#and I love interacting with my fellow nerds 😊

[fistfuloflightning]

Hell yeah it’s open!

You know, an interesting tumblr transformation that's happened gradually, and which I've seen no one talk about: ask-culture has essentially dropped off to nothing.

By which I mean, asks used to be WAY more of the tumblr economy. They used to be more common to send, and receive, and see. They were integral to the collaborative, forum-like behavior of old tumblr communities, not even to speak on the HUGE number of ask-blogs that used to exist to only be interacted with in ask-form.

I'm not saying this in a vying-for-attention way but instead in an observational way: I used to get way way more asks in like 2015, even with a fraction of my follower count. I wonder if it's due to the homogenization of social media sites? There's a lot more of this divide between "content creator" and "consumer" instead of just a bunch of peer blogs who would talk to each other. "Asks" aren't really a thing on twitter, are they? And as I understand it, the closest thing to an "ask" on instagram or tiktok would be a creator screenshotting some comment and responding to it in a new reel or video or whatever those content mediums are. Are asks just too tumblr-specific? Is that aspect of the site culture dying out as more and more people converge to using all their social media sites in the same way?

[maximuswolf]

I Just Wanted To Interact With My Favorite Community

I Just Wanted To Interact With My Favorite Community What are your top 5 favorite games of all time? To make this post more discussion worthy, I would appreciate it if you could explain what makes them your favorites ��. May it be a sentence or a whole novel, I'll read everything you type! I believe this will not only help potential discussion, but it can also introduce fellow gamer's to new games 😊. Mine are:Skyrim - This is my comfort game. I love the world, lore, gameplay, stories, etc. I also can't remember Skyrim making me mad/rage, not even once. Grounded - This game singlehandedly changed my dislike for the Survival genre! It's easy to understand, and has solid replayability. I love the story, and the characters (except Willow. Quit being mean to Weevil's WILLOW!). I also have a weak spot for games that do character builds! Stray - Probably my favorite story based game currently. The story is amazing, and in my opinion, beautiful! I also like finding the secrets because it's a fun challenge, and it extends playtime. I plan on getting a B-12 tattoo in the future 😋! Until Dawn - My absolute favorite horror game! The story pretty much being up to the player is awesome! I also love it's massive replayability! I enjoy all of the characters (except Emily. Fuck you, Emily.). Also, I'm a big cryptid nerd 🤓! Warframe - Admittedly, I don't have the most playtime on Warframe. With that being said, I'm absolutely in love with this game. There's sooooo much to do, and I'm excited for the thousands of hours of fun and memories ahead of me! Sci-fi RPGs are also something I massively enjoy, as well as MMOs. The plethora of options this game gives you to personalize your experience is mind blowing to me!! There you have it! My top 5 favorite games of all time! I'm excited to read what you have to say, and learn about the games you love most 😊! Submitted October 26, 2024 at 10:51AM by The_Blazing_Gamer https://ift.tt/Bwr6yYX via /r/gaming

[usedtobeguest123]

Encantober - Transformation

Hello, can I talk your ear off about the music in Encanto, specifically Bruno's instrumental themes????? What if I promise to give you some unsolicited character writing tips on the side....😁

So was on the struggle bus with my current WIP that focuses on Bruno, and wanted to reconnect with the characters in order to better ground my depictions of them. Rather than watch the movie (again), I decided to listen to the instrumental versions of Lin-Manuel's songs as well as Germaine Franco's amazing score, and wrote a little way longer than planned analysis to condense my thoughts.

I'm nerding out a bit about it all (okay, I'm nerding out a lot…), so I wanted to post it for my fellow Encanto lovers to nerd out with me. Today's Encantober theme is transformation, so thought it was a fitting day to post it :)

A rough musical analysis by a very non-musical music lover below the cut 😊

1) Songs: WDTAB/All of You

To recognize Bruno's main instrumental theme, it helps to start with the instrumental version of All of You. It's easy to pick out here, as it plays in the part where he is singing (and in one other place…more on that later). Listen in at 1:08. This is when Camilo would be singing "So, we're gonna talk about Bruno?"---and leads right into when Bruno sings for himself. His theme is a sort of boom dih dih dih boom dih dih dih boom dih…dih…dih (yes, those are the technical terms), a strong base hit interspersed with plucky-piano. 

What I love about this theme is how it mimics the movements of the character, and defines how he interacts with and perceives his environment.

Bruno often moves with big jerky movements sandwiched by small fidgets—hesitation, explosion, hesitation/doubt, explosion, very rat like. When a rat moves, it evaluates the environment, moves, pauses and sniffs some more, moves again. The tip-toe of the piano gives the feel of creeping or gingerly stepping, while the boom recreates the jerk into action, the push to make a big move, framed by caution. 

This says a lot about Bruno's perception of the world. He's grown to be wary of his environment, like a rat sensing out danger. If he's gonna move, better make it quick (maybe before he talks himself out of it!), and then pause again to re-evaluate if it's safe to keep going. He avoids detection, tip-toes, sneaks from cover to cover—you can almost see him moving when you listen, shoulders hunched, hood drawn. Bruno is wary of being seen, as being seen has meant danger to him in one way or another. Many fans have interpreted what this danger looked like in many different ways (from social ostracization to actual physical danger), but at the very least we can identify a high level of learned social anxiety that forces him to proceed with caution and keep a low profile when interacting with others (more on that later). Bruno has learned to tread carefully because of how others have perceived him, through the lens of his gift. 

Of course, once he's in the walls, fear of being seen takes on a whole new meaning. Discovery at that point would mean the consequences of discovery of the vision as well, and discovery of his shame—he never left/couldn't leave, and has been reduced to a rat in the walls of his own home.

When Camilo is singing, we hear a different feature associated with Bruno—the whine of a synth keyboard (I think?). It gives me major theremin vibes, and the song draws on that classic horror sound to drive home a "villain," seven-foot-frame image of Bruno, as portrayed by Camilo—-and, more importantly, as seen by the townspeople. 

Let's backup to WDTAB. If you listen to that instrumental version, you can hear that the synth sound picks up right away (on the line "Bruno walks in with a mischievous grin," no less!). It comes in and out, and even picks up a more complex melodic pattern here. It's the townspeople's fear—but it's not a horrific dread sound; it's actually a bit playful. Now, part of this is because it's a Disney bop, but I like to think that this also points to the nature of rumors—we get enjoyment from spreading them, and the Encanto-folk are clearly eager to dish. Listen to how creepy this guy was! Ooooo doesn't it give you the shivers?! It's like a fun ghost story around the campfire. This juicy piece of gossip is a favorite to share. 

BUT Bruno's actual theme—the one we hear when he actually speaks in All of You—doesn't appear until 1:33 of WDTAB. It's when the townspeople are sharing their grievances that we really hear his tip-toe, like he's tip-toeing through the minefield of their complaints. Now we can see the shapes he's learned to step around—you can almost see him weaving through their disgruntled narratives in the song. The music shows that here is where that learned social anxiety was formed.

Note that the theremin synth drops away when Isabela and Dolores sing their parts in WDTAB. When Isa sings hers, the plucked rhythm of the strings mirrors Bruno's plucked string style in his theme, though the melody changes. I think this speaks again to careful footing—they both share anxiety at being found out, being truly seen, and live life having to tiptoe their way through social interactions. Where as Bruno's plucked strings are jerky, Isa's are more graceful. When Dolores picks up, the plucked strings are replaced with a symphonic strings in a very romantic princess-esk style of longing. 

To tie things up, let's pull forward again to All of You. In this song, notice the theremin-synth sound also drops away as soon as Bruno speaks, and we don't hear it again. We are left with the real Bruno—meek, anxious, and full of nervous energy, the antithesis of scary. The theremin really only appears in Camilo's part, highlighting again the one character in the song who was really only there for the novelty of the rumor and the story telling opportunity, and had no memory of the real guy. THAT'S Bruno???

In the end of Bruno's part in All of You, the melody overtakes his theme, symbolizing his unconditional acceptance by his mother and sisters and his reintegration into the family. 

Also, let's not forget the nod to Let It Go! It's perhaps just an easter egg, but character-wise, I like to think it's also testament to his use of quirky meta-humor to deflect and avoid uncomfortable vulnerability. Does everyone in the room always get his jokes? Nope! But he can still disappear in the confusion!

Character Takeaways, for writing reference: 

When uncomfortable, Bruno often moves and speaks in quick, nervous bursts, interspersed with small fidgety movements.

Nervous energy reigns supreme. Bruno hides behind quirky, lighthearted, sometimes meta humor as a way to deflect and avoid being seen/made vulnerable.

Bruno has learned to literally and figuratively tiptoe around the townspeople, and eventually, around his own family. Post-movie/All of You Bruno is unlearning/releasing this social anxiety around his family through the experience of (unexpected) unconditional acceptance 

Isabela shares a similar underlying social anxiety to Bruno, though it manifests differently. They both have experienced having to tread carefully around other's expectations

Camilo is full of it. 😆 He feeds off of the environment to parody it, finding his drive in giving the people what they want to see—much like his gift. This can be a boon and a detriment to his character.

Knowing/hearing the real Bruno dispels the rumors that evolved in his absence

2) Instrumentals: The Rat's Lair, Tío Bruno, and It Was Me

I'm sure there is a lot more to say about these three pieces, but my main takeaway comes from the contrast between plucked strings/knocking percussion and wind instruments/bowed strings in Bruno's pieces, and how they reveal his layered character and his developmental arch.

In The Rat's Lair, we get Mirabel's (and our) first real impression of Bruno. Whereas the chase scene leading up to this piece is full of cacophonous, screechy strings (Chasing the Past), this piece has replaced those fearful sounds with plucked strings. We again get that image of tiptoeing, and it's playful. His room is full of mischievous rats, he's nervous and jumpy, and Mirabel is just trying to figure out what the heck is going on. We get a nice contrast between the expected Bruno (scary) and the real Bruno (quirky, but sweet and harmless). Also present are a bunch of percussive knocks, a nod to his superstitious/compulsive knocking.  

Contrast this with Tío Bruno. This piece plays when Mirabel first peeks through the crack to the dining room, finally getting a look at the real tragedy of Bruno's situation. Tío Bruno has the main Encanto theme throughout (we also hear it when the Encanto is being created at the beginning of the movie). It's a nod to the miracle, but it's mournful here, with parts in a minor key. The miracle has had tragic consequences for Bruno. Tío Bruno is full of woodwind instruments and bowed strings (as opposed to plucked). Rather than nervous tiptoeing, we get raw emotion, frequently underlined by a sustained guitar tremolo (??) that speaks to the familial tension driving it all. Tío Bruno plays when Mirabel gets past all the nervous deflection and connects with Bruno in a meaningful and vulnerable way. Under it all, Bruno is deeply sad, carrying the dismay of a miraculous gift gone awry and the tragic consequences of his last vision. 

Finally, we have It Was Me, which acts as a redemptive contrast to Tío Bruno. In this piece, the plucked strings return (he's nervous, confused by Abuela's unexpected embrace). It then transforms into a grand symphony as Mirabel, Abuela, and Bruno take off on the horse toward the ruined Casita, and then a chorus singing the Encanto theme when Julieta is reunited with Mirabel. It ends with the All of You theme. All of this follows the action of the scenes from Mirabel's perspective, BUT if we look at this from a Bruno perspective, apart from the scenes' action, we get a redemptive arc. 

It Was Me carries Bruno's nervous plucked strings (tiptoe, anxiety) to disappear in the Encanto theme chorus (miracle, hope). He is reunited with the Miracle (his family, the true gift) and the sadness of the Tío Bruno theme is changed into the hopeful chorus that the Miracle once was (major key?) as heard in the beginning of the film. From there, the song moves into the to the All of You theme as Bruno is finally on his way to being seen and unconditionally accepted, a true healing moment. 

Character Takeaways, for writing reference: 

Bruno hides behind humor to deflect away from those vulnerable places within him. Maybe it's painful, maybe it's an attempt to keep the burden from those he loves (a cool analysis on that here!), maybe he's afraid of being rejected for being weak. Regardless, he has a deep sadness hidden underneath the nervous, quirky exterior, and Mirabel is the one to break through to it

When Bruno's defenses are down, the music slows down, and so does the movements of his character. It's like the weight of it all catches up to him, and he drops his attempts to be upbeat and lighthearted. He eventually picks the jumpy style of movement back up again in the film, when Mirabel begins to feel the weight of the situation (OR NOT! It's a mystery, it's a mystery…). In sum, when he is nervous (most of the time), he is deflecting, humorous, playful on the outside, with a deeper sadness carried within.

3) WAIT WAIT MY FAVORITE PART as a FINAL note I swear:

Bruno's theme reappears in a strange place at the end of the movie, in All of You. At 2:56, he's no longer speaking; in fact, he's not even in the scene! What's happening in the song? It's none other than the moment that Dolores opens up to Mariano (I can take it from here, GOODBYE). Bruno's theme underlies Dolores' entire speech to Mariano, but then the theme transforms at the end, rising up and bleeding into the All of You melody.

Why bring him in here? I think it's a moment of redemption. Bruno's 'bad' prophecy for Dolores is cast in a new light. The time pining after the "man of her dreams, betrothed to another," has built up in her this momentum, manifested as courage to speak out and demand what she wants (Wake up and NOTICE me!). At the moment that Mariano verbalizes that he sees her, Bruno's theme transforms into the All of You theme. Dolores is seen, all of her, and the moment arises from the backdrop of her Tío's prophecy. Perhaps this symbolizes a freedom from the confines of the prophecy, but maybe...if not for the years of not having the love she longed for, would she have had the courage to seize the moment when it came? Bruno's prophecy comes true in a way they'd never imagined, and with that comes hope—the promise of transformation. 

End of essay 😁

People more musically inclined, please feel free to add to this! Also, please excuse any misuse of musical terms, my musical vocab is wanting. I am a non-musician in a very musical family, so when it comes to music, I often feel like I've missed something important… 😆

[astralwaifu]

May I have an MHA/BNHA matchup? :0 if ur matchups are closed by the time u see this, or u just don't feel like writing one, you can ignore!

I'm an INFP/J (last time I took an MBTI test I was equal on this...idek 😬) and my zodiacs are sun Leo, moon Aquarius, rising Capricorn

I'm introverted and quiet irl, but I get told I'm rude and have an attitude around ppl I don't like lol (mostly just a-holes like homophobes and racists), but I'm friendly around nice people :) Most of the time I have a pessimistic mindset but that changes a lot.

I also have ADHD and possibly PTSD

My kins are Aizawa, Deku, and Tokoyami. (Or Todoroki, Jirou, and Bakugou, too.)

My hobbies/passions are drawing, music, making stories (in my head cuz I forget to write everyday lol). I also like gaming, watching Youtube or Twitch streamers, and eating 🌮🎂🍕 I'm also a huge nerd and love to research pointless topics lmao (and I like research mental health :>)

I dislike really toxic people (like ab*sers or hateful people), talkative people (ppl who can strike up convos and keep them going are fine, but ppl who can't stand silence and always have to talk about something all day just annoy me :l), loud noises and alcohol cuz they're triggers for me. (I also hate the cold, idk if that's relevent tho lol)

My fashion sense is pretty much anything alt! Mainly goth, punk, kawaii, scene, and a lil emo (+kidcore and hippie 💖) I don't have a main fave so any of those are fine to me

Random facts about myself? I grew up around metal/death rock (and punk rock...pretty much every genre of rock lolol) so any types of heavy, energetic music genres are always my faves.

I used to be a brony-creepypasta fan and I still kinda am deep inside lmao, so my partner better get used to me talking about Cupcakes and Rainbow Factory...😂😬

I've been tryna regain my childhood for months now 😔 sad fact lmfao

Aaanddd I'm a geography freak :) I love learning about different countries and unique languages

Last fact! I admire alt ppl so much lol, for example everytime I see a fellow goth by baby bat ass just wants to be besties with them but I'm too shy and awkward to talk to them 😭

Again, if u don't feel like writing or ur matchups are already closed, feel free to ignore! I hope you have an amazing day 😊

I honestly didn’t know I had such cool moots 😭 Literally where have you been my entire life people?

I match you up with:

Kyouka Jirou!

Hc:

- When she saw you she instantly fell in love. On the moment she knew you were perfect in every little way, with every quirk of your personality and action. Even if you come off as rude for most people, she has literal stars in her eyes as she watches you. Will also defend you to the end of the world (it’s not your fault M*neta is being a scum again)

- Was and still is nervous around you, always blushing like crazy and fidgeting with her ears. At first, she brushed off the feelings she had, hoping they would fade away. Wrong. The moment you hit her with a geography fact, she was done, lost the war and now had the word ‘love’ tattooed all over her brain.

- How did she confess to you, you may ask… She. Wrote. You. A. Song. And sang it to you. Just imagine what happened in her heart when she found out you were just as down bad for her as she was. (Kyouka started that day to write more songs about you and by now she has enough material for an album)

- You are almost always in eachother’s presence, even if you are not really interacting. It’s just being in the same room that is comforting.

- You also go on shopping dates together and basically go through every alt shop you find, buying endless accessories and clothes, sometimes even matching things. You know the lego half heart necklace thing? You both have one of those, and never take them off (except for bath ofc)

- She help you throughout every ptsd attack. When smth triggers you, she is fast to get you out of that place and comfort you in small ways. Jirou knows that is better to not suffocate you right now, but still stays with you until you feel better. She doesn’t want you to ever feel sad or depressed again, and be sure that Kyouka makes it her goal to bring a little light in your life. In return, you always comfort and praise her when insecurity hits, reminding her of how much love you have for her, and how you’ll never let the thing you have go.

- You listen to music together, obviously, but also watch a lot of videos on youtube. When either of you comes over to the other’s dorm you do this and it’s honestly so cute (and domestic?) and i want it to.

- 10/10, easily the best gf there is.