#and can the interracial couple be happy for more then five minutes damn

[mymitochondriaforpresident]

Simon: *being treated with anything less than optimal love, happiness, care, kindness, adoration, protection*

Me: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

@anonfromtheflight: 🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓

[filmmakerdreamst]

‘Boy Meets World’ Re-watch (as an Adult)

‘Girl Meets World’ doesn’t count as a sequel. Not because of the writing/tonal choices but because in the original show - despite continuity issues - the characters felt like real people e.g. the way they spoke/acted/dressed was the way people behaved in the 90s where as in the spin off, they were Disney characters e.g. hyper versions of themselves especially Cory and Eric. And the transition between both shows didn’t come naturally. It’s not an objectivity badly written show but it was pretty much a re-do of the old show with the same storylines/tropes without continuing the story. (I say the same thing about ‘The Incredibles’. vs ‘Incredibles 2’.) Also there were too many cooks in the kitchen pushing one way or another. You could see Micheal Jacobs style, all the aspects were there, but he was also creating a ‘DISNEY’ show at the same time. I don’t know about you but the one message I took from the original show was ‘finding out that life cannot be packenged into a lovely little present ’ which kind of contradicts everything that the new show is. If anything GMW is an AU universe (and it really felt like that, rewatching it right after BMW e.g. it felt flipped) almost like Disney’s version of ‘what happened next?’ The primal difference between both shows is BMW is portraying what is real and GMW is based on what is real.

Going off my point, I will however be always thankful that it exists because I probably wouldn’t of found out about ‘Boy Meets World’ otherwise. Although saying that, I never thought that the original show needed a continuation of any kind (a lot of things make sense about the spin off if you acknowledge that Disney requested it - I think it would of been much better off on its original platform) ‘Boy Meets World’ was very much a product of its time i.e. when tv shows were still relevetivley new and had no rules - like there is stuff in there that not even adult shows today have. Plus there was something about it that felt very personal (such as the characters and setting) as if the creator based it on his own childhood growing up and I think that was part of its charm and why it had such a big effect on pop culture - I’m not so sure you can repeat that.

BMW is big on meta I’ll tell you that. I love how it’s so aware of itself. The amount of depth that it has never ceases to amaze me. It’s whole universe is so dense and huge. Every quote/storyline is so unique it sticks in your brain forever. (I swear the humour got more and more deranged every season). The show was also incredibly queer and progressive.  It didn’t give a crap about sexuality. Much more than I remember. Proof to never use ‘but it was made in the 90s’ excuse.        

I loved how the show kept reinventing itself every season as Cory grew up so you really felt you were growing up with him and all the characters. The Character Development on this show was so natural/authentic. Every single character got a chance to shine. No one changed their look in one episode and no one had an intervention every time someone had an identity crisis (GMW) My favourite development was Shawn Hunter. He went from a cool kid to a ladies man to a poetic soul. It was so satisfying to watch.

I realised that Cory Matthews is actually my favourite character (before it was Eric or Shawn) I already have a special soft spot for ‘annoying’ characters because they tend to be the most memorable/real. For example, Karma Ashcroft from ‘Faking it’ was my babe while everyone was hating on her. I really related to his anxiety/self hatred about being average and I loved that he constantly made mistakes. It was very refreshing. He’s also incredibly queer-coded. I found that alot of his mannerisms make sense if you see him with extreme compulsory heterosexuality (because identity’s such as bisexual or gay couldn’t exist normally in the 90s) There are moments in the show where he literally mimics his best friend’s behaviour around girls e.g. when the class pretty much gets brainwashed by the sex ed video in ‘Boy Meets Girl’ Shawn gets asked out by a girl, making Cory jealous - which pushes him to ask out Topanga.

It’s funny how a few years of life experience can change perspectives completely because when I was sixteen (aka the same age as Cory and Topanga) watching BMW for the first time, I was mad at Amy for ‘not understanding that they were in love’ (in ‘A Walk to Pittsburg’) but now that I’m older I’m actually agreeing with her. Yeah, what do they know about love? Because all season long they were acting quite superficially.

Cory and Topanga became somewhat of a toxic couple in seasons 5 -7. Reminded me of my parents relationship because my mum gave up her chosen university to be closer to my dad and they aren’t together any more. Topanga’s love for Cory was very conditional and Cory cheated on her multiple times/openly begged for sex  (Again like my parents) And you should never be in a relationship with someone who makes you say “You make me think not so very much of myself” There are arguably much more signs of emotional abuse than love in their relationship especially from Topanga’s side. Plus their story was altered so many times to give it more basis (they retconned Shawn and Cory’s friendship to do this) I could write an essay on how Kevin and Winnie’s love story on ‘The Wonder Years’ is much more believable because it actually addresses how toxic it was and they grow apart in the end. If GMW was a realistic continuation, they would be divorced with a little girl - leave them in the 90s where they belong.

Alan and Amy were couple goals! Cory and Topanga wish that they could have what they have. Literally the definition of ‘a healthy relationship on tv that keeps thriving and over coming obstacles without big drama’. Best TV parents ever.

I loved the Matthews family; how they all had individual arcs and developments of their own. One of my favourite arcs was in season 5, when Eric and Cory were both jealous of what they ‘didn’t have’ with their dad, so Alan made an effort to give them both that they needed. Honestly, I had never seen so much healthy communication on TV before. Alan is the best father around. His whole personal arc of giving up managing a supermarket because he wasn’t passsionate about it anymore and buying a mountain store was so inspired. I found it funny that the family had more of a relationship with Shawn than Topanga.

Shawn Hunter never caught a break. It got a bit tiring. He was never allowed to be happy for five minutes. Every time he laughed or smiled, 5 years were added onto my lifespan. Why didn’t Johnathan Turner adopt him? I loved their dynamic. Why did he let him go back to his abusive father who just dumped him anyway?

Jack and Shawn’s complicated dynamic was possibly the most unique/interesting arc of the entire show and no one talks about it. I don’t care what y’all say - despite them being very different, Jack was the only one who fully took care of Shawn without second thoughts (Turner and the Matthews family had doubts)

I liked Shawn and Angela. I thought they were much better suited than Cory and Topanga. I honestly wouldn’t of minded if they ended up together even though I always had a feeling they wouldn’t. (Like I’m glad she went with her dad in the end) And considering how important they were as a interracial couple in the 90s, GMW handled that very poorly.

Shawn and Cory should of ended up together. And before you come at me with ‘it’s important to have m/m friendships without toxic masculinity’ (which is an important arguement to have) - yeah no shit there’s an entire Industry based around that/pitting women against each other. While it is important to have those friendships between men that are close and even intimate (take Chandler and Joey, Schmidt and Nick, Isak and Jonas and Jake and Charles for example) there was also another layer to their relationship which the narrative played off sometimes as them “going out” or “in love”.  I actually recently found out that a writer - who came into the show in season 3 - confirmed that she wrote gay undertones into their relationship on purpose ‘In my opinion as a writer, they thought they were “straight”, they both didn’t realise or understand their feelings for eachother’ but couldn’t deliever because the producers wanted to keep the show “kid friendly”. Kind of like Xena and Gabby. I know people prefer Jack & Eric (I love them as well) but everything got ruined for me as soon as they introduced the ‘love triangle’ and I always tend to prefer emotional tension over sexual. They were just so unconditional with each other/ their friendship was so good and healthy and now I’m so bitter that it never happened.

I never understood why Shawn and Cory had to stop being best friends after he got married. He’s not Topanga’s property. I always hated how Topanga tried to interrupt/interfere with their dynamic — although now I realise it was because the two of them purposely left her out. Looking back at it, If it really was just a intimate friendship then why would she get so easily jealous if she didn’t sense there was something else deeper going on? You should never marry someone who puts you second.

I didn’t like Topanga when she was with Cory (or vice versa) Especially after they got married. She was a great character on her own. Feminist before her time. Hermione Granger before her time. I always felt she deserved a lot better than him in a way e.g. if someone I considered a friend speard a rumour around high school that we slept together - I would never speak to that person again. SHE SHOULD OF GONE TO YALE GOD DAMN IT. And as someone pointed out the other day, if the roles were reversed some of the stuff she does or says to Cory would be considered domestic violence. ‘She’s always blaming Cory on shit that isn't even his fault or makes him feel bad or shuts down his emotions and turns it around so he's comforting her instead.’ There was even a moment in GMW (not that I consider that show a continuation) where she locks him out the house for a few days after he insulted her chicken, and his son Auggie had to bring him spaghetti. If Cory was a woman, that would not be played off as a joke - that would be considered abuse. They were however a better couple in GMW ironically.

Angela Moore is now one of my favourite characters on BMW. She was beautiful. Her friendship with Rachel (and Topanga) was the best. And I frickin’ loved her and Cory’s friendship development - when they could of easily not played into that. I hate that she got villiaized in GMW.

My favourite seasons are 4, 5 & 1. My least favourites are 3 & 2 & 7. And even then the show was still pretty darn good.

The back and fourth clash between Turner and Mr Feeny in season 2 was very entertaining.

Mr Feeny and Eric are my favourite relationship on ‘Boy Meets World’. I love how Eric was the only person that Feeny directly told that he loved him. Also, why didn’t Eric become the new Mr Feeny? He showed more traits of becoming a teacher in the show than Cory did.

Eric and Tommy was probably the most heartbreaking plot line in season 6. (That season was an emotional train wreck) I cried for a fourth time. The world doesn’t deserve him.

I loved the development of Shawn and Topanga’s friendship. Even though there was a silent competition over Cory, they eventually became good friends. I found out that the song ‘She will be loved’ was inspired by them which is awesome but it’s also proof that people ship for less if it’s an m/f dynamic - just sayin’. I however see a more convincing potiental romance with the two of them than Cory and Topanga sometimes.

On Cory and Topanga again - they weren’t a bad couple overall. I liked them in s1 - 3. They had some great moments. But upon my rewatch (getting out of that 90s idealised headspace) I found them to be too similar at times - chafing as another person put it - to the point where they cancel each other out. A lot of people pointed out that Riley and Maya paralleled them and I was thinking “That’s not nesserily a good thing.”

‘Dream. Try. Do good.’ is on my mantelpiece.

[veroticker]

Hike hike, baby - Xavier Neal

You can buy the book on Amazon.

Summary (from Amazon)

Yasmine

Pause, take a breath, and glisten...

That's the better way to phrase Yasmine Brown sweating to death on her first hike, which is, obviously her punishment for being too cheap or too stubborn to buy the outdoor-loving woman she calls her best friend a stupid gift.

Most people are willing to accept her famous baked desserts as the perfect present. After all, she is an internationally renowned pastry chef.

Unfortunately, that trick doesn't work when your best friend is also your employee.

One little trek to make the birthday brat happy won't kill her, right?

Sutton

Halt, take a sip, oh no, she's slippin'...

One minute Sutton Thisleton is having a drink, and the next he's helping the most gorgeous woman he's ever crossed paths with out of the small hole she fell into.

Most people wouldn't see this as the right opportunity to grab a date. They also wouldn't wander from city to city because the wind seemed to shift them another direction one random afternoon.

Good thing he's never been most people.

One assisted hop back to the vixen's vehicle won't completely change his life, right?

What will happen when these two opposite worlds continuously collide?

Will they find a way to create a sweet, long lasting treat together, or will it end with one of them being told to take a permanent hike?

Blurb

“I’m melting.

I’m literally fucking melting.

I’m literally fucking melting like an ice cream cake some dumbass left unattended on the picnic table on the hottest day of the year, in the hottest place on this whole goddamn planet.

With the puddle my dark chocolate skin seems to be creating at the tips of my red tennis shoes, I can easily say: that wicked witch bitch has nothing on me.

Another sweat droplet cascades down the side of my face causing me to sneer.

This shit is unacceptable outside of the kitchen, except for, I guess, sex, but I haven’t had the latter in far too long to recall if sweating is an accolade to your impressive stamina or negative assessment to your out of shape nature.

My head hangs forward as I try to appease my burning lungs with air.

Okay, so I’m not the most fit person on the planet, obviously, but I wouldn’t call myself out of shape. Hustling around a commercial kitchen is hard work, especially when you own and operate the business. No, it’s not like jogging a stupid marathon or going cross country for charity, but it’s still vigorous. I’m still on my feet every day sweating my tits off. I still do more than the ten thousand steps or whatever it is the smart watch I got as a gift from my youngest sister tells me I should be doing for my size. And I damn sure am moving twice, if not three, times as much as the skinny Minnie birthday girl who talked me into doing this bullshit to celebrate her “special day”.

Why couldn’t we have gone out for a nice steak dinner and glass of wine?

Or a cheap steak dinner and shots?

Maybe even a tacky nightclub and wine coolers?

Where’s the alcohol that should always accompany birthday accommodations?

“You comin’?” Eddie Shaw, Sienna’s husband, asks from the bottom of the path I hadn’t realized they had already made it down.

I force my face his direction.

That fe-fi-foxy giant of a man is just as at home as she is in this wilderness. 6’5 and built like the lumberjack who is not afraid to chop down any tree in the forest. From the stories his wife tells, tree trunks aren’t the only hardwood he’s capable of swinging.

While I want that, dear God do I want that, I’m on the verge of thirty-five and willing to simply settle for a…thick stick being thrown my general direction.

Desperation has a fun way of dropping a woman’s standards.

Not that I need a man in my life.

It’d just be nice to have someone to share experiences with.

Call to vent to when my best friends, who are also my employees, are frustrating the shit out of me.

Have crawl between my legs at night instead of the neon red BOB I upgraded myself to for Christmas.

Perhaps this year, I’ll get one of those models that comes with an earpiece so you can listen to a sexy male — who sounds like Idris Elba — talk dirty to you.

Swear on my favorite oven that if those exist, I will get one.

“I don’t think she heard me,” Eddie innocently states to his wife.

“She heard you.” Her swift correction is followed by her brushing a long strand of her brown hair away from her face. “She’s just not done mentally cursing me out for making her do this.”

I point her direction before promptly tapping the tip of my nose.

His deep laugh freely echoes across the lush foliage, and the love of his life can’t help but grin.

Ignoring the second pang of jealousy is hard.

It’s not like their marriage is perfect.

It’s not like neither have flaws.

Hell, on this hike alone, they’ve gotten into at least three arguments…only one of which I am convinced was in good spirits.

But they still have…each other.

They’ve still managed to find someone who compliments their souls…who they want involved in all aspects of their lives…whose bullshit they willingly tolerate…

It’s a beautiful relationship to have.

Unfortunately, for me, as the years tick on by, it’s becoming more and more apparent I’m the only person in my little world who has an open position no one is interested in filling. We’re not just talking about unwilling to grab an application. No. We’re talking cross to the other side of the street to avoid even making eye contact with the store.

Sometimes I get the feeling I’m gonna be married to my macaroons forever.”

(review under the cut)

Review

(audiobook) In one word, delightful! It was funny, sweet, sexy, insightful, full of body positivity. The narrators were both excellent.

You get a black tall curvy girl who’s full of insecurity but lives her dreams with a pastry shop, and a blond demi-god who sees beauty in everything and can’t stay in one place forever because he wants to visit the world. And you get the beautiful story of how they find each other and they learn to compromise to make their relationship work.

It’s a mature story. The major problems they encounter come from themselves, and they just have to grow up and change their way of seeing things. All of that with a lot of humor and a touch of sexy.

I also enjoyed the author’s way with words--I read some words that I’m not used seeing in romance novels (or any novel, actually). It’s both witty and poetic. I really loved some of her sentences.

I waited a long time to hear/listen to this one, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Quickie

Series: standalone

Hashtags: #romcom #opposites attract #interracial romance #curvy girl #instalove

Triggers: suggestion of underage sex (in the past)

Main couple: Yasmine Brown & Sutton Thistleton

Hotness: 5/5

Romance: 5/5

+ Sutton’s free spirit and his way of seeing the world

- some side characters were more annoying than interesting

Stalker mode

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