2-s3 is still one of my favorites.

*I’m Swiss neutral when it comes to Stelena and Delena, I vacillate between both ships at different times so they’re not included in my top 3. I’m an anomalous TVD shipper, a true outlier, what can I say?

Top 3 platonic ships:

-Klelijah. Klaus and Elijah have an incredibly dense, fraught brotherly dynamic. Something about their ancient ties and 1,000-year bond is gripping. There’s so much spoken and unspoken subtext between them. So many unresolved “somethings.” Plus, it’s no secret that I adore the Originals and all they add to the TVD-verse.

-Klebekah. Klaus and Rebekah sparkle, they sizzle, any time they’re on-screen together. Just the sheer depth of feeling and betrayal and angst they emanate is so entertaining to watch. Don’t get me started on the whole “I loved you more than anyone and you didn’t even care” scene because I get emotional.

-Defan. Stefan and Damon are another complex sibling relationship on the show. Throw into the mix that they find themselves in love with same woman, not once, but twice, and whew! I love the flashbacks we get of them throughout history as well.

*Gotta give shoutouts to my other favorite, though moderately less well-developed, brotps here: Carenzo, Katholine, Rebekoline, and Baroline. *chef’s kiss*

Top 3 characters:

-Caroline Forbes

-Klaus Mikaelson

-Katherine Pierce

Top 3 plotlines you’d change/erase if you could:

-THE BABY PLOTS ! ! ! BOTH OF THEM!!!!!!!!! (I’m talking Klaus/Haley and their tribrid baby and Caroline’s surrogacy/pregnancy with the Gemini twins.) I apologize for my overemphasized caps + exclamation points here, but I loathe these storylines with every fiber of my being. I can’t help it. More often than not, I like to pretend they don’t exist lololol.

-How they handled the beginning of Stefan and Caroline’s romantic relationship was...icky. Like, while Liz was dying? Really? Then she turns off her humanity because he “rejects” her. Again, REALLY? I have major issues with the overall portrayal of them as a couple - particularly with the relationship imbalances as well as the insecurities they heightened instead of tamped out in each other - but the inception of it all is what kills me. Especially because I am a huge proponent of friends-to-lovers ships...and the writers really dropped the ball with them, imo. I’m a multishipper at heart so the disappointment I harbor is PALATABLE. 

-The Cure storyline and the Travelers storyline. Didn’t like either of them. They have equal “could’ve been loads better” billing.

Top 3 episodes you’d take to a deserted island:

-3x14, Dangerous Liaisons. LISTEN. This is my favorite episode of the entire series. There’s a ball, there’s blood-tinged champagne, there’s duplicity and romance and drama. All the Mikaelsons are under the same roof, for crying out loud! It’s gold!

-2x07, Masquerade. This one because of my girl, Katherine Pierce, the biggest, baddest bitch of all. She’s a saucy little minx the entire masquerade only to end up locked in the tomb. I just...love it.

-The Klaroliner in me is screaming 4x23, Graduation because being on a deserted island without having access to Klaus’s iconic “however long it takes” declaration would be insupportable. However, a case could be made for either 3x20, Do Not Go Gentle because I am trash for the decade dances, and that one’s my favorite, OR 3x22, The Departed because that is one hell of a season finale!

Suits

Top 3 seasons:

-Season 2. Mike’s secret out of the bag? Them all working together to fight against the merger? Donna shredding evidence to protect Harvey? Daniel fucking Hardman? *thumbs up*

-Season 5. FIREWORKS. Donna’s working for Louis, Harvey’s in therapy, Mike gets arrested/goes on trial, Zane family drama. Exquisite stuff

-Season 3 or Season 1. Don’t make me choose between them, please. 🙏���

Top 3 romantic ships:

-Darvey. I mean, OBVIOUSLY. These two idiots had me from the pilot. I knew the moment Donna said “I also took care of that. we’ve been married for the last 7 years” that I was on the precipice of falling into another long, beautiful, up-to-their-chins-in-pining, slow sloooooow burn ships. Granted, I didn’t think it’d take 8 seasons for them to get together lololol but I don’t regret a damn thing!

-Mike and Rachel. They’re adorable together, they truly love each other. Also, can we talk about how they’re a steady couple for most-ish of the show?  They have drama, sure, but they work through most of it together. As a unit. THAT’S A BIG DEAL. It’s like going through the canon drive thru and actually getting (most) of what you ordered.

-Louis and Sheila. This is a couple who makes me laugh uproariously AND feel all the emotions. I mean, will I ever forget Louis dropping to one knee in the hospital with his ass cheeks hanging out? NO. Will I ever get over Shelia’s pregnant feet being too fat to fit into her Cinderella glass slippers? NOT ON YOUR LIFE. Will I blubber like an emo sap whenever they finally reconcile/get their happy ending? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.

Top 3 platonic ships:

-Mike and Harvey. They have a connection from the beginning but I love seeing how much they rub off on one another, how much deeper their bond grows over the course of the show. Their movie references are always a delight, too. *cries: it’s so beautiful*

-Donna and Louis. Their relationship is so important to me. Like?!?!?!? They have so many fantastic one-on-one moments together - some that make your sides ache with laughter, others that prick your eyes with emotion and tears. Even though it kills me when Donna leaves Harvey to work for Louis, I can’t help but love it too because he fanboys all over her. GIVE DONNA ALL THE LOVE AND APPRECIATION SHE DESERVES. 

-Harvey and Louis because they have a formative and/or impactful dynamic. They mostly respect each other but there’s a lot of animosity between them. Makes for such good TV!

Top 3 characters:

-Donna Paulsen aka Fashion Goddess of NYC (can I have all of her outfits? for real) and the Reigning Queen of Sass (who also happens to be the reigning queen of my heart as well). The entire firm would have fallen into collapse without her, FULL STOP.

-Harvey Specter. I have a penchant for stoic, inscrutable, emotionally constipated, on-the-borderline-of-asshole characters and boy did I hit the jackpot with this one! 

-This one was hard, but I’m going to go with Louis Litt because his character evolution is amazing! He’s so unlikable at times, what with his competitive streak and anger/jealousy issues, but then there’s this whole other side to him that’s sensitive and vulnerable and sweet. You can’t help but root for him, you know? (Even when you want to punch him right in the nose lol.)

Top 3 plotlines you’d change/erase if you could:

-Harvey giving Paula the credit for why he reconciled with his mother, when it was actually because of Donna. They retcon/fix this in the narrative in s9 but it still bugs me in the moment. I can’t let it go. So sue me.

-Pearson Hardman’s “Harvard Only” hiring law. Not only is it ridiculous and discriminatory but no way in hell would you even be able to implement such a thing in today’s world. Nor should you be able to do so. Diversity is important!

-I wasn’t crazy about the Mike prison storyline but, at the same time, he had to serve out penance for the whole fraud business??? So yeah.

Top 3 episodes you’d take to a deserted island:

-2x07, Sucker Punch. THE MOCK TRIAL, AHHHHHHH. Louis grills Donna about Harvey within an inch of her life. I can hear his inflection during his stream of “do you love Harvey Specter, do you love Harvey Specter” in my head. It is so effing tense in that conference room, I DIE. 

3x06, The Other Time. I am all about this flashback episode, okay? It opens Pandora’s box on all things past!Darvey and also shows us how Mike gets thrown out of school.

-8x16, Harvey. If you think I’d willingly retreat to a deserted island without having access to that Darvey love epiphany/love actualization scene then you are kidding yourself! I still blast “Love is Mystical” on full volume just to daydream about that swooping-through-the-apartment-door smooch sometimes. *fans self*

[veilder]

Those questions are not good enough, but who are your favorite characters/combinations to write? Pairings you hate? Do you have any themes you keep coming back to? Ideas you haven't written yet, but want to? AUs you really like the idea of? Anything you've tried to write, but can't get right?

Oh wow, thank you so much, friend!! These are some amazing questions! ^_^

1. Favorite characters/combinations to write?

Oh, so many, man. I’ve published nothing but DBH thus far, and my faves are basically Hank, Connor, Sixty, Nines and Gavin. I adore them all. And my favorite group dynamics all come from them. (Throw Kamski and Amanda in there as honorable mentions, lol!) RK Bros is my dang life, I swear. Dad!Hank and his Anderfam owns my soul. Gavin with any combination of them is a delightful disaster. (And geez, I super adore Kamski-Reed Bros, too. I eat that shit up.) I’m pretty die-hard for Convin as a ship, that’s really one of the only ones I don’t like to compromise on? And I absolutely adore Gavin and Nines being bitchy best friends. I wish more folks would write them platonically, lol.

2. Pairings you hate?

Oof, loaded question. This might get me into some trouble, but I have very solid headcanons about family, adopted or otherwise, and I don’t stray from that. So any pairings that are any combo of Hank and the RKs is out for me. Same with any of them with each other. (And Gavin and Elijah. Just... nope.) Lol, I’ve turned my platonic filters up to 11 and that’s where I’m staying with it. I like it here, what can I say? But yeah, those are really my only notps. I’m an absolute sucker for rarepairs, man. 

3. Do you have any themes you keep coming back to?

Oh, absolutely! Seriously, a lot of what I write is centered around family? So I really like delving into the intricacies of that, especially when we’re dealing with people not related by blood. Found family is one of my all-time favorite tropes and it’s played a significant role in most of my works, honestly. Even the romances have an emphasis put on family, too, even if it’s a background sort of thing.

I also dearly love the idea of redemption and forgiveness? Like, fanon!Gavin is one of my favorites, so that’s probably apparent, lol! I’m a huge, huge proponent for both allowing my characters to make mistakes, even huge ones, but then letting them grow and learn from them and become better people. And that theme honestly works well with all of my faves, but Gavin is really the one I focus in on for that. Sixty, too, sometimes, and Connor.

Also! Really, really into the machine aspect of writing android characters!! Like, I love trying to figure out how to format them when writing from their POV? I love all the ways you can use their superhuman senses in a narrative? I love the potential of a HUD, of interfaces, of glitches and errors, etc. It’s so fun for me even though I’m mostly making everything up as I go, lol!

Also: always always always a happy ending. I can’t stand fics that leave me sad and I will never write one.

4. Ideas you haven’t written yet, but want to?

Oh my God, just… so, so many. I have over 15k just of prompts that I myself wrote. They’re stashed away in several documents all over my Gdocs, lol! I am constantly thinking of new things I’d like to write. Now, if I could only work up the motivation to do so… u^_^

5. AUs you really like the idea of?

At the very top of my list goes my pirate!AU that I have been desperately wanting to write for ages now!!! I have so much worked out for it already! I have a definite idea of where I’d like to take it!! I have my characters, my setting, my first forays into research about the time period, the different cultures I’ll be invoking, appropriate names, etc. I even have a first chapter partially written!! This has been on my to-do list for ages and it will 100% be my next big project if I ever find the motivation to actually… sit down and just go for it, lol!!

I’d also just really love to do a reverse!AU someday? I’m just… not sure what sort of plot I would use there. I just really like the idea of it.

6. Anything you’ve tried to write, but can’t get right?

Lol, pretty much any of my 30+ WIPs? So many little things just trip me up like no one’s business. Or I’ll go into something half-cocked and not have a clear idea of what I want from the story or how I want it to end. I’ve had this idea for a heist!AU fic sitting in my WIPs for over a year now. I’m not sure I’ll ever get back to that, honestly. And I have a few half-written things for my ongoing series I just… ended up not liking enough to post. I get hung up on so many things, lol. I’m honestly surprised I ever get anything done. u^_^

But yeah, thank you so, so much for these questions, friend!! This was very fun to answer!

[mercerislandbooks]

The Pandemic, Racial Justice Books, and Independent Bookstores

So our doors are open. We can better serve the public. You can buy what is on our shelves directly, instead of through Instagram or our website. That is fantastic! But, your books are still taking weeks if not months to get here. We aren’t able to give you the same two-day service as before. The insecurity of shipping during the pandemic, which is ongoing, remains. Here’s some insight into why books are still taking forever to get to you:

The pandemic has been brutal to the book industry, publishers, authors, and bookstores alike. As any small business, most bookstores have had to close their doors losing profits without their browsers, but more specific to the book industry is how publishers have been able and not been able to respond to supply chains and shipping constraints. On top of not being able to operate with doors open, bookstores were now unable to predict neither when new releases were going to arrive nor when special orders for customers were going to come in stock. Backlist (titles that are not new releases for a publisher) books were deprioritized at book printers, which meant many books that were normally available became limited and eventually backordered.

All of this has been rough for authors, who have had books released during this time and have been unable to promote their book and booksellers have not been able to handsell them, but also unfortunate in that if a reader wants an older book, they could not purchase it because the publisher was no longer printing it.

The pandemic has been a trip for publishers, who have had to cut staff and find new solutions for printing as China became an ever more difficult place to import and export goods and paper becomes even scarcer, as well as deal with an overrun shipping industry. (If you want to read more about the global and long term issues with paper shortages and how book paper has been deprioritized by paper mills, I would check out this article from BookRiot.)

Last but not least, the pandemic has been rough for bookstores, who can't guarantee products to their customers and have had to place orders through large-scale distributors that have large warehouses filled with books and priority in ordering from publishers, rather than the publishers themselves, which is more expensive in an already economically tight time. They couldn’t get highly anticipated titles in time for their release dates and have frequently had to cut staff and work limited hours.

Over the last month, we have seen a global demand for books on racial injustices. Some of these books are already bestsellers and stocked in stores. Some of these books are older titles that only larger stores that have larger inventories might have in stock, or specialty stores, or black-owned bookstores. But the demand quickly overwhelmed anything bookstores have on their shelves, then overwhelmed what the warehouses have stored, and stores had to turn to the publishers for copies. Publishers have already been in quite a knot of having unreliable supply chains making them unreliable suppliers for bookstores right now.

Now, publishers are having to change their re-crafted plan of prioritization during Phase I of the pandemic to react appropriately to the Black Lives Matter movement. They know these books are important, but they couldn’t predict that everyone and their mother would have a burning desire to educate themselves on racial justice. They had to re-organize their printing schedule to make sure that the titles that focused on antiracism were the highest priority product. Interesting to note as well is that most book printing is done domestically, but if a book uses more than two colors, they are usually printed overseas. These books can take four to six weeks just to cross the Pacific Ocean, which means that many children’s picture book titles are still taking their sweet time to arrive to us.

But let me repeat that again: Books on antiracism are the highest priority product for publishing companies right now. How awesome is that.

And after what felt like a millennium but was actually two to three weeks, publishers are finally notifying bookstores of more concrete delivery plans. And even when they say one thing, we can’t guarantee that their word is gold. And this means that our vague answers in web orders got vaguer about timelines because we don’t want to over-promise and disappoint.

So, that is why we took a month to get you your copy of How to Be an AntiRacist or White Fragility. That’s why even though AntiRacist Baby came out last week, we don’t have any copies on the shelf. And that’s why we are having trouble believing the timelines the publishers are giving us, and consequently giving you vague answers.

No matter where you purchased these books from, unless you get an audio or digital book, you probably had to wait. You might still have to wait as everyone continues to keep selling out of their shipments in record time. This means that the consumer has incredible power in where their money goes. There is no difference in convenience between Amazon and us right now, especially because publishers supply books to independent bookstores and their distributors before they supply books to Amazon. So, now the consumer is making a decision on where they want to buy their books solely by where they want their money to go. (I acknowledge that there may be other factors, but I am breaking it down to be as simple as possible.)

Island Books, especially during the pandemic, has always been a huge proponent of shopping small and supporting the communities you live in. Whether you are buying from us, a boutique, a family hardware store, or whatever local shop it is that makes your community unique and special, we want you to give your dollar to them. This moment in history has given us so much space and called so much attention to the comparison of ease vs. value. It has called attention to the humanity of small businesses and independent bookstores. Now, activists are calling our attention to investing in Black, Indigenous, and communities of color to think about how we are voting with our dollar, to think about how much power we hold when we invest in one company vs. another. We want to call attention to the power and responsibility that consumers have. Investing local, within your own communities, is so important. Investing diversely is important to make sure that there is a more diverse and competitive market out there for consumer choices. Investing for the future is also a huge focus at this time.

Our Island Books Stay At Home T-Shirts! Available until June 30.

Of course, we want your support. But we want your support even more because you understand why you are supporting us, the value we bring to the community, and the passion we have for working in it. Though we cannot host events in our store or be a gathering place, we long to be able to return to that state. Independent bookstores cannot last through the months ahead unless our communities choose to invest in them so that they will be able to be places of education, entertainment, community, and emotional value.

We hope you continue to choose investing in us. Investing in the future ensures we have a future.

— Kelleen

[afreakingdork]

A Crash Course in afreakingdork’s Kacchako Fanfiction

So this is mostly for me, but as of now (and has been for a few months) I have 21 different Kacchako works. I wanted to make a list of them with my feelings on them and the differences explored in each. I will put it under the cut in case you aren’t interested in a long post... 

Note: I will be listing them in chronological order from date of completion (oldest to most recent)! 

1. Challenge

Actually and technically my first Kacchako fanfiction. Shameless house party smut. 

2.  Building Blocks

My first full-blown story. A cute falling in love scenario. I’m proud of this as my first full fledged story, but I am not a fan of the weird present tense writing I decided to go with. 

3.  Virus

This story really is much less about Kacchako and more about my first desire to explore a character’s feelings. In this case, I wanted to explore a scenario where Katsuki has to question his own sanity considering how full of himself he is. Since so much of this story is absent of direct Kacchako vibes, I even tacked on a little epilogue just to give myself some shipping! 

4.  You Don't Care

By this point I really wanted to start exploring Ochako’s end of the spectrum, but what came out was this strange self-depreciating smut? I was not a fan of this, but I am a big proponent in not deleting stuff, so it still exists. 

5.  The Art of Seduction

Born of pure comedy of wanting to see how different character dynamics can work. A bit of a self-insert since I had written so many chapters of fanfiction at this point that I gave Ochako a role of doing something similar. I let her craft the story for me as a way to make amends for doing her dirty in the previous work. 

From here on out, I typically go for a much stronger Ochako. I want to clarify that there is nothing necessarily wrong with the idea of writing self-depreciating sex or even relations just to help one forget bad things that have happened, but I just felt like Ochako is so much more than that. 

6.  Reunion

What I consider to be my Magnum Opus. I really wanted to tackle an extremely complex emotional subject matter and knew I had to do it with extreme caution and care. I will forever be proud of what I accomplished, regardless of the few negative reviews I’ve received. 

7.  Deceiving the Universe

To clear the air from the previous work. I jumped into a pure romantic comedy scenario. I also wanted to tackle a Katsuki that was a more open and willing participant while Ochako is the one being blindsided. Also also I wanted a Katsuki truly born of two fashion industry parents (a bit of Ouran Hitachiin twins if you will). 

8.  Explosive Crowd

Inspired by Record Store Day, I wanted to write a story about drummer Bakugou and Band Crew Uraraka~ I’ve always wanted to write a Jiromomo companion piece for this... 

9.  Love: Drenched in Pink

For the record, this was before I knew of Hori’-sensei’s original concept for Bakugou! I just independently wanted to write about a Bakugou that is hit with a ‘love potion’ type quirk and acted completely OOC in love. I ended up with this crack version where his real self is trapped inside. I didn’t realize it during the conception phase, but my editor helped me really straddle the line of whether or not Uraraka was taking advantage of Bakugou. It’s sad I hadn’t thought of it during conception, that she was in a position to do something like that... 

10.  Better Than Masturbation

My most popular fic and pure sexual delight. I wanted a sexual story that was really based in reality. This fic also marks me returning to the ‘greedy’ Ochako from You Don't Care, but in a way that I feel redeems myself of that previous story. 

11.  Face

If you noticed that the chapters were wonky, that’s because this was originally written as a one-shot. It was hands down too long to be one (it’s longer than some of my early multi-chapters), but I am a huge fan of this story. One of my favorites. 

12.  Improvement List

Another character study on Bakugou. This time I wanted to play around with a Katsuki that never truly grew after his time at UA. I had to insert OCs to help progress this future fic along and to this day I’m not sure how I feel about that... I also feel bad that Ochako is largely absent, but it was necessary to have Katsuki grow on his own and not for someone else. 

13.  Wrapped Up

Inspiried by a tumblr post, a fun little romp in a friendly co-worker type future fic. 

14.  Heat & Traveling Water

The beginning of Kacchako Week 2019. I landed on a bit of a 50/50 satisfaction rate on these. I feel like for some of the fics, like this one for example, I didn’t have much of an original idea and my homages ride close to straight copies where I just insert different characters. 

15.  Routines & Coincidences

In the Kacchako Week 2019 split, this is on the better side. An idea that really took shape thanks to my editor! Purely domestic sweetness with a surprise ending. 

16.  He & She

I test out the length of what fanfiction can be and, in my opinion, I wrote an art piece of pining. This story was a thousand needles in my heart to write and relatable to anyone who’s ever loved someone who didn’t love them back. 

17.  Texts & Contests

Kacchako Week 2019, an homage gone a bit too far. Not a huge fan of this one. 

18.  Potions & Departing

Have you ever been possessed to write a story? Hand’s down my favorite of all my Kacchako Week 2019 stories. I adore this fic and I really poured all my fantasy juices into it, when I’m not even that big on fantasy! 

19.  Hot Sauce & Eggs

The only homage that succeeded. This story took on a life of its own and I rewrote the ending multiple times. I am quite proud of this action packed buddy cop/robber story! 

20.  Onsens & Boyfriends

My most recent finished work. It started out as pure crack, but I eventually got the wheels moving on something I liked. Unfortunately something I liked meant basically me dropping as much Kacchako in favor of writing a story about abusive overbearing parents. Again, I don’t feel 100% comfortable with OCs propelling a story so it falls in a weird place for me. 

21.  Lies & Dragonflies

Unfinished and the break-out star of all my Kacchako Week 2019 fanfiction that even got me my first fanart! Why does it remain unfinished mind you? It’s because I’m not satisfied with what I’ve written past the first two chapters. Anything I tried to write after them ended up not feeling as strong, but as I’ve mentioned before I don’t like to just delete work. It feels like cheating. Also chapter 3 and on require the story being propelled by OCs which I famously don’t like. So here this story rests, in a grave while I am petrified to continue. 

So what’s next?

Well I do want to finish Lies & Dragonflies because I also hate to leave work undone. At the same time I have the first chapter written on a sexual revolution story that center’s around Ochako. I’m not sure when I will continue, but I definitely plan on doing so. 

[cowlsmash]

name.   midoriya izuku

nickname.   deku

gender.   cis male

romantic orientation.   panromantic  –  no preference for gender.

preferred pet names.  he doesn’t like them!  his mother has free reign to really call him whatever she’d like ( cause mom ), but for the most part, other people giving him pet names doesn’t sit well with him. He imagines he could probably get used to a couple? Maybe like dear or honey or something, but he doesn’t really seek or give them too much. . .

relationship status.   single.

favorite canon / fandom ship. I’m gonna level. I’m not. The biggest shipper. Gosh. BUT. I’m absolutely in love with b/kdk ( thanks @explodie, also see jay’s explanation to understand why i love it so much, it’s so eloquently put in their post and I just swoon ), and t/ododeku? Got-dang that’s my shit. So cute, so pure- my mother literally called me when she first started watching the show ( yes momma samee watches the show, she texted me today to ask me who won the fight between Bakugou, Deku, and AM because she was too anxious not knowing beforehand ), and was like ‘so you like the green boy and icy hot, right?’. So. I have a type. 

    tbh I’m probably not ever gonna just say no on a ship without good reasons? As long as there’s chemistry, I’ll probably be all over it - case and point, tbh I’m not the biggest fan of canon oc/hakodeku? Mainly cause canon is shafting my sweet uravity because i just haven’t seen a lot that my gray brain sees as romantic between them? But I have seen. . . . so much cute content, and great writers, that I definitely could see the ship working beautifully. But yeah, ship and ship alike lbr \ o /

favorite crossover ship.   oh gosh. . .  can I say Deku/Sora???? idk if I can if only because that’s so much heckin sunshine in one room, but that’d be really cute. . . oh, or Deku/Riku. I’m on a KH bender ( for obvious reasons ). . . I don’t hate that. . .

opinion on true love.   not a chance. it’s not that Izuku is terribly pessimistic about love- quite the opposite! He loves the idea of being in love with someone who loves him back and spending the rest of his life with that person. But true love? No way. Love is something that you work for constantly and make better and better, but it is by no means guaranteed or certain. To him, the idea of true love is almost akin to soulmates, so he’s not a big proponent of it. But he will work for love in the same way he works for anything else.

opinion on love at first sight.   absolutely no way. Infatuation? Certainly. Interest? Yeah. Love? No.

how romantic are they? 

ideal physical traits.   it sounds contrived, but Izuku’s not too hung up on physicality. He definitely wants someone strong and capable, someone that keeps up with his lifestyle and someone that he finds attractive in general, but discerning specific features in general? That’s difficult for him. He sincerely thinks that almost everyone has some sort of physical feature that they just own, and were he a more confident and outgoing sort, he may even tell more people what features those are. But as it stands, he’s pretty shy about those sorts of things and tends to keep those thoughts to himself.

ideal personality traits.   someone who motivates Izuku to be better than he is. he loves those around him that he can draw inspiration from, those people that he finds to be so incredible that he has to push himself to keep up. that and the same person being intrinsically motivated to better themselves alongside him? Keeper. always pushing forward, that’s huge for him. it doesn’t hurt if the person is thoughtful and expressive, even if that expression is very individualized and takes a little work on his end to suss out; he’s willing to put in effort ( probably more than his partner ).

unattractive physical traits.   you really think Izuku’s put that much thought into this please he hardly thinks of attractive physical traits, he doesn’t have time to focus on stuff he doesn’t like.

unattractive personality traits.   boorish, brainless sorts, people with complete and utter disregard for others or a general contempt for others’ wellbeings, be that physically, emotionally, or otherwise. people who either act like they orchestrate the world or who think it revolves around their wants, or people who seem to take pleasure in the suffering/misfortune of others. Strictly speaking, arrogance and even some thoughtless behaviors don’t bother him- the malice behind these actions is what bugs him, or unfounded hubris at the detriment of others.

ideal date.   . . . i refuse to say ranking All Might’s top 20 fights while eating dinner in his apartment. that would be something a lame loser would do, a real chicken-little sorta kid, and izuku is not a lame loser. Except that he is talk All Might to him and he’s yours.

do they have a type?   not really.

average relationship length.   probably dependent, but I do see Izuku as the sort of person that wouldn’t even enter a relationship unless he had weight behind the decision and an intent for something long-term. he’s not the sort for quick or serial dating, so if he agrees to be with someone, at least he’s anticipating it being long term.  At the same time, I do see him as the sort to let people down gently if he doesn’t see it that way, or if he just can’t fathom why they would ask him what are you serious you’ve got to be kidding wait think this through you know who you’re talking to right-

preferred non-sexual intimacy.   definitely napping together is a big one, but in general just idle touches. he’s not an incredibly tactile person with most people, so for him to just be able to reach for someone, hold hands, play with their hair. . . that’d mean a lot. 

commitment level.   steadfast and stolid. it would take a lot for Izuku to agree to be in a relationship with someone, between his ambition, his own anxiety and self-worth concerns, and more, so if he was going to, he’d commit to it the same way he commits to everything: wholly and completely.

opinion of public affection.  depends. most things he’s not into really; it’s his business and he doesn’t need the world involved. but like. . . c’mon hold my hand i’m cold. or hugs from behind. little stuff that if you squint you could tell wasn’t platonic, but like. . . c’mon. we’re just friends who hold hands and stuff. He’s all for that.

past relationships?  none.

tagged by: @explodie​ 

tagging:   please say I tagged you and do this it’s interesting

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

Garcy!

Ooh this was fun to wake up to this morning! My looooooooves...

When I started shipping it:

Okay so to be fair I was dragged into Timeless by @captainofthefallen (who cheated and just started sending me pictures of Lucy and Flynn and telling me how hot they were because I’m a hopeless bi) who told me in advance a lot about Garcy as a ship, so I was kind of primed to go into it shipping them. I kind of spent the first few episodes going, “oh ho ho I love these interactions I can’t wait to start properly shipping them” and then 1x10 happened and there was the whole team-up and talk with the horses and I went oh dear I’m in T-R-O-U-B-L-E and then 1x11 and so on happened and I was just flinging myself headlong into the Garcy abyss and oh look I haven’t climbed out yet (and never will).

My thoughts:

Look, I am a queer polyamorous woman who is not here for your bullshit heteronormative soulmate nonsense. I am a huge proponent of free will and I will take a story where two people find and choose each other over and over rather than a story about two ‘soulmates’ who are destined to be together for Reasons.

Having said all of that.

OHMYGOD THEY ARE SOULMATES SOULMATES SOULMAAAAAATES I LOVE THEM SO MUCH LOOK AT THEM MY LOVES MY LOVES MY LOVES MY LOVES MY LOVES MY ANXIOUS ANGSTY SAD HURTING DARLING TURTLES I WOULD DIE FOR THEM TO BE HAPPY TOGETHER THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER AND THE WORLD DARE! I! SAY! SOULMATES!!!!!!!!!

What makes me happy about them:

How they support each other and see good in each other (Flynn sees Lucy’s a genius and an expert and a leader, Lucy sees that Flynn’s not a monster and is still a good but sad man), how they call each other out on their bullshit but never judge each other, how they are so soft with each other, how they let themselves be vulnerable with each other, how they will argue until they’re blue in the face over their clashing principles but still listen and respect each other, how Lucy just delights Flynn to the ends of the earth, how Flynn makes Lucy laugh and surprises her, how they honestly apologize to the other one when they mess up, how they know each other better than anyone else, how they stick up for each other to others, the tol and smol, how Lucy’s not afraid to get up in Flynn’s face and yell at him from day one, how Flynn never wants to hurt Lucy and how he puts all his faith in her, I could go on forever oh my God I love them so fucking much.

What makes me sad about them:

You mean besides The Abomination? That they are both such broken people who are hurting so so much. They hurt me constantly with their angst. But that’s why they’re so good at supporting each other and helping each other to heal.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me:

Well to be honest I only read Timeless fic by authors I really know closely and trust like @qqueenofhades. I have read snatches of random fics or skimmed other fics because friends sent them to me, but I don’t actually go into the Timeless tag on Ao3 and find fics out.

Having said that, in those snatches of random fics that people have sent me, there are two things that annoy me (please excuse the salt).

There was for a while (I don’t know if there still is) a rash of cheating fics, like where Lucy cheats on someone (Wyatt or Noah or whoever) to be with Flynn (I think in one of them Flynn was also married? But not to Lorena? anyway) and seeing as how in canon Lucy literally stated (to Wyatt) that she would never disrespect someone’s relationship and cheat or help someone to cheat and Flynn himself was still loyal to his wife 4+ years after she died, it felt so out of character for me. I don’t like cheating fics in general, but it being out of character as well, I just. What.

Also I personally don’t like to read Garcy fics where Flynn is the dominant one in the bedroom, LOL. It’s just so obvious to me, in my personal opinion, that he’s submissive to Lucy and that Lucy is dominant in bed, at least with her male partners. So if Flynn is the more dominant one I just... can’t get into the smut, haha.

Things I look for in fanfic:

Lots of character introspection, really well thought out character dynamics and behavior, lovingly poking fun at Flynn being trash--fics that don’t overlook his flaws in favor of making him a perfect soft husband because he IS a perfect soft husband but he was an entire season of flaming garbage fire first--Lucy getting to be a badass queen and not someone who needs saving, slow burn, sass, sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife and serve it for dinner.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

I can’t see Flynn ending up with anyone other than Lucy, honestly. That’s why in my Flogan fics I don’t have Lucy be in the fic, because while I loooooooooove Flogan with all my dear stupid heart, I 100% can’t see Flynn meeting Lucy and not falling in love with her. So Flogan, I suppose, or Lorena of course, but only with Lucy out of the picture.

As far as Lucy goes... I can see her with a woman, haha. A historical woman, or Jess even, or possibly Emma in an AU where Emma doesn’t pull all the shit she pulls in season two (especially specifically killing Carol and getting Rufus shot). I can’t see her with a man besides Flynn, though. I can see her with Wyatt in the sense of Garcyatt, but not Wyatt on his own. I tried to like Lyatt, really I did, before Wyatt became a complete asshole in season two, but they just don’t have the spark that you really need. If you ask me, Lyatt’s only interesting in the context of Garcyatt where they’re both in love with Flynn.

So yeah it’s hard for me to see them with someone other than each other because SOULMAAAATES but I can make it work in certain capacities.

My happily ever after for them:

They defeat Rittenhouse and each take time to settle through the trauma and loss they’ve experienced, and get therapy, and then they travel the world for a bit on Mason’s dime because they want to be together and happy but not ready to just go back to the regular world just yet, and Lucy eventually decides to go back to being a history academic and gets her PhD, and Flynn actually decides he wants to get a degree in history as well because he’s come to have a new appreciation for it, and they eventually get married, and eventually have a couple children (Maria and Ethan) and Amy’s back and she promptly adopts Flynn as her older brother, and they are happy, happy, happy because it’s what they DESERVE.

Who is the big spoon/little spoon:

Flynn is sometimes the big spoon but generally they sleep so that Lucy’s on his chest or they’re facing each other so not much spooning happens in general. There is definitely cuddling, so much cuddling, just not spooning.

What is their favorite non-sexual activity:

Going to museums and historical places and Lucy talking Flynn’s ear off for hours about it. Also just cuddling together and reading in silence, enjoying each other’s presence and the quiet.

[keywestlou]

MORNING STEW #30

Morning Stew time again!

I have 2 days of notes to share. The reason being I limited yesterday’s blog to the UN Madrid meeting and a climate change solution discussed. Kill people! Too many people on Earth contributing to CO2 emissions.

Someone commented I should have discussed Brexit instead of the environmental issue. The reason I did not is the professional media highlighted Johnson’s victory.

Most are aware of Brexit and Johnson. Very few are aware of murdering a portion of the population to slow down global warming.

I open today with a short bit re Brexit. Technically the United Kingdom withdrawing from the Euro Union. Unintended ramifications may result however.

Johnson supports Brexit.

Johnson concerns me. He is an ultra right conservative. I suspect in the same mold as Trump. I sense England traveling the same path the U.S. has the past 3 years.

Enough re Brexit for the moment.

Not through with Johnson and Trump, however. Both are peroxide blonds. Their hairstyles best described as radical.

The English have compared Johnson to a “potato in a blond wig.” He also has a wayward tongue as Trump does. During the campaign Johnson claimed that voting for his party “will cause your wife to have bigger breasts.”

Trump has had his day(s) for insensitive negative comments about women.

Johnson and Trump are birds of a feather. Yesterday, today, and will be tomorrow.

A New Delhi convicted murderer says he should not be hanged because New Delhi’s air pollution is already killing him. India has some of the world’s most toxic air. Certain regions are referred to as “gas chambers.”

The man’s crime was the torturing and then raping of a woman on a bus.

One of the more extreme Republican Congressmen is Matt Gaetz.

This past week during the House Impeachment hearings, Gaetz raised the issue of Hunter Biden. The issue of Biden’s alleged drug and alcohol abuse.

He was immediately stopped by Georgia Democrat Hank Johnson who said, in effect, beware! Intimating Gaetz might be the pot calling the kettle black.

Gaetz’s father was a powerful State Senator.

Gaetz had his wayward moments. One DUI. Several others whose records could not be found. Re the one recorded DUI, Gaetz refused to take the breathalyzer test. An automatic one year suspension of a person’s driving license. His license was not suspended.

It is also claimed Gaetz had 16 speeding tickets between 1999 and 2014.

Gaetz not an Obama supporter. He was a prominent proponent that Obama was not an American citizen. He also claimed Obama had ��homosexual tryists” with Massachusetts Governor Devan Patrick and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

Interesting since some claim Gaetz is reputed to have an alternate gay lifestyle.

I am not sure what is true and what is false re Gaetz. I have shared that which is out there.

FOX News is not always correct. Re the following, I am in complete accord however. FOX’s representation that “iguanas have turned Florida into Jurassic Park.”

Florida is finally encouraging its homeowners to kill iguanas found on their property.

Current iguana problems include: Battling each other, showing up unannounced in people’s toilets, digging underneath house foundations, chewing up power lines, and destroying sea walls.

Florida has finally recognized that the iguana population is exploding exponentially. Florida fears it may have waited too long to deal with the problem.

Iguanas began showing up in the 1960’s in Miami-Dade County. Native to the Caribbean, Central and South America, they were shipped to south Florida as pets. The pets left their new domiciles and became marauders.

Melania Trump is anti-bullying. One of her pet projects is discouraging bullying. Her campaign is labeled Be Best.

Greta Thunberg is a 16 year old environmentalist from Europe. She has been traveling the world discussing the need for everyone to combat climate change and global warming.

Time Magazine last week recognized Greta as Person of the Year. There she was on the cover of Time Magazine.

The President was apparently unhappy with her selection. So he bullied her. He tweeted: “So ridiculous…..Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend. ‘Chill Greta, Chill!'”

I never cease learning. Today, blue whales.

Described as the largest known “animal.” It is an “animal.” A marine animal.

So big. Bigger than the dinosaur.

Up to 100 feet long, weighs 200 tons, tongue weighs as much as an elephant, heart as much as an automobile.

Why so big interesting. Food availability. Prey. Other fish. So many in the ocean that each time in gulps a mouthful, the intake is huge and adds to its size.

Popeyes finally opened in Key West thursday. I drove by. Traffic in parking lot and in line in road heavy. When things quiet down, I will try Popeyes’ chicken.

The noted poet Robert Frost spent the winter of 1934 in Key West.

It was the heart of the great Depression. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President. He began the Federal Emergency Relief Administration.

Julius Stone was appointed Administrator of the Southeast Division. Included Key West.

Stone envisioned Key West as a tourist attraction. An astute observation! He worked at making it so.

One of the first things he did was to make Key West an attractive place for actors, authors, artists, etc., to visit. That is how Robert Frost got to Key West the winter of 1934. He was part of Stone’s program.

This morning’s Citizens’ Voice carried another complaint about the price of tickets for performances at the relatively new Key West Amphitheater. The complaint: $99 tickets “robosold” within seconds to “scalpers” who in turn resell them for $400.

Locals are left out in the cold.

Recall, I had this problem when I went to buy Willie Nelson tickets.

The City should look into the problem. I have a developing concern. I worry the City may be getting a pay back (probably legal) from the operators and scalpers. Or, perhaps the operators themselves. Again doubt it is illegal. It is not right, however.

Let’s find out how the system works. And if possible, make it work for the benefit of Key West locals also.

Penis fish. Yes, there is such a breed.

Look like a penis. About 10 inches long. Even has what appear as testicles at one end. Some describe its appearance as that of a “wiggly pink sausage.” Others as a  flotsam from a wrecked bratwurst freighter.

Pink penis fish have been around 300 million years. Live 25 years.

They are found only from south Oregon to Baha.

The penis fish live under the sand in the beach area near shore. The underwater beach area. Called the intertidal zone. A strong storm occurs. It pulls the penis fish up and out and throws them on shore. Thousands at a time.

Syracuse plays Georgetown at 1 today. An old rivalry from Big East days.

The President’s Cup is tiring me out. Being played in Australia. A much different time zone. Kept me up to almost midnight 2 nights ago and last night till after midnight.

Today the final day. Twelve matches. I have no idea when they will finish.

Kim Jong Un keeps testing Trump. Trump keeps doing nothing. Trump claims he and Kim are friends so he is not concerned.

This past week, North Korea tested another super dooper missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and reaching the United states.

Appears to me Kim is saying to Trump: “Up yours!”

Kim has set a deadline of the end of the year for the U.S. and North Korea to work things out.

The “love affair” has obviously ended.

Another of Key West’s exciting attractions tonight. The Christmas Boat Parade. Many dressed up boats participating. Thousands on shore watching. For personal reasons, I will not be participating.

Enjoy your day!

        MORNING STEW #30 was originally published on Key West Lou

[thelegendofclarke]

how do you think a jon and sansa endgame would end up being if it happened? i saw something saying that it seems like people don't think about what the side effects of them getting together would be long term and i am wondering what you think?

Hey Anonny!

Oh man haha, this is such a LOADED question honestly. Because I feel like it all kind of depends on the context of both the tone of the post, and whether it was referring to the books or the show or both.

As far as responding to the post… Since I don’t know what it is or what it said or the tone of it, I can really only kind of attempt to guess and then base my responses on my guesses?

If the post was saying like “no one thinks about what would happen if they got together because no one thinks about them getting together/no one thinks they will get together” then I mean, I can only speak for myself, but I can certainly tell you it’s not true because I think about it ALL THE TIME. I probably spend faaarrr more time than I should thinking about Jon and Sansa getting together lol. I have actually always thought that Jon and Sansa had good canon potential, it’s one of the thing that drew me to the ship in the first place. They are both characters I care about and want good things for, and I think they would be both good to each other and good for each other. To me, that’s part of the appeal. I wasn’t always vocal about it yeah, but that was more due to a lack of having anyone to talk to (aka screech and flail at) about the particular possibility of them getting together until like a year ago than anything else. I mean, canon isn’t by any means a necessary part of shipping, but I do think it’s pretty normal to a certain extent (said extent NOT including shipping wank and wars and anon hate and telling people to kys and all that ridiculous bs). I feel like wanting to get to see your ship make out on screen/in print is a pretty common occurrence and I don’t get discounting or dismissing or ~poo-pooing~ it really, if that’s the direction the post was going in. It goes both ways too, people are just as free to think that canon doesn’t support a ship as they are to think it does. Canon and speculation and the like are just as much a part of shipping for some people as fanfic and fan art, they can put just as much time and effort and dedication into meta, speculation, ect. ect. as fanwork. And tbh I really don’t see anything wrong with that in general. To me it’s fun- I like thinking and speculating about what might happen. Like so many things in life, I am usually The Worst at it, but I love it all the same.

If the post was saying something more like “obviously no one thinks about this because they would realize it should/shouldn’t happen, or it is and/or isn’t going to happen” I pretty much disagree with that too. Shipping, fandom, and media consumption in general is sooo subjective. When people say something “clearly” is or isn’t going to happen, what they are really saying is that it’s clear to them. And what is clear for one person isn’t always the same as what is clear to other people. Different people have different life experiences and different dis/likes which gives them different biases. As a result, no one is going to read a story the exact same way as anyone else. People aren’t going to like and dislike the same characters, and they aren’t going to value or interpret relationships between those characters in the same way. Things that stick out to me may have never occurred to some of my friends, and vice versa. That doesn’t make either of us wrong, it just makes us different. Like I said above, shipping something canon or endgame isn’t a necessary part of shipping. And even if someone does ship a pairing as having canon potential, they aren’t required to think about every single possible outcome. A ship isn’t a thesis statement, you aren’t writing a 500 page paper on it that you are going to have to defend in front of a panel. If people want to focus on the good possible outcomes and not the bad ones, they are allowed to do that. In fact, I think its more than natural that people would want to focus on the good and not the bad imo. Fandom is supposed to be fun, people are going to go about it in whatever way is fun for them. This might just be me, but thinking about how terrible it would be if my ship ends up together isn’t necessarily all that fun for me.

If the post was just like an ~innocuous~ “here’s what I think what do you think?” type thing then again, I feel like that’s such a natural part of shipping. “Endgame” is such a pervasive and present part of shipping culture. I don’t see why this fandom would be any different, especially after all the Jon/Sansa content from s6. I am a big proponent of letting people do something they enjoy in whatever way they enjoy it ya know? And largely I think it goes both ways, people are just as free to discuss why they think canon doesn’t support a ship as why it does. Not everyone does things the same way as I do, or like the same things or ships or characters, and I’m cool with that.

And as far as what I think ~A Canon Jon/Sansa Relationship~ would look like, I can say I have definitely given it a lot of thought. Most of my thoughts revolve around the book series, but I feel like a lot of them could be relevant to the show as well.

One thing that I do think is easy to take for granted is that “canon” or “endgame” means “happy ending,” but I don’t necessarily think that would be the case for Jon and Sansa. Instead of a happy ending, I see it as more of a hopeful one. Both these characters have been put through the gd ringer and the story isn’t even close to over yet. Not only will they be recovering from all the trauma they have been through and they family they have lost, but they will also be dealing with Jon’s new identity, which they could both see as a loss in itself. Jon always wanted to be a Stark, and finding out his true parentage is going to be an hugely emotional blow. And even though they were never close in their childhood, Sansa could see it as her loosing another sibling. For them to not only have to be dealing with their new relationship as cousins, but with a new relationship of husband and wife, is going to be rough. Of course there is a chance they got find happiness, there is the hope that they could find love and form a partnership like Ned and Cat did. But GRRM in all his evil Santa, ridiculously trolling glory has promised us a bittersweet ending, so the chances of us actually ever getting to see that hope for happiness become a reality is like, slim to none.

But it would also be just like GRRM to pull something like this, because in a way it would be just his brand of asshole irony. Both characters would be getting exactly what they wanted in the last way they ever expected. Sansa always wanted to marry a prince, but I bet the last place she thought to look for one was her bastard brother. And Jon always wanted to be a Stark and to be Lord of WF, and now he would potentially be getting that through his marriage to Sansa. Another thing is that a potential marriage between Jon and Sansa would be able to keep them both in the North permanently and pretty much ensure they wouldn’t have to leave again. All the Starks’ narratives have been about going home. If Jon is going to also be dealing with an identity crisis, then it could be huge relief for him to not also have to worry about loosing his home and family as well. And that’s the other thing that has been so important in the Stark’s narrative: the importance of family bonds and the strength of the pack. A marriage between Jon and Sansa would be giving them both the promise of a family that they have both yearned for.

One think that I personally don’t think will be part of a Jon and Sansa endgame if it happens is that they would actually be in love when they married. Yes, this is just completely me speculating; but I don’t think that Jon/Sansa makes sense in a scenario in which they end up together because they fell in love first. First of all, it’s way to happy for ASoIaF- if Jon and Sansa were to fall in love first, then I think they would end up being separated, because its GRRM and that’s how he rolls. Secondly, I think that Jon and Sansa getting together would be more a marriage of politics and convenience (at first) than one of actual love. I don’t see both being part of the equation. And thirdly, due to some pretty heavy mental and emotional baggage, I just don’t know if either of them will be in the right headspace to fall in love right away. I think there will be a lot of emotional tension, but that’s parting of what makes it such an intriguing possibility. 

A very, very general overview of how I see a Jon and Sansa marriage going down is that it would a political move to unite the north and south and/or the realm. I think Westeros is going to look very different after the BftD, mainly in that there isn’t going to be an Iron Throne anymore. BUT that wouldn’t necessarily do away with the need for political alliances. In fact, during such a time of uncertainty and instability and upheaval, alliances would likely be more important than ever. If the Starks and Targaryens want to solidify an alliance between them, marriage would likely be the way to go. Both Jon and Sansa will likely be less than pleased and more than a little crabby about this. Jon will likely be dealing with his own identity issues, and Sansa will likely be resentful about yet another man who is marrying her for her name and her claim. I feel like it would probably take a hot sec for them to work through their personal issues before they even ATTEMPT to start working through their issues together. I also feel like there could be a fair amount of guilt involved on both sides, especially in the even that they DID end up starting to have feelings for each other. All that angsty tension just adds another layer to the story that makes it even more interesting, it’s why I am such a big fan of Angsty Assholes in an Arranged Marriage Au Fics. But in the end, both Jon and Sansa are fundamentally good characters and we want good things for them. They are both characters I care about and I think they would be both good to each other and good for each other. To me, that’s part of the appeal. So I think seeing them having the hope for happiness, even if we are never going to see the happiness itself, would be enough. 

No, I haven’t thought of every single out come or detail, and I make no claims to have done so. I haven’t compared the likelihood with every other possible pairing, and I know there are pairings for both characters that have just as much, if not more potential for happening. I haven’t thought about what the endgame for all the other characters in the story would be if a Jon/Sansa endgame relationship were to occur. I haven’t accounted for every single solitary variable and I’m not claiming to speak with any type of authority. I just think that in all its ironic glory and twisted romanticism, that this is an ending that is a definite possibility. 

[fuckawah]

all questions for oxenfree. :>

oh man. oooooooh man, and it’s not even my birthday.(question sheet!)

1. what otp/s in your fandom do you just not get?weed beanies. i’m not here for it. i’m super not here for it. they just hate each other sfm, and by the end of it, those layers of distrust are just so copious that i don’t see it ever being feasible? also like, the one superficial hangup i have on it is that people who are very anti-smoking, like ren, wouldn’t tolerate a smoker, like jonas. it’s a huge deal-breaker tbh and if they’re that cold-shouldered, it’d probably wash them out.

2. are there any popular otps you only brotp?alex and jonas. alex and jonas. alex and jonas. al  e x   and  j o  n a s . ya fkn don’t. i am not here for that brady bunch shit, even when we’re in a michael-lives loop. especially when we’re in a michael lives loop. alex is so adamant when she refers to jonas as a brother. in flashbacks, in the ending where she calls him her “other brother...” this is appalachian and i will not hear any of it. 

3. have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion?god no. 

4. do you have a notp? are they a popular otp?yes and yes. see 1 & 2. i’m also not a huge proponent of poly ships, so the ren/nona/jonas three-way doesn’t do it for me.

5. has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?not in the oxenfam, no.

6. has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?i wouldn’t call it a hate, but i really didn’t see the appeal of alex/nona until i engaged more with the fandom. i just love ren so much, and didn’t think alex would step on his toes like that? but if he cooled his jets on nona long enough to let alex skate in wearing shades and carrying a boombox, sure thing. 

7. is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?let me tell you about claris ---- . nah man. i’m pretty easy-going there. 

8. have you ever received anon hate? what about?nope. and for nothing fandom-wise at all, really. except for that one thing, hunger games fandom.

9. most disliked characters? why?i actually love them all. i think they’re all dynamic, they’re excellently written, and there’s something noteworthy and fun in every single one of them. michael is my most disliked by default. you get a good impression of him, but it’s harder to emotionally invest in him when he’s dead.

10. most disliked arc? why?there aren’t any story elements i’d really pick a bone with, except one. it isn’t an arc, though, so i’m saving it for later.

11. is there an unpopular character you like that the fandom doesn’t? why?ren! the general consensus is that ren is kind of a drainer, but i really, really love him. he’s endearing, he’s funny, and he reminds me of someone i love a lot. i completely understand people who have problems with recreational drug users and how this affects their behavior, and that people think this is really intrinsic to ren’s character ---- but if you spend more time with him, and you really let him talk in group scenes, there’s just such a fondness between him and alex that seems so important to them both. i cannot hurt that boy. i need him to be ok. 

12. is there an unpopular arc that you like that the fandom doesn’t? why?does the loop count? does the ending count? i know people were dissatisfied with alex being trapped for eternity, but that’s good horror for you. the fact that she never really wins, that she is eternally punished, and that she truly suffers a fate worse than death... it’s established in the game+ that this isn’t all for nothing. that one girl’s sacrifice saves infinite more from suffering unnecessarily. it’s a perfect ending for a game that’s all about fate, loss, and redemption.

13. unpopular opinion about XXX character?clarissa is a c --- actually no that’s pretty popular. 

14. unpopular opinion about your fandom?not really acquainted with the fandom well enough to be able to answer.

15. unpopular opnion about the manga/show?neither of these things exist, and the one thing i’d mention here is relevant a little later.

16. if you could change anything about the (game), what would you change?first of all, you’d rename it to “oh no, the game.” and then you’d remove the option to revive michael. HERE IT IS, this is probably my most “unpopular” hang-up here. the game emphasizes that time is time. alex and friends are creating the time anomalies, and they’re altering things that ought not be altered. the sunken’s end goal is something we see as reprehensible because they’re dead, they have had their time, and they’re not owed any more. the same is true of michael. yeah, he died pretty tragically, and no, there aren’t any specifically Right or Wrong choices in oxenfree at all, but a game that’s so ardently enforcing the “appreciate the precious little moments you have before they’re over” bend shouldn’t offer the grand reset of playing god and restoring a life. your choices do mean something, but i think it robs them of a little meaning if michael comes back.also, fuck clarissa. 

17. instead of XYZ happening, i’d make ABC happen. instead of going into the fucking cave i’d throw rocks at the sea for like 11 hours straight.

18. does not shipping something “popular” mean you’re in denial and/or biased?not at all. ship what you want, bro. just not incest.

19. what is the one thing you hate most about your fandom?the pitchfork mob after that witch clarissa. there’s something important to be said about grief, learning and forgiveness here: depending on circumstance, grief will manifest in ferociously different ways. alex and clarissa have both lost someone very important to them, and become two extremely different people because of it. the game never discredits either of them in this. people hurt sometimes, and they can --- and do --- hurt other people because of it. people hate clarissa because of how she chooses to channel her grief towards alex, who scapegoats for a very tragic accident that yes, could partially be her fault. it’s emotionally engaging, but it’s also very moving. your choices, and the events of the game, can engineer a safer space and a better outlet for clarissa, and she has the capacity to learn and grow if you treat her with measured compassion. her grief is valid --- hurtful, but valid. let the woman mourn.

20. what is the purest ship in the fandom?ren and nona.  R E N N       AQN    DN  NO  NA    ??????/also, i fly into the sun on my jonas/nona otp ocean liner. they’re perfect, i love them, i want them to get married and have all the babies.

21. what are your thoughts on crack ships?there is only one real (not defunct by death, haha clarissa haha) ship, so pretty much anything is crack. most of it can be fun! roll with it. ROLL with that ren/clarissa action.

22. popular character you hate?i love all of them, fuck off mate.

23. unpopular character you love.ren and clarissa. see above.

24. would you recommend XXX to a friend? why/why not?absolutely. have done, will do. oxenfree is an achievement in story-telling. it’s beautiful to look at and listen to. it’s engaging, compelling, at times frustrating, and boasts some really impressive performances. the humor is top-notch and well-balanced with the soft scares. overall, a joy to play.

25. how would you end XXX/change the ending of XXX?there are so many different outcomes that you can really tailor this question actively when you play. i can get everything i want out of it: i can nurture the important relationships, put certain women in the void, and make sure certain womens’ dead boyfriends stay dead. 

26. most shippable character?alex, easily. she works with everyone she isn’t related to.

27. least shippable character?michael, ‘cause he’s dead.

[androidavenger]

Thanks for the comic suggestions, they are a HUGE help! I'm probably going to start with the Vision and SW miniseries because I'm ship trash and I want his life not to be so awful. Maybe once I learn more characters I'll try Champions because I've grown attached to Viv and the idea of Soccer Dad Vision is very appealing to me. (PS: thanks for referring me to magistrate-of-mediocrity, A+ content and I instinctively trust Data fans)

Happy to help! ☺️

I’m really glad he’s getting more fans bc let’s be real he deserves it - it’s kind of impressive to consider he was in limbo a few years ago and now his solo’s probably going to win a hugo if the world is fair - getting vizh more exposure (and thus the solo and thus viv tbh) is the only thing I’ll ever thank joss whedon for

also my dude we’re all shipper trash don’t worry - although in my case that’s also because vision doesn’t really have alternate ships? there’s wanda and then virginia and then mantis’s intense thirst and then I guess jocasta? deathcry? that one time he went on a date with carol with that image inducer on and they had hotdogs and went jet-skiing? I will note I am a proponent of bi vision though honestly

oh and a note about champions - it’s okay, but also it’s kind of heavy-handed and waid writes viv very differently to the solo, although he might improve with the upcoming viv-centric issue I’m hoping - there’s yet to be an exploration of either vision or viv’s thoughts about what happened or their probable ptsd, although that might be coming up in the viv issue of champions or apparently secret empire of all things for vision, but like I’m reading that

soccer dad vision is my favourite thing possibly ever though so it’s kind of worth it to read champions I feel - and it kind of makes me feel like his life’s looking up a bit like he’s not so tortured because either no-one read the solo or they’re ignoring it I swear being a b-lister lets you get away with so much shit and he can just be a suburban dad but minus the breakdown this time

I hope you enjoy reading more about them and whoever else you get attached to!

[musiccosmosru]

Though I no longer actively participate in it as a pioneering player in the networking space I have always kept a watchful eye on the market and I am seeing yet another disruptive force known as SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide-Area Networking) finally gaining momentum.

For starters, SD-WAN is an extension of Software-Defined Networking (SDN). As the term implies, SDN aims to automate (virtualize) various network functions that are currently touch-heavy.

Network architects talk about separating the control plane from the data plane ad nauseum but that is just the starting point. The ability to virtualize numerous network functions from a central location and thus create an abstraction layer in a manner that is custom-tailored for each enterprise – and, by extension, perhaps for each user – has been the Holy Grail of networking for years if not decades. Tom Nolle, president of CIMI Corporation and a longtime proponent of all things SDN, is spot on when he states that: “SD-WAN is absolutely critical, because it is the vehicle most likely to bring true virtualization to networking. Without virtualization in the network, virtualization in the cloud or data center will never be fully realized or effective.”

The need to be connected to the mother ship is what brings the Cloud into its meaningful existence because we live and work at the edges of the Cloud. SD-WAN is not just a market but a platform as well that will eventually evolve into user-defined WAN (UD-WAN). To clarify, the term applies to enterprise users and not consumers. And the purpose of SD-WAN is to connect and fully integrate the very edges of the enterprise – be it corporate headquarters, branch/remote offices or the mobile millions. In other words, us, the users.

But if we look at the concept of the cloud it is pretty clear that it is referenced in an abstract form. After all what is this cloud thing? Some physical space in a non-descript windowless warehouse? Without its tentacles, the cloud is nothing more than a collection of computers, storage and cooling systems created by geeks and for what purpose? It is those very tentacles in the form of wide-area networks (WAN) that give the Cloud its purpose. And given the explosive adoption of cloud-based applications (Box, Dropbox, Salesforce, SAP, Slack, etc.) cloud computing is not a fad, it is here to stay. However, that is just the beginning.

The migration towards digital transformation has already started with countless enterprises globally either evaluating and/or transitioning towards this new and very promising paradigm. To use an analogy, a bullet train cannot run on top of railroad tracks laid over a century ago. New and innovative methods are needed to fully leverage these emerging and very promising models. Enterprises can see the immediate benefits of the cloud, such as lower cost of ownership, reduced bandwidth expenditure via hybrid networks, and greater control of security and network-policy administration.

To get a full appreciations of the potential of UD-WAN and its effect on cloud-based computing we need to examine what happened to the mobile world once Apple launched its App Store (and iTunes) and the subsequent effect they had in the consumer sector. With each new app and new song release the App Store/Google Play started to expand like the mobile versions of the Big Bang. According to Statista, the number of downloads in 2017 was 178 billion, expected to grow to 258 billion by 2022. That is a huge number even by Dr. Carl Sagan’s standards. I’m not suggesting UD-WAN will generate those numbers, but it will certainly generate a lot more than the most current analysts’ optimistic projections. No one predicted the numbers the App Store/Google Play would generate.

To put things in their proper perspective let’s also examine how the edge operates. The edge is a physical location (branch office, remote office) with employees connected via high-speed connection to HQ/enterprise. In addition to voice calls there are numerous apps that enable the Edge to integrate with HQ’s cloud-based operations. For the most part these employees are not stationary; they move about staying connected via mobile phones creating what I call the extended edge. And if you add the retail sector complexities increase exponentially. Think Amazon, Starbucks, Spotify and others where consumers transact via their mobile phones.

How are current hardware-only suppliers (read: Cisco) helping integrate all those devices ‘seamlessly’, a concept Cisco coined in the 90? This is now a colossal conundrum for most CIOs. On one hand, any CIO worth his or her stripes can recite in their sleep the speeds and feeds of the network, servers and storage capacity, but most have no clue as to the number of apps, version releases, usage data and productivity benefits of each. Their problem is analogous to consumers’ apps issues. As you are reading this can you honestly state how many apps there are on your mobile, their respective usage data and release versions?

So what’s the answer? More bandwidth – 5G followed by 6G, of course. The only problem is what if you only need it temporarily or periodically. Unfortunately bandwidth is not a utility (yet) but UD-WAN could potentially change that, a concept not favored by Cisco and its complicit carrier cartel!

And when we use our apps there is no service provisioning, network management, security constraints, firewalls, policies to consider, nothing in the form of the expensive and intrusive network administration. And there are no network-administration dictators controlling how we access our apps. It’s all there but the users are abstracted from those complexities. The end result is users simply download and use apps as they need them and when they need them. Apps-on-demand if you will, and it’s coming to an enterprise near you, I assure you.

Innovative SD-WAN players such as Aryaka, Breeze Networks, QOS Networks, VMWare (via its Velocloud acquisition) and a host of others are already laying the foundation for the future of enterprise networking because they know it will be applications-on-demand (user) centric and NOT box (router) centric. No more NAT, DHCP, MPLS and all that Layer 3 crap. According to Frank Cittadino, CEO of QOS Networks: “SD-WAN is currently addressing 2018 issues, which is Layer3 (routing) focused; however, the true promise of SD-WAN will be fully realized by 2021 when we focus on Layers 8/9 when we address UX [user experience] and tackle business needs with both urgency and efficiency.”

Yes, the cloud is going to be huge because we are finally ready to move up the protocol stack in the enterprise world and use software-defined services like apps-on-demand – user-defined, application-aware networking. Definitely something to look forward to! And, for argument’s sake, I purposely stayed away from including IoT (Internet of Things), which will make the cloud look and feel obese. 

(Bill Baker is a successful technology-turned-media entrepreneur and a start-up veteran in the telecom, wireless and mobile markets.)

This story, “How SD-WAN will make the cloud much, much bigger” was originally published by

Network World.

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