#and looking around for stuff for the bonus list made me really get super obsessed
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punctuation-completionist · 10 months ago
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Hey, i was just wondering what the highest score you have given so far is? also! what inspired you to make this blog? do you just really like punctuation?
? ! ,
3/22
hmmm... idk exactly what the highest score would be if i took out every time people just copy pasted the entire list or times i have used them all . probably somewhere around 16 is my estimate? but i myself have hit the 22 mark so that's probably technically the highest
as for what inspired me to make the blog, at first it was kinda just the fact i realized the url wasn't taken and i figured it could be fun. but being here has certainly forced me to be a huge punctuation fan! it grew on me a lot haha
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crystalelemental · 1 month ago
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Full tierlist is here, breakdown of the B-tier. Now these ones I generally like, they've got something great going on. They don't quite hit the same highs or personal connection, but this is where I feel like we get something strong coming out.
Also, it took until after I did all this to realize that Leaf was not listed. Apparently they just posted Green and considered them the same. Which would be funny, except they did the wrong iteration. If Lear existed, she would be here, somewhere around Briar.
Arven: I adore the boy, he just barely misses out on evoking the stuff that hits A-tier. This is a personal problem and I hope to make a full recovery some day.
Adaman/Irida: Very fun duo, not a huge shipper of the two, but I think they do shine independently as well. Truth be told, I think Irida is the more interesting of the two, but Adaman is more my kind of person being a time-obsessed lunatic.
Penny: See Arven. I should like her more than I do.
Drasna/Sabrina/Lorelei: just really solid designs with some things I strongly latch on to.
Larry: Oooh boy. Okay. Listen. I like Larry a lot, but I also find his thing kinda uninspiring. Like sure, it's funny, he's got stuff going on, but I think the "regular guy" bit plays against him a bit too strongly in a generation that actually produced some Grade-A lunatics.
Bede: He's grown on me so much. I wanted to punch him when we first met, but now I want to punch him with affection.
Bianca: once my favorite rival. I think she's got a fun arc, in that she's the first rival to truly back down and find an alternate path. "But Brendan/May-" always keep up the battle pretenses. I dunno, Bianca just hit because they examined what someone who's just not into the battling thing goes through on these journeys. It was cool.
Iris: I want to like her more but her games shortchange her.
Shauntal/Cheryl/Lacy: They're just cute designs with some neat quirks.
Wally: Soft boy rival who I cherish.
Peony: Love me an over-enthusiastic father figure.
Clavell: Cheugy. In all seriousness, he's just a very cool dude. I expected him to be forgettable, but he is a serious man who is an absolute buffoon at heart.
Gladion: What if Hugh were interesting?
Dana: Masters sold me on her. She's constantly angry. Mood.
Alder: Does not get nearly the respect he deserves. Very interesting Champion figure who does interesting champion things like give children existential crises.
Iscan/Palina: I am not one to ship, but these two do it for me. They're cute.
Turo/Sada: I assume the people? They're fascinating case studies in terrible parents and kinda terrible people. The AI are your real parents and are a delight.
Tyme/Saguaro: I love these professors, so good.
Katy: Design-wise I like her a lot, and she's got a bit of the airhead vibe. And she is a baker, which is bonus points. I dunno. Katy gets it. She had my heart when she tried to rap and failed so badly she couldn't even rhyme words. Same, girl. Same.
Marshal: Punch man. Bottom text.
Briar: God, I should adore Briar, just look at her! But Indigo Disk was nothing if not an overwhelming disappointment on the whole, and she completely failed to stick the landing. I think they just tried too hard to avoid a serious confrontation of ethics on her part. They should've made her less hinged.
Archie/Maxie: listen, they're idiots, but they're fun idiots.
Grimsley: He's a fun guy.
Literally can't remember his name: Funny man. Clavell's ex. Love this dude. Christ I cannot remember his name. CYRANO! Fuck I'm up late to do all this, that is not a good sign for later.
Eusine/Morty: Similar deal, nice boys who are after their legends and are very pure in their pursuit. They have grown on me wildly.
Tate/Liza: I'd normally be mad about them being put together but they are evenly matched.
Bugsy: I have a soft spot for the little nerd professor. He's just really into bugs. Fun fact, did you know there's a super edgy fan rom where they made an OC that's like Bugsy's sister, and decided it was totally in character to have Bugsy be abusive? I'm sleepy and this is where my stream of consciousness has led us.
Elesa/Skyla: Gorlfriends. Elesa is slightly higher ranked for being the bigger dork.
Kahili: Great design, I really vibe with her look and general attitude, I desperately wish we got more.
Gardenia/Candice/Kabu/Clay: just some fun gym leaders. Clay is Peak American.
Atticus: probably my favorite Team Star member. Actually did nothing wrong.
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agent-cupcake · 3 years ago
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You know, you've written a lot of your thoughts/hcs/etc on how various characters would behave as yanderes and so on, but I've never seen you talk about yandere readers before and I feel like that's an interesting subject to consider? Especially for 3H - you have a treasure trove of damaged boys to attract obsessiveness from girls who are convinced they are the ONLY one for them and it's their duty to drive away competition/threats/anyone they want.
Okay it's time to be toxic. I’m not going to go for all the guys, just the ones who immediately came to mind.
Dimitri: I joke quite often that I would be yandere for Dimitri. It all started when I brought up killing the girl he danced with at the White Heron Ball and quite frankly it's only spiraled from there because doesn't the Savior King Dimitri deserve to be adored and worshipped? Doesn't he deserve someone who wants the best for him and only him? Doesn’t it only make sense for him to be with someone who understands his mental issues and is willing to offer him unconditional support and patience? Doesn't he need someone with unwavering loyalty who will do anything no matter what the cost for his sake? It'd be so easy too because he's super dependent, desperate for affection, and clueless so if you just nourish those traits and constantly downplay his discomfort/suspicion of you driving away anybody who you feel is a threat by saying that this is how relationships just are, that it's just because you love him so much, that you're just looking out for him, what's he gonna do? It's not like he'd have any solid basis for knowing how relationships are supposed to be. Besides if he gets too upset you can threaten to leave him just like his mother did, I'm sure that would work to get him back in your arms (where he belongs). Yeah, that’s a little fucked up but it would be so much worse for both of you in the long run if you were apart. Being too aggressive or overt about your obsession would definitely make Dimitri wise up so it'd be better to go with love bombing. This would be good because it really lets you prove your devotion to Dimitri and makes it easier for him to just laugh off and excuse your disturbingly possessive behavior. His friends would be potentially problematic, but they're not always around and Dimitri's private enough that he probably wouldn't volunteer information about you to them. If you told him that it made you very upset and uncomfortable when he was friendly with the girls from his class, he’d most likely stop for your sake. Bonus round, have his babies. What is he going to do, abandon the mother of his children? Dimitri?!? No way. Of course he wouldn’t do anything to risk breaking his family, but neither would you! After all, this is all because you know Dimitri better than anyone which means that only you can love him.
Sylvain: Sylvain being manipulative and cheating on you after you try and prove your love to him through conventional means causing you to snap and kill hurt the girls, throw his lies back in his face, and prove that you're the only girl for him by preying on his emotional trauma with women is really something to consider. Why try to resolve toxic situations with love, compassion, and open communication when you can use blood and abuse to keep him with you? Play the part, be snarky, witty, flirty, be super hot and cold to keep him intrigued, give him the best fuck he's ever had, really show him that you don't care about his Crest, you just want to love possess him. Maybe even do the whole "I don't care who you're with, we both know you belong to me" to really engage him in those super fun mind games. Make everyone else acknowledge that you're the perfect girl for him, get them all to vilify him for continuing to be such a womanizer and breaking your heart. But, like, why stop there? Encourage him to retaliate, to be mad at you. Tease him for being so disgusted and angry at you when all you want, all you've ever wanted, was for your hearts to beat as one and then later act confused because of course you wouldn’t make light of his feelings like that, that’s horrible. All you want, all you’ve ever wanted, was for him to acknowledge that your adoration for him is true. Really break him until he gives you the whole “I’ll let you chain me up so I never even look at another girl” schtick. This might seem awful, but so is he! Reform can be difficult and if he’s going to be happy, he has to be made to understand why his behavior was so bad and the consequences of it. Because it’s not like you’d act like this if you had any other choice, it’s not like you’d continue once the two of you were truly together, of course you wouldn’t treat him so cruelly once he vowed himself to you and only you. And, really, I think it’d be a lot easier once he understood that and you got to prove your love to him through raw, unadulterated affection. Spend every day adding onto the list of why you love your Sylvain. 
Claude: Claude being more than aware of the ole' saying "don't stick your dick in crazy" and then doing it anyway because he has a proclivity for the fiery, forbidden, and oh-so temping call of danger would be the perfect set up for a very bad predicament. You’d have to play some mind games to really convince him that he’s the one seeking you out, he’s the one who’s got it bad, he’s the one who wants to have you. In other words, you’d have to give him a challenge. But, you know, if it’s a game, you’d have to play back because you’re doing this for him, because you love him, because you want him to realize that he loves you, too (Uno reverse Claude’s yandere behaviors, basically) so obviously you’d have to eliminate any obstacles and taking out anybody who could be a potential threat. Get him to open up about his dreams, his past, his feelings. As it goes with basically all of these affection-starved men, make him feel loved for who he is. You know, if you were really good, you could probably even get him to give up on everything else for your sake. I mean, I loathe the ending but he does that for Lysithea. Pull a Tangled on Claude and make him believe that you’re his new dream as he mostly certainly is yours.
Felix: Sweet Felix. So oblivious but so difficult. A man who would provide the ultimate and most dangerous yan rival of them all: the thrill of the fight. In a lot of ways, I think he’d be like Dimitri. Mostly just because he’s so dense when it comes to love of any kind. But he’s also not as emotionally desperate or dependent so you wouldn’t really be able to use that against him. The similarities come from Felix’s equal amount of inexperience with romance which opens up a lot of possibilities for you convincing him that certain behaviors are normal. You can even bring up how his cold emotional state (something I believe he’s insecure about) is what forces you to be so overbearing, how badly it hurts you.  You don’t necessarily mean to be so cloying but you’re so afraid of losing someone else you love so much (another insecurity of his). After all, there is nobody in the entire world who is like him, Felix Hugo Fraldarius, (three for three with his insecurities) and how irreplaceable and precious he is to you. These examples are kind of “soft” when it comes to using his insecurities against him, but you could go further with them assuming you were sure that it wouldn’t drive him away. Not knowing and having to work on assumption would always be a pretty big reason to control yourself in how you went about manipulating him because Felix is stubborn and prideful and pushing him too far would only hurt the both of you. It’s actually kind of funny because as opposed to the traditional yan mindset, it would be in your best interest to get Felix to form relationship bonds with others (but definitely not any of the girls he’s so popular with) because that would be a bargaining chip when convincing him to stay with you.
Ferdinand von Aegir: Ferdinand is, honestly, so easy for this. Like, I feel as if I don’t even need to talk about the details. You show him some affection and he’s yours. Bury him in love and praise. Tell him that it makes you unhappy when he talks to other girls or prioritizes his work over you and then reward him with boundless warmth and devotion because of course he would bend over backwards to make you happy. He just wants to be needed and treasured, to love and be loved. He’s already got the poetry and the ring and of course he wouldn’t mind getting married right away it’s true love, why would you wait?
Yuri: Yuribird is the forbidden darling. You’d need to be running on 100% love because he’d sniff out and ditch you at even the smallest whiff of deliberate obsession. But you know what he wants? More-so than the other guys, in some ways. He wants to be known and loved for who he is. In the face of genuine affection, he doesn’t stand a chance. Still, you’d have to be measured about this stuff. If you were jealous and got rid of your rivals yourself, Yuri would be disgusted and leave you. And you can’t hide that sort of thing from him, either. You’d have to go all in on the manipulation but only in the most honest way possible, that’s the only way past his defenses. Get him to prioritize your feelings first so he feels guilty talking to people or acting in ways that upset you. Reward him for putting you above everyone else. Constantly remind him that you’re the only one who knows and understands him, who loves him for who he is. Get him so emotionally fucked that even if his big brain logic is telling him that you’re toxic and horrible, he can’t stand the thought of being without you. He’d give up crime, it’s not like he even particularly likes it. Set up the perfect life for him, something domestic and sweet and warm, something he’s never had worries he doesn’t deserve, something that keeps him away from others. The goddess only knows how much he deserves a happy dream for once, and you’re the only one who can understand and provide that for him.
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pencilofawesomeness · 4 years ago
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Fics I Absolutely Adore and Would Recommend to Anyone
I’ve been meaning to do this for a long, long time, because I love reading fanworks and they deserve a lot of love and I love sharing things that I love. 
Obviously this isn’t everything, and if it’s not on this list that doesn’t mean I don’t love it, it just means I forgot at this moment. I will be adding to the list and I remember things or come across it again. (Trying to sort through my bookmarks and subscriptions is like trying to catch a fish bare-handed.) I’m also gonna shy away from the one-shots, even though I adore fun one-shots, just for the sake of organization. The list would be super long otherwise, and those are best sorted by fandom. Here... Here are just some brilliant works I want to rant about. 
Disclaimer: I say “recommend” because I would recommend these works, any time any place, but do keep in mind the story’s rating and tags and stuff. Not everything is kid-friendly.
There is absolutely no hierarchy to the list below. They are added as I add.
Fairy Dance of Death
by Catsy ( @fairydanceofdeath​ )
Fandom: Sword Art Online Word Count: 660,282 Status: ongoing
「AU reboot of the entire SAO storyline, beginning from the premise that Kayaba Akihiko was obsessed with magic and Norse Mythology rather than swords and pure melee. As a result, he created the Death Game of Alfheim Online rather than the floating castle of Aincrad—a world in which player-killing is not a crime, and the nine player races are in competition with each other to reach the top of the World Tree. Multi-POV epic following the stories of multiple canon characters throughout the game.」
If Catsy wrote the SAO light novels and anime, SAO would be among the legendary series. Fairy Dance of Death has this amazingly simple premise of making Alfheim Online, the video game from the original series’ less-than-stellar second part, the game that the main cast becomes trapped in. However, it’s so much more. They took the characters and made them characters, and everyone gets ample spotlight—even background characters that normally wouldn’t receive a second thought. It’s masterful work, and to boot, there is a lovely frame of in-game mystery and player conflict. The organization is phenomenal and I aspire to world-build the way they did. Not to mention that stakes are so much higher and this series has ripped my heart to shreds more than once. 
It has also brought me great joy, and even when I was in the dumps and didn’t want to read anything, a FDOD update made me pick up my phone and read when I otherwise wouldn’t have. It has a really special place in my heart. It updates once in a blue moon, but that’s okay. 
Even if you have never seen a single piece of Sword Art Online, Fairy Dance of Death is still a great read. In fact, it’s the Better Version of SAO, if we’re all being honest, so I would especially recommend it if you hadn’t seen the original. Or if you have. The characters are given so much love and detail, to the point where Fairy Dance of Death’s characterizations are More Canon to me than Kawahara Reki’s work. It is just a beautiful piece of fiction, and it makes you question the depravity of man on levels that SAO shied away from. 
Poisoned Dreams
by StrangeDiamond
Fandom: Genshin Impact Word Count: 82,852 Status: Complete, with a complete sequel and more to come
「 Every night now, Diluc dreams of death. Usually Kaeya's. In between these nightmares his life is falling apart. It doesn't take Kaeya long to realize that this is something much more insidious than simple bad dreams. His brother's life and sanity are on the line and there is nothing Kaeya won't do to save him. Bonus chapter added.」
In a growing fandom from a new game, StrangeDiamond swooped in and characterized these bad boys so well I think it’s canon. It really breathes life into the video game lore, and it’s an A+ depiction of awkward sibling re-bonding post-Terrible-Happenings. Poisoned Dreams can be read alone with a basic understanding of Genshin storybuilding, but StrangeDiamond has an entire group of fics and oneshots set in the same headcanon, and they integrate them really well and subtly together. Not to mention that the narrative style is really clever with making you question what is real and what is dream (a big point in this story) and the inner voices of the point-of-view characters are very compelling. 
One Word to Change the World
by AgentMalkere 
Fandom: Fairy Tail Collective Word Count: 43,988 (30 parts) Status: probably never coming back
「 In just one universe, Ultear called out to her mother instead of turning away and the fate of Fairy Tail and the world was irrevocably altered. These are glimpses of a world where a single word made all the difference.
In other words, welcome to the Butterfly Effect - Fairy Tail style. 」
It’s a really cute canon-divergent, and while the series makes no attempt to re-write Fairy Tail, it addresses the major events and just snippets in between. It does a good job at giving the vast cast ample spotlight, but it’s also an easy read. It’s special to me because it was the series that made me really pay attention to Bickslow in particular, and I respect that.
Vigilantis Pretium Libertatis
by aradian_nights 
Fandom: Attack on Titan Word Count: 399,226 Status: Complete
「 Five years ago, an accident freed Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlelt from an experiment that forced the most extraordinary powers onto them. After five years of separation, of being raised apart to be heroes by a set of three very different adults, they meet again. As they uncover the truth behind their captivity they realize being free and being heroes are sadly nothing but an illusion. 」
This wrecked me.
I still remember when I read it. It was the beginning of 2018, and I had the flu and a lot of time on my hands, so I binge-read this. It was simultaneously the best and the worst thing I have ever done, because I resonated with it so deeply there were times I was just staring up at the ceiling wondering what was real. I empathized with the characters to a level I rarely achieve, and I empathize easily. I laughed. I cried. It was amazing.
I refer to this story in conversation to this day. It handled themes published authors have only dreamed of achieving. Heck, if Dani (the author) took out the names of the AoT cast and replaced it with new ones, it could be its own stand alone novel. It is worldbuilding from the ground up, and any fandom knowledge you take in with you is used against you like a knife leveraged against your throat. Yet, no one is out of character. It’s phenomenal. I would say more, but this is something I daren’t spoil for anybody, because you must be as wrecked as I was. Vigilantis Pretium Libertatis is a level of writing I achieve to gain as a writer myself. It is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.
Life in Glass Houses
by blueskyscribe ( @blueskyscribe​ )
Fandom: Transformers (Transformers Prime, Transformers: Shattered Glass) Word Count: 119,900 Status: Ongoing (maybe, I hope)
「 No one would have thought Bumblebee and Knock Out were capable of getting along, but when they're stuck in a strange new world and their only hope of survival is cooperation . . . Yeah, they're probably doomed. 」
I could be biased because Knock Out and Bumblebee are two of my favorite characters, but it really is brilliant. Two enemies, stuck together—but not in an overly cliché way. It’s the right amount of cliché, with heaps moral conflict and inner conflict and sometimes just beating each other with a broom when no one is looking. It’s also a fascinating look into what makes a character the way they are in relation to the morals they possess, and how stalwart those morals can be. I can’t help but think of this story whenever I see or write a “role reverse” or mirror-verse AU. It does an excellent job at making all of the characters engaging and their own character, despite being in a mirror-verse.
Yesterday Upon the Stair
by PitViperOfDoom ( @pitviperofdoom​ )
Fandom: My Hero Academia Word Count: 424,070 Status: Complete
「 Midoriya Izuku has always been written off as weird. As if it's not bad enough to be the quirkless weakling, he has to be the weird quirkless weakling on top of it.
But truthfully, the "weird" part is the only part that's accurate. He's determined not to be a weakling, and in spite of what it says on paper, he's not actually quirkless. Even before meeting All-Might and taking on the power of One For All, Izuku isn't quirkless.
Not that anyone would believe it if he told them. 」
As a person who normally doesn’t read these kind of minor canon divergences, especially at the time of reading, I frickin’ love this fic. In fact, I think YUTS gave me a deep appreciation for canon divergence fics. It’s MHA in all of its glory but it’s so much more, and even the parts that rehash canon give new light to the characters and their points of view. 
I had read Viper’s work before and saw Yesterday Upon the Stair filling my inbox, and then I finally watched My Hero Academia. It was one of the first MHA fics I read and it still has a very special place in my heart. I recommend this series to people who don’t even watch MHA; in fact, there are some who might prefer the darker tones and themes of heroism vs apathy to the main series. Not to mention the writing style is phenomenal, and I aspire to be that good. It made me laugh. It made me cry. Yes, tears streaming down my face crying. It is the best ghost story I have ever read.
the Vantage Point Universe
by Aggie2011 ( @aggie2011whoop​ )
Fandom: The Avengers (MCU) Collective Word Count: 1,032,651 (35 parts) Status: Ongoing (just slowed down)
「 Six months after the Loki incident, Clint isn't adjusting well. When an enemy from his days in the Army comes back to haunt him, he'll be forced to face a part of his past - and to move past Loki, if he has a hope of finding his place with the Avengers. (First of a universe created to center around Clint Barton) 」
// description taken from first installment
Have you enjoyed the MCU, especially the first-era Avengers phase, but like me, were disappointed in the fact that Hawkeye was barely there? The VP universe is for you. 
I honestly have a hard time remembering what was canon and what was VP. And if it’s not canon, it should be. The VP universe gave so much life to Clint and to Natasha and to all of SHIELD and even the rest of the Avengers. It’s just...so good. It’s completely immersive. It focuses a lot on Hawkeye and Black Widow from before the Avengers team-up, as well as after, and it all flows together so beautifully. Not to mention that I can be reading a mission that happened pre-series, so I know that they are going to live with all of their limbs, and I still sit there on the edge of my seat the whole time.
The OCs, minor as they are, that are created for this are also wonderfully done. I can’t believe Dan and Phil don’t exist in canon. Every character, canon or no, is engaging and dynamic, it is a pleasure to follow each point of view. The emotional turmoil is also handled very well, and the VP universe carries the MCU trend of humanizing its heroes and takes it so much further. 
Ghosts of the Future
by Evan Stanley ( @evanstanleyportfolio​ )
Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog Word Count: comic (18 issues) Status: ongoing
「 About 200 years in the future, Silver the Hedgehog is an average kid living in San Francisco... except for his strange and terrible dreams of a dying Blue Hedgehog, a Black Hedgehog, and mysterious gems called "Chaos Emeralds". What will he do, when these "figments of his imagination" appear before him in his real life? 」
// description taken from first installment
Okay so this is the only one that isn’t an Ao3 story, but rather a comic on DeviantArt. However, it is still one of my favorite stories. Even though it takes the commonalities of Sonic canon and turns them on its head, GotF really treats the characters well. There are enough familiar world elements to create intrigue, but it is set in a completely different take of the future, so there is ample opportunity for world building and being able to engage with a completely new thing. I wish SEGA put as much love in the series (namely the games, because the comics are *chef’s kiss*) and all of its possibilities as creators like Evan Stanley do.
The friendship and family relationships in GotF are so diverse and all so fantastic to witness. It’s a keynote example of the new hero and the old veterans, and both parties are active and trying their best.
Do not be alarmed by the starting art style. Sure, it’s rough around the edges at first, but then it gets better, and then it gets gorgeous, and then you’re left there so stunned that it looks like just life canon art. And then you could be like me, blinking slowly as my small brain finally connected that this Evan Stanley is in fact the Evan Stanley. GotF is an amazing fanwork, but she also draws and writes for the Official Canon comics (the IDW ones now) and that work is also phenomenal and should be supported. 
Whirlwind
by Lynse ( @ladylynse​ )
Fandom: Danny Phantom, American Dragon: Jake Long, Miraculous Ladybug, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Word Count: 75,556 Status: Complete
「 Jake should be used to ominous predictions by now. Randy should know better than to blindly follow McFist. Adrien should think twice before sneaking away. And Danny really should've expected something like this when he got that phone call from Jake. (Secret Quartet fic) 」
I have to start by saying that I adore all of Lynse’s fics, and I chose this one simply because it is one of my favorites. But it’s all fantastic, one hundred percent. I also love Mirrored, the sort-of prequel to this fic, but Whirlwind just has the chaotic pure bean energy that each of the shows bring and it foils against each other so perfectly. This is the epitome of the Secret Quartet crossover, truly.
All fandoms and all characters get ample love, and the way the reader gets to see just how badly the characters’ assumptions are going is positively wonderful. It’s so easy to fall into the “I know what’s happening and so do the characters” trap, but Lynse leaps over it gracefully and lands in greatness. The fic had me smiling like a maniac one minute, and feeling sorry for my babies the next. Wonderful. Simply fantastic!
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heartachebf · 3 years ago
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16, 17 (Tweek), and 25 -Batz 🖤💜
fandom asks
16. favorite behind-the-scenes insight ive actually got 2 answers for this !! first off, i love the fact that kenny is based off a Real Life kid trey knew growing up, who was Also named kenny n wore an orange coat that nobody could hear him over And was the poorest kid in town. and i rly love that kyle is blatantly based off matt stone ^_^ i have a big gay crush on matt so obvi that makes kyle one of my favs
17. 3 things you love about [insert character]
1. the fact that he can play piano And sing And act ^_^ i love that artsy little dweeb so much 2. the fact that his tics slowly got better over the years... sobbing n wailing.... AND the fact that he barely tics when hes around craig.... love wins 3. i love that he can kick ass should he choose to ^_^ he could maim someone so easily and i think he deserves to bonus number 4 bc i love him so much. i love that he can bake ^_^ i like to think that he stress bakes and will try out new recipes n then he'll take what he baked to school to let his friends try ^_^ hes god tier actually
25. favorite episode of [insert season] u didnt specify which season, so ill give my favs of each season (below the cut bc this post is getting long) (id also probs do this even if u Did specify which season bc. peace and love)
s1: i cant pick between episode 7, black friday (bc i Love the feel of all the early halloween episodes) or episode 10, damien (bc damien supremacy ^_^ im forever obsessed w the fact that he, the son of satan, has a super high pitched voice)
s2: EPISODE 17, GNOMES !!!!! i think that was tweeks first introduction and as such, its my fav ^_^ i rly love his voice in that ep <3
s3: episode 5, tweek vs craig, bc duh ^_^ the beginning of an era <3 plus its proof that tweek is tough n doesnt need protecting
s4: either episode 6, cherokee hair tampons (bc i love how fiercely stan tries to help kyle + its revealed that kyle has diabetes ^_^ i will forever cry over the fact that stan didnt hesitate to offer his kidney to save kyles life) or episode 8, something you can do with your finger (bc i love their silly little boy band + i love wendy joining their boy band + kyle wanting to be the tough one of the band + randy backstory/him being a lil insane but in a funny way)
s5: episode 3, super best friends ^_^ the origin of stan n kyle being super best friends ^_^ i also kinda love episode 10, how to eat with your butt, bc kenny is very endearing in it And we finally get to see what kyles hair looks like <3
s6: either episode 9, free hat, or episode 11, child abduction is not funny bc theres so much excellent tweek content ^_^ i also like ep11 bc of how dumb the parents are in that one, thats always amusing
s7: either episode 8, south park is gay (the fact that everyone was acting a lil fruity ^_^ gay rights ^_^ and also kyle rejecting dressing fruity and getting made fun of for that. so funny considering the fact that he Is gay, i prommy, kyle told me himself) or episode 14, raisins (bc butters was very sweet that episode + goth stan was introduced ^_^)
s8: omg this ones so hard to pick. i love episode 4, you got f'd in the a, bc stan having to get in a dance battle??? comedy gold. i love episode 6, the jeffersons, bc we stan n kyle being dads to blanket, gay ptide. and then i also love episode 11, quest for ratings, bc i love the guys having their own news team And i love that craig had a show dedicated to just showing cute animals. dork craig rights
s9: episode 10, follow that egg ... more silly little stan n kyle content ... stan gets rly fruity here and im obsessed w it. that whole episode gives me silly little au ideas ^_^
s10: episode 14, stanleys cup. froths at the mouth. that one anon of mine, hockey fic anon? theyre writing a silly little fic based off an au of That episode ^_^ that ep is so quality
s11: goes insane. episode 8, le petit tourette bc i loved seeing cartman in anguish + dork craig content. episodes 10, 11, and 12 aka the imaginationland trilogy bc. god. just so good. i cant even explain it. episode 13, guitar queer-o bc it gives me Another great au idea + stan n kyle are fruity in it. and finally, episode 14, the list, bc there was lots of good wendy content And kyle got a little unhinged ^_^ as he deserves <3
s12: this is another one where its so hard to pick... episode 1, tonsil trouble, bc kyle got to go in attack mode again. episode 3, major boobage, bc we got silly little kenny content ^_^ episode 9, breast cancer show ever, bc thats when wendy beat the shit out of cartman <3 episodes 10 and 11, pandemic and pandemic 2, bc. craig content ^_^ and also ive already talked on my blog abt how its the best 2 parter ever. and episode 13, elementary school musical, bc stans gang was particularly goofy n their musical number was so fun ^_^
s13: episode 8, dead celebrities, bc kyle and ike content!!! i love them so much!!! and also episode 11, whale whores, bc stan Attacked And Killed all for the love of animals, n i love him for it
s14: episodes 11, 12, and 13, tha superhero episodes ^_^ i loved getting to see everyones superhero costumes in action And we got to learn more abt kennys immortality, which was so exciting !!
s15: episodes 7 and 8, youre getting old and ass burgers. starts sniffling and crying and collapses on the floor while sobbing. thats all i have to say about that, peace and love
s16: episode 5, butterballs (bc stan is so! hes just so !!! yknow. the anti bullying song in it is So good, And i live for butters standing up for himself ^_^ also the song at the end is god tier), episode 6, i never shouldve gone ziplining (its so fuckn funny, and i live for the live action bit at the end), and episode 11, going native (bc of that sweet, sweet butters n kenny content ^_^ i also live for butters Attacking in it)
s17: episode 4, goth kids 3: dawn of the posers. probably my fav goth kids centric episode ^_^ its so good n funny
s18: episode 3, the cissy. starts sniffling and crying again, but this time in transgender mode. i also love episode 6, freemium isnt free bc we get another Glimpse into stans issues w addiction ^_^ peace and love on planet earth
s19: episode 6, tweek x craig. love wins, gay ptide, etc etc
s20: um. i actually kinda hated this season. but ig if i Had to choose one, itd be episode 10, the end of serialization as we know it, bc it finally ended that season ^_^ no offense to any s20 stans out there, i just thought it was so boring
s21: episode 2, put it down. tweek n craig content, gay ptide ^_^ this is also the one where we learned that tweek can sing, play piano, And bake, and we also got to see craig learn how to support tweek better, which was very sweet ^_^
s22: episode 10, bike parade. i didnt super love this season either, so its kinda a case of picking the one i wasnt bored with. plus in a way it kinda felt like one of the original episodes, it was like a lil blast from the past !
s23: episode 2, band in china ^_^ we got stans band, crimson dawn !! it was great learning more abt how stan felt abt having to move to a farm, plus butters ripping it on a guitar was so funny. and then randy did stuff too idk
s24: this season has just been the 2 specials so far, but i liked the vaccination special, episode 2 the best ^_^ bc 1, the brovorce arc started, n im rly excited to see what happens with that. and also the way it ended left me hopeful that maybe the shows gonna go back to the way it used to be a little bit <3 i also liked how we saw stan gettin really mentally ill with freaking out over the pandemic, but that mightve been in the first episode instead...
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theabominableblogger · 4 years ago
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My Reaction to “Avengers Endgame”
Yes- I still haven’t seen this movie.  Yes I know exactly what happens in this movie.  I mainly avoided it for a while due to overhype but with some convincing from my brother, Imma sit my butt down and try to watch this.
Pressing... play!
Right off the bat, I feel like I should warn you guys and say that I have... my opinions... about stuff.  Plus I’m a dumbass about Marvel so just bear with me.
I like that Disney Plus has to warn us about product placement
Clint!
Are we gonna see little Nathaniel running around- THERE he is!
We are gonna see Clint’s entire family get freaking obliterated
Is all the rumbling from the sky or are those airplanes freaking crashing to Earth in the distance?
What if they pulled a reverse WandaVision and showed the people getting snapped out of existence in a future film or show?  That would be freaking terrifying.
They’re [Tony and Nebula] playing paper football...
I wanna see more of THEIR interactions aboard the Milano.  The shots of them just repairing the ship are great too.
“I’m fine.  Totally fine.”  Everyone ever.
I also like you see the visual difference between Tony and Nebula.  While he’s growing gaunt and haggard from loss of oxygen, you can still see that Nebula looks absolutely fine because she’s like 75% android
So between 1995 and now, what the heck has Carol been up to?
“Thanos wiped out... 50% of all living creatures.”  So like entire ecosystems are just demolished.
*anthropology major part of my brain scrambling for answers*
“We lost.  And you [Steve] weren’t there.”  HE WAS IN WAKANDA!
Wait so the arc reactor ISN’T in Tony’s chest anymore?
“Where the hell have you [Carol] been all this time?”  Good question!
*silently bops to opening theme*
For some reason, I just really want the ship radio to randomly turn on so you just see everyone sitting awkwardly as “Piano Man” plays over the speakers
*Thanos slowly cooks his food*  Faster, all together now!  COOKING CAN BE FUN!
“I [Thanos] used the stones to destroy the stones.”  ...what?
“I am...[Thanos] inevitable.”  *starts humming “Inevitable” from TGWDLM*
“I [Thor] went for the head.”  YES YOU DID
[FIVE YEARS LATER] All righty so we’re doing this
*gasps*  Is... Steve running the therapy sit downs like Sam did in “The Winter Soldier”?  That’s awesome.  I really like this tidbit.
I’m also really liking Alan Silvestri’s score for this so far
I’m really trying not to nitpick but I feel like it would take more than 5 years for greenery to just completely overtake a suburban neighborhood
Also wow pre COVID life looks great you guys
“There’s a part of me that doesn’t even wanna find him.”  Are they talking about... Clint?  Is Clint just going the full vigilante route?
DOES HE KILL PEOPLE?!?
I really like Steve and Natasha’s friendship in these movies but for some reason I don’t feel like we get enough of Natasha for me to get behind her on an emotional standpoint
Are they gonna use the quantum realm to jumpstart the multiverse for Phase 4?
Also speaking of multiverse, I honestly really don’t want Spiderman:  No Way Home or Wandavision to get too cluttered by that
I like Tony’s lake house.  And he got a whole vegetable garden going too.  Kudos!
The little kid who plays Morgan Stark is adorable
“Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel.”  Which we obviously won’t.
“We’re gonna need a really big brain.”  So where the [expletive] is Banner?
“Stranger danger.”  *snorts*
“Dab!”  *rolls eyes*
So is the whole Professor Hulk thing permanent?  I know he’s gonna be in the She-Hulk show but I’m wondering how they’re gonna tackle that.  And they’re gonna have Tim Roth too!
*smiles when Tony takes Morgan to bed*
Steve Rogers here [when they do the first time travel tests] is a Look ™
Maybe don’t let the GIANT GREEN MAN keep pressing a bunch of tiny tiny important buttons on a dashboard
*laughs at Steve shaking his head in disbelief when they finally bring Scott back*
*Tony’s car races toward the Avengers base*  NYOOOMMMM
*Tony rolls down his window*  It’s Britney, bitch
“And maybe not die trying.”  And you definitely will.
This whole bit where Scott keeps losing his dorito only to get another one from Bruce feels like a Doritos commercial.
*jams out to "Supersonic Rocket Ship by The Kinks*
Did they just keep reducing the green pigment for Hulk or what?
*sighs when they reveal Fat!Thor*
MIEK’S ALIVE!
Please tell me Noobmaster69 is Kid Loki, whom we meet in the Loki series
“Don’t... say that name.”  “Yeah we actually don’t say that name here.”  I like this.  I like that Thor has so much resentment for killing Thanos at the wrong time and that he felt that could have done better cause he’s A GOD.  So the fact that THANOS was on equal level and BEAT HIM-
Hawkeye’s killing people
This sword fight’s great [between the Yakuza person and Clint]
WHY DIDN’T THEY BUILD ON THIS [Clint and Natasha’s connection] ???
*laughs when Rhodey suggests killing baby Thanos*
These shots of Clint going through the Quantum Realm looks like something straight out of Andy Park’s concept art and that’s awesome
“Well I [Scott] haven’t [encountered an Infinity Stone] but I don’t even know what the hell you’re all talking about.”  *snorts*
“The Aether, firstly, is not a stone.”  Thank you!
The little glance Nebula gives after Thor mentions the Dark Elves just make me think that somewhere down the road, she has either A) encountered them or B) has encountered other Asgardians besides Thor
“Guys if you pick the right year, there are three stones in New York.”  “Shut the front door.”  *laughs*
Also underrated trio:  Steve, Natasha, and Bruce.  Gimme more.
Wait a minute, in 2012, Doctor Strange wasn’t active yet.  So are they gonna go see- OOOOOOOHHHHHH
[NEW YORK 2012] Oh here we go
*cracks up when Bruce very half-assedly smashes stuff on the street*
“I’m looking for Doctor Strange.”  “You’re about five years too early.”  Wait a minute.
HOW DOES SHE [the Ancient One] KNOW?!?
*giggles at Thor and Rocket sneaking in the background with a bored Loki in focus*
“That’s my [Thor’s] mother.  She dies today.”  I love this scene already.
Also WHY IS THOR- or the Thor films in general- have like the most well written characters in the whole canon?
It’s those movies, Guardians 2, The Winter Soldier, Civil War, aaand.... I can’t think of any more of them. 
Oh yeah and WANDAVISION cause THAT HIT ME LIKE A TRUCK-
Rocket just said he thinks of the Guardians as his family I’m gonna die...
What about their [Natasha and Rhodey’s] friendship?!?  I want more of that!
“Ronan’s obsession... clouds his judgment.”  ...HUH
*Thanos uses his sword to lift up Nebula’s chin*  Aw heck no
“As far as I’m concerned, that’s America’s ass.”  *has to take a second before nodding in agreement*
Wait is that Jasper Stillwell?
“Flick me.”  That bit alone could be taken out of context
“We’re in route to Doctor List.”  Who’s Doctor List?  Is that a code name?
“Hail Hydra.”  THE BASTARDS WENT AND DID IT
Please tell me this hand off scene is gonna be the opening for the Loki show.  Please tell me this is gonna happen.
*Loki takes the Tesseract again*  AND HE’S GOOONNNEE!!
LET’S GET TO FREAKING JUNE ALREADY!
*ends up quoting “Yeah, I know, I know” along with Steve*
I’m really glad Tilda Swinton actually came back for this cameo
*keeps slapping my laptop screen when people keep saying Doctor Strange made a mistake when it was an explicit point in Infinity War where he encountered 14 million other AUs to find the best result*
Are you telling me that this whole plan could derail because Nebula accidentally hacked into her own WiFI network?  Are you seriously doing this?
*Thanos and Ebony Maw scan Nebula’s duplicate memory bank and track her down*  Are you freaking kidding me?
...I have 96 minutes left?!?
“The future hasn’t been kind to you [Thor], has it?”  Frigga is underrated
So for these shots with Jane, are they just reusing different shots from Thor 2 or just footage from deleted scenes?
Can we talk about how Frigga is absolutely the best parent Thor has?  Meanwhile her husband ODIN is like “oh yeah by the way you have a secret sister totes magotes i’ll die now byeeee”
*sings along with “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone*
*laughs when we cut to Quill just very badly singing along to his iPod in the distance*
I want a bonus short with just Rhodey and Nebula doing their thing
*Nebula gets her memory taken over by 2014 Thanos*  Nooooooo...
Are the glasses that Tony wears here part of EDITH from “Far From Home” or are they like a prototype?
Also I haven’t seen “Far From Home” yet because Sony hates me
Doctor Zola?!?
*jams out to the music playing when we see Hank Pym’s lab*
“A little girl would be nice.  Less of a chance that she’ll end up exactly like me [Howard Stark].”  *gasps softly*
Oh my God, he’s [Steve] in Peggy’s office
Alan Silvestri is really killing it with this score
JARVIS!!
Wait and that’s the guy from “Agent Carter”!
Ohhh that shot’s [of Thanos’s ship coming out of the clouds] awesome...
*2014 Nebula hands Thanos the Pym particles*  Oh are you kidding me...
The CGI for Red Skull is also awesome
*gasps when Natasha reveals that she never knew her dad’s name when Red Skull told it to her*
*is super bummed out when Natasha sacrifices herself*
Kevin Feige really went and said “so Phases 3 and 4 are gonna make everybody cry” and the writers went “YES”
Wait doesn’t Cap go and return the stones at the end of the movie?  How’s he gonna handle meeting Red Skull on Vormir then?
“It’s like... I [Bruce] was made for this.”  Please someone get Mark Ruffalo his own Hulk movie before he combusts from giving out more spoilers
So Thanos used the Pym particles to time travel then.  Honestly that’s kinda genius
I just noticed that Scott shrank himself right as the explosion hit the windows
I really want someone to just drop one F-bomb somewhere in the MCU and I really hope it’s Clint because he would 100% say it
*starts singing “Hollaback Girl” when Thanos arrives*
Here’s my question;  how did Thanos acquire Nebula then?  With Gamora, it was with the genocide of her people.
“We [Gamora to Nebula] can stop him.”  LET’S GO!
[Thor uses his storm powers to summon both Stormbreaker and Mjolnir] *softly* Ohhhhh that’s badass...
Now I’m just imagining the cast just in the green screen room just hitting Josh Brolin with a bunch of foam weapons and making all the sound effects while poor Josh is just struggling under the weight of the Thanos reference head on his mocap suit
Who does the voice for FRIDAY?
AN:  Irish actress named Kerry Condon
*Steve deems himself worth to wield Mjolnir*  OKKAAYY OKAAYY
Love how Thanos is like “yes, I’m gonna stab you with an AXE”
“In all my years of conquest...”  Steve you suuuucckkk...
Are we getting the Chitauri again?
“On your left.”  *laughs incredulously*  O-ohhh my God...
*Everyone starts coming out of the portals*  Oh my God I’m getting chills
I would have lost my mind in the theater
I HAVE ACTUAL GOOSEBUMPS RUNNING ALL OVER ME.  This is how good this is
WAIT ARE THOSE THE RAVAGER SHIPS ABOVE THEM?!?
“Avengers... assemble.”  Oh my God this is amazing!
M’BAKU!
Also “Endgame” really just said “We are KILLING FOOLS TODAY”
How are they gonna tackle Peter and Gamora’s relationship in Guardians 3?
[Horn plays La Cucaracha] LET’S GO
God I’m gonna turn feral
*has to pause to scream in excitement when Wanda touches down in front of Thanos to fight him*
*puts hands on head*  OHH MY GOOOOODDDDD
They’re literally just playing Keep Away with a teenage boy.  Marvel, everybody.
*Captain Marvel destroys Thanos’s ship*  WELL IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH
OK I got mixed feelings about that [the girl power team up scene]
*Thanos unsuccessfully headbutts Carol*  Oh shit!
*Doctor Strange holds up one finger*  Oh my God this is it
Someone definitely tore off when Thanos pushed Tony off
It was in that moment he [Thanos] knew- he effed up
*All of Thanos’s army dissipates*  Byeee...
Is it bad that I’m not crying at Tony’s death?
*gasps when Peter reunites with Ned at school*
Wait the whole time heist takes place within ONE DAY?
“I love you 3000.”  I really hope we see Morgan again somewhere in one of the movies or shows.  Actually a cool way to reincorporate her would be in the Ironheart series whenever they make it
Even Drax is wearing black!
It’s the “We should be getting therapy but we got a TV show instead” trio [Wanda, Bucky, and Sam]
Wait is that guy- was that guy- the little kid from Iron Man 3?
AN:  Yes
So right after this funeral, Wanda’s gonna storm SWORD right?
AN:  This was finished up on 2/26 so probably YES
*Thor crowns Valkyrie the new leader of New Asgard*  I now cannot wait for “Thor Love and Thunder”
Wait Peter’s looking for Gamora!
Still cannot believe that the time travel suits are completely CGI
I know they had a body double for Chris Evans here but I do think it would have been cool if they used the body double’s voice for Old Steve instead of Chris trying to sound old
He [Steve] put the shield in an art portfolio bag...
*says “No, no I don’t think I will” along with Steve*
*silently jams out to “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” playing during the credits*
Wait and that was the song Fury was playing in “Winter Soldier”
Oh they even got the actual signatures!  That’s awesome!
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seijorhi · 4 years ago
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4 different tag games
Tagged by the incredibly talented and lovely @jackrrabbit​ - thanks bby!
All of my faves have all been tagged or already done these but if anyone wants to do any/all of these - consider this your tag! 💕
i) go here and make an icon of yourself
Tumblr media
ii) list three random facts about yourself
1. I’m Australian but I grew up in Singapore (and I miss it a whole lot)
2. I have a (very useless) degree in Ancient History and I spent three summers overseas doing archaeological digs
3. I am obsessed with whales and sharks - about two years ago I went cage diving with great whites and it was no joke the coolest thing I have ever done
iii) post the first line(s) of a WIP as well as the last line you’ve written so far
First: 
“Fifty six.”
Bokuto’s hand slams down a stack of papers onto the desk and sure enough, written in big loopy red handwriting, circled and underlined at the top of the first page is his score - fifty six out of a hundred. Barely a pass.
“I freakin’ killed it!”
Last:
“I honestly don’t care that you chose Karasuno just to spite me. I don’t give a shit that you decided to join their sad little volleyball club as their manager. It doesn’t make a difference what school you go to or what extracurriculars you waste your time with. You’re still mine, so why the fuck do you think I’d be okay with you kissing anybody else?”
iv) answer 10 questions and then ask 10
1. do you believe in astrology or not? what’s your zodiac sign?
I don’t really believe in astrology, but then again I am a Pisces and some of that stuff does fit really well into my personality, so who knows?
2. best book you’ve read in the past five years?
I have not read a proper book in the longest time - but I started Six of Crows a few days ago and I’m really enjoying it so far!
3.what’s the last compliment someone gave you that made you think about yourself differently?
I mean it’s not exactly a compliment but somebody messaged me a while back on one of my other writing blogs and said they loved my fics and wanted to know if I’d do a commission piece for them, which was wild. To me writing has always been a hobby and I don’t really think I’m all that good at it compared to some of the brilliant writers on here - just the thought that somebody thought it was good enough to want to pay for it a) made by day and b) kind of changed the way I look at my writing
4. beer or wine? or neither?
Wine tbh, but I also tend to drink whatever other people around me are drinking so 🤷🏻‍♀️
5. what made you start your blog?
I have two or three other blogs (main and sideblogs) but they’re all geared towards other fandoms/stuff. I’ve been wanting to write some yandere content for bnha for a while and finally got the guts to create a blog to share some stuff and then I fell in love with Haikyuu and naturally being a feral thot, decided to add those characters as well
6. something you learned in school that changed your life (or at least changed your perspective)?
You can be pretty good at something and still hate it (maths) and vice versa, you can kind of suck at something and still find it super fun (art) which is really basic and dumb thing, but it took a while for it to click, and it’s pushed me to spend more time doing the things I love even when I’m objectively bad at them
7. 3 songs that you’ve listened to over and over throughout the years?
My music taste is a bit shit but I like what I like and I’ve been listening to the same stuff for years haha
Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance
Work Song - Hozier
All Star - Smash Mouth
8. tell me a joke (bonus: make it dirty)
I am shockingly bad at jokes, but here goes:
What do you get when you jingle santa’s balls? A White Christmas I’m so sorry
9. what accent(s) do you like the best?
I am weak for a southern twang. Somebody calls me darlin’ and I will just melt into a puddle. But also any accent really.
10. what does your sleep schedule look like lately?
Haha, who sticks to a sleep schedule? Haha, at the moment it’s been all over the place. Wake up for work 8(ish) and then usually fall asleep somewhere between 2/4am which I’m aware is not healthy or good for me, and then some nights I just crash super early but... yeah... 👀
My 10 questions (if anybody actually wants to do them haha)
What scares you more - the deep ocean or deep space?
Favourite TV show growing up?
Tell me an odd animal fact
Do you believe in ghosts and/or the supernatural?
Do you have any pets?
What’s your perfect date?
If you could work in any job regardless of experience or anything like that, where would you work?
Do you collect anything?
Favourite holiday?
Does pineapple belong on pizza?
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master-sass-blast · 5 years ago
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It’s Truly Magical.
IT’S HONEYMOON TIME!!!
Summary: You and Piotr enjoy your honeymoon --by going to Disneyland, no less.
Pairing(s): Piotr Rasputin x Reader.
Rating: T for implied sex, mention of needles, and briefly referenced childhood trauma but this fic is a fluff fest I promise.
Set after “In the Dawn of a New Day.”
Taglist: @marvel-is-perfection, @chromecutie, @super-darkcloudstudent, @girl-obsessed-with-things, @nebulous-leo
“So let’s see… a week and a half is… uh…”
“Make list.”
You stare down at your suitcase as you try to do the math in your head. You’re trying to pack for yours and Piotr’s honeymoon.
Because the two of you are married now. You, Y/N Rasputin, managed to snatch up the world’s greatest catch for yourself.
Suck it, universe.
“That’s… ten-ish days, so ten outfits –except for the nice dinner, so that’s another outfit, oh, and the plane flights…”
“Just make list.”
The two of you are going to California, courtesy of your uncle; you two get to spend the first four days of the trip at Disneyland, and then the rest of your honeymoon will be spent at a little beach house AirBNB where the two of you can just chill and enjoy the ocean.
“So that’s like… twice as much underwear? Three times as much?” You blink when you remember that this is technically your honeymoon. “Do I even need underwear?”
“This might be easier if you made list, moya lyubov’.”
“And I’ll need… uh…”
“Darling wife of mine.”
You smile bashfully, butterflies fluttering in your stomach at the reminder that you’re his wife now, and look over where Piotr’s sitting on your two’s bed.
He smiles at you, loving and endeared, and tosses a pen and notepad at you. “Just make packing list already.”
(You do, eventually, wind up making a list –though your husband does have to help you with the process.)
 ***
 The day of the flight brings its own boughs of anxiety and struggle. There’s the prospect of trying to navigate the airport properly and get through security –which promises to be a headache regardless of how much time you give yourselves—and then underlying tension that the two of you might get thrown out for being mutants—
But the unarguable worst part of the day happens before the two of you even leave home to head to the airport.
Piotr crosses his arms over his chest, face strained with worry as he stares down the small vial of yellow fluid in your hands. “I do not like this.”
You’re not cleared to fly on commercial flights –and technically won’t ever be, since the psychic scarring on your brain is permanent—without having your mutation repressed in some way, shape, or form. After an extended discussion between Hank, Professor Xavier, Alyssa, and your uncle, the four of them figured that you’d be unlikely to get a repression cuff or collar through airport security, which only left one option to keep your mutation repressed in the event –albeit unlikely—that you had an episode.
Repression serum.
The dose in the vial is only enough to get you safely to California –and you’ll have to use it all for it to work properly. Another vial will be provided before you and Piotr leave California to come back home. There’s no way for you to use it under any other circumstance or hoard it away for later, and Alyssa and Professor Xavier were both confident that you were well past the issues that led you to using it regularly that you wouldn’t be likely to relapse—
But yeah, you don’t like it either.
“It’s what we have to do, sweetheart,” you say, expression grim as you load up the syringe. “It’s for everyone else’s safety. And mine.”
“I know,” Piotr says, paling slightly as he watches you prepare the injection site on your arm. “I just… I really do not like this.”
“It’s going to be okay, honey,” you reassure him. “I’m going to be okay. I promise.”
There’s really not much else to say, considering what you have to do or your history with the repression serum, so you take a deep breath and insert the needle into your arm.
The serum hits as fast as you remember it hitting (since the dose was calibrated for your resistance to the stuff). Within about thirty seconds, you can feel your connection to the air around you being tamped down. It’s almost like someone’s put on a very thick jacket all over every inch of your body.
You grimace once you remove the needle and press a piece of gauze against the injection site. “I don’t like that.”
“Are you alright?” Piotr asks, panic evident in his voice and on his face as he kneels in front of you. “Do you feel sick? Do we need to see Hank?”
“No, no, I’m fine, I just don’t like how the serum feels,” you clarify. “I don’t like not feeling connected to the air. It doesn’t feel good.”
Piotr blinks as understanding flickers across his face, then he abruptly claps a hand over his mouth and stands, turning away from you in the process.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” You quickly set the syringe and the now empty vial aside and stand, maneuvering so you’re positioned in front of your husband. “Piotr, talk to me. What’s going on?”
Piotr shakes his head as he wipes a few tears away from his eyes. “I was afraid… that you would like it. That you would miss using serum. And that you do not… it is big relief to me.”
Tears well up in your eyes as your heart tears for your mush of a man. You wrap your arms around Piotr’s waist and hold him while he takes deep, shaky breaths. “It’s okay, Piotr. I’m okay.”
And you are. You really, truly are.
 ***
 Getting through the airport is just about as much of a hassle as you anticipated. It’s confusing, it’s chaotic, there’s far too much standing in line involved, and the ratio of people to available outlets –logically—should’ve caused a bloodbath by now.
Fortunately, you and Piotr don’t get tossed out for being mutants (even though the two of you “pass” relatively well, you’re both legally required to register as mutants, which always opens up the risk of being thrown out of anywhere that checks your ID).
(Piotr also doesn’t set off the security checkpoint metal detector when he goes through it, which –while logically being a good thing—is honestly kind of disappointing.)
You opt to lean against your husband’s shoulder while the two of you wait to board, at which point you lament over having to wait even longer, to which Piotr remarks that the two of you will still get to board earlier than everyone else because you’re flying in first class, which prompts you to pull out your boarding pass and study it—
“We’re flying first class?”
Piotr chuckles as he drapes his arm over your shoulders. “You just realized this?”
“You’re the one who checked all the tickets and reservations, not me!”
The ticket does, in fact, confirm that the two of you have first class seats reserved –next to each other, too, which is a bonus.
“Why’d my uncle get us first class seats?” you ponder quietly. “It’s so expensive.”
“Probably my size,” Piotr reasons. “I have trouble fitting in smaller seats.”
You shrug, then smile up at your spouse. “Well, we can at least have fun with flying first class for the first time!”
“That we can,” he agrees before dipping his head to kiss you.
 ***
 As it is, Piotr still barely fits into the first class seat. It’s clearly better suited to accommodate him than an economy seat –but only barely.
Fortunately, you don’t need the dividing armrest down to be comfortable, and you’re more than happy to be closely snuggled against your hubby for several hours. You take the window seat so Piotr has an easier time getting in and out of your seat and nestle up against him while he scans the in-flight safety pamphlet.
“You two are absolutely adorable,” one of the flight attendants comments with a smile. “We don’t see a lot of super lovey couples on the flights.”
“I think it helps that we’re flying out for our honeymoon,” you joke; at home, it’s a well known fact that you and Piotr are a pair of regular lovebirds –though, the added buzz from the wedding and honeymoon doesn’t hurt.
The flight attendant beams when you show off your engagement ring and wedding band. “Congratulations! That’s so wonderful! We do offer complimentary beverages and snacks to our first class passengers. Maybe some sparkling wine to celebrate, or a cookie and some milk if you’re not alcohol drinkers?”
You look up at Piotr. “Cookies and milk?”
He smiles down at you, then nods at the flight attendant. “Cookies and milk would be nice.”
 ***
 Fun fact: A non-stop flight from New York to California is a little over six hours.
Additional fun fact: years of being able to fly one’s self makes travelling by plane a touch lackluster.
“We’re not even breaking the sound barrier,” you whisper to Piotr at one point. “Where’s the fun in that?”
He merely snorts and kisses the top of your head.
All in all, though, it’s a good time. The two of you snuggle against each other as the plane soars through the skies, Piotr fills you in on all things Disney, and you play games provided on the little screen interfaces on the backs of the seats in front of you.
You’re also provided a proper meal a couple hours into the flight –and, much to Piotr’s delight, it’s reasonably healthy, if not necessarily portioned out for someone of his size.
“The perks of flying first class, I guess,” you comment before starting in on your food.
 ***
 Actually arriving in California, admittedly, is a bit of a mindfuck, solely due to the time difference between the East Coast and the West Coast.
“None of this feels right,” you mumble as you try to reconcile the earlier time to your inner body clock.
“Imagine how I felt first coming from Russia,” Piotr comments as he scans the directional signs to figure out where the two of you need to pick up your luggage.
“Shit, yeah, that’d be insane.” You frown. “How does your family manage to jump between here and there, then?”
Piotr shrugs. “Lots of coffee, probably.”
 ***
 The process of getting to the famed park is far less drawn out than the flight. Once you two have your luggage, you head over to the car rental place and pick up your car –rented so the two of you have a reliable way to get around for the rest of your honeymoon—and take the half hour drive to the park.
You give Piotr a goofy smile when another motorist curses you out for abiding by the traffic laws. “It’s like we never left home.”
Piotr just tips his head back and laughs.
 ***
 To make everything extra special, your hotel reservation is at one of the hotels in the park itself –very appropriately named “Disneyland Hotel.” The two of you get checked in and head up to your room—
And it’s nice. There’s a massive king-sized bed that sits directly across from a combination dresser and TV cabinet. A desk and chair sit next to the dresser-cabinet combo, and a cushy looking armchair sits next to the bed on the far side of the room. Everything’s decorated in warm, inviting tones of brown and gold, save for a genuinely pretty blue and gold carpet. On the other side of the bed, closest to the door, is another door that leads to a bathroom.
It’s nice. Clean. It has amenities like a mini-fridge and a coffee maker and an ironing board.
It’s also like almost any other hotel you’ve ever been in.
Piotr shrugs when you remark as much. “Were you expecting something else?”
“I don’t know… mouse ears everywhere? Super bright colors and patterns?”
Piotr chuckles as he sets yours and his suitcases down. “The crucial experience is park. Rooms are supposed to promote rest and relaxation.”
“Fair enough.” You dart over to the window on the far side of the room to check out the view, then chuckle when all you can see is the parking lot. “Oh, damn, can’t get this view anywhere else.” You whip out your phone to take a Snapchat video of the view, then tuck it back in your pocket and turn around when you hear Piotr groan and the bed creak ominously.
He’s dropped face-down into the bed, arms spread out like a starfish and legs hanging haphazardly off the bed.
You cross your arms over your chest. “Feeling comfy, baby?”
“Planes do not agree with me,” he laments, voice muffled by the bed.
“I bet.” You cross over to the bed and hop up next to him. “How about this,” you suggest as you gently rub his back. “We just get some room service –because I’m hungry—and then just stretch out and rest. We’ve got four days here at the park; that’s plenty of time to check everything out.”
“Sounds wonderful.” He lifts his head and grins at you. “We are at Disneyland.”
“Yeah, we are,” you reply with a grin of your own. “Are you excited?”
He giggles and nods before dropping his head back down. “Very.”
You gently run your fingers through his hair and kiss the top of his head before turning and rummaging through the nightstand drawer for a room service menu. “You get comfortable, babe. I’ll get us some food.”
 ***
 The two of you eat and take a little nap before unpacking. Since you aren’t staying the entire duration of your trip at the park, you only unpack what you need –a few clothes, some toiletries, a couple of things to do during down time…
And, in your husband’s case, an entire pantry’s worth of healthy snacks and protein bars.
You gape as Piotr carefully tucks away a supply of unsalted veggie chips, mixes of dried fruit and nuts, crackers with “extra fiber” (whatever the fuck that means), and a couple boxes of protein bars into one of the dresser drawers. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Piotr! We are on vacation!”
“We still need to eat!” he retorts defensively.
“They have restaurants and room service here!” you argue, trying to hold back amused laughter. “And we can always buy food if we need something they don’t have!”
“It is still less expensive this way,” he reasons.
“The park expenses are on someone else’s tab, and we’ll still have to get groceries for the rest of our trip.”
The gears in Piotr’s head visibly turn while he processes your statement. He huffs –and shoots you an amused glare when you giggle—and continues unpacking his snacks. “Just wait until end of trip, when you are sick from travel food and I am not. You will eat words then.”
“The only thing I want to eat is your dick,” you fire back, snickering when the tips of Piotr’s ears go red. You pick up one of the boxes out of the dresser drawer and read the label. “‘Multi-grain Nutritional Crackers, now with Extra Fiber.’ Honestly, you are such an old man.”
Piotr shakes his head, takes the box from you and puts it back in the drawer, then lifts you up into his arms. “Not old just yet.”
You giggle and press your lips against his.
 *** 
 The following morning hosts massive bouts of excitement –Piotr—and general disgust at the existence of mornings in general –you.
Your mood does perk up, though, upon having some proper breakfasts in one of the restaurants in the hotel –accompanied by coffee and some of the park’s legendary Dole whip, no less. By the time the two of you head into the “attractions” part of the park, you’re just as pepped up as your Disney-loving hubby.
The two of you wander around a bit, getting a sense for the park and where everything is, until—
“Babe!” You point at the Alice in Wonderland spinning teacups ride. “Let’s go on that one!”
Piotr acquiesces, and the two of you get in line for the ride. It takes a fair bit of standing and waiting, but eventually the two of you are ushered onto one of the massive teacups. You both get settled, then wait for the ride to start.
“What’s this for?” you ask, tapping a stand in the middle with what looks like a steering wheel attached to the top.
“To spin ride,” Piotr explains. “It makes cup spin faster.”
Your eyes widen as you stare at the device. “I thought the ride just spun the cups on its own.”
“It does.” Piotr gestures to the frame the cups sit on. “Entire ride spins like merry-go-round. Riders can spin cups while ride spins.”
You grin, borderline maniacally. “Fuck. Yeah.”
Once the ride starts, you immediately start trying to spin the cup as fast as you can. Under any other circumstances, you suspect the cup would spin without too much resistance.
However, those circumstances don’t involve having the world’s heaviest Russian husband in the cup at the same time.
You grunt as you try to spin the cup. “Dammit! Why do you have to be so heavy?”
“It is not end of world, msyhka,” Piotr chuckles. “Just sit back and enjoy ride.”
“I want to go fast! But I can’t do that because I just happened to shack up with the one Russian juggernaut that eats lead for breakfast!”
Piotr laughs again –then grips the wheel and gives it a mighty yank.
You shriek, delighted, as the cup whips around at maximum speed. The world dissolves into a blur of color and noise as your hair whips around and smacks your face.
It’s like flying without the physical effort of flying. It’s amazing.
“That was awesome!” you giggle as you stumble off the ride. “We should go –babe?”
Piotr staggers after you, looking considerably worse for wear. He’s gone pale –paler than usual, at least—and clammy looking, and his jaw is clenched tight. “I think,” he manages in a weak, shaky voice, “that was mistake.”
You put your hands on his arms, helping steady him. “Holy shit, baby, you look awful. Come on, let’s get back to the hotel room so you can lay down.”
“Perhaps that would be for best,” Piotr agrees as you steer him in the direction of the hotel.
 ***
 “No fucking way. The Steel Boy Scout can’t handle rollercoasters. That’s incredible!”
“I mean, in his defense, it was a spin heavy ride,” you say to Wade as you stroke Piotr’s hair.
The two of you are back in your hotel room; Piotr had opted to lay face down on the bed and bury his face in a pillow, while you’d opted to call Wade and update him on how the vacation was going –or, rather, wasn’t.
“Yeah, well, still,” Wade insists in your ear. “It’s funny. He’s a superhero who battles diabolical villains on a regular basis, and he can’t handle spinning around a little.”
“I mean, you make a valid point—”
The bed lurches as Piotr shoots off it and sprints to the bathroom.
“Ah, shit. I’ve gotta go.”
“Has Chernobyl finally decided to blow?”
You wince as the sounds of Piotr emptying his stomach contents into the toilet emanate from the bathroom. “Yeah. I’ll talk to you later.”
 ***
 You spend the rest of the day in the hotel room to let Piotr properly recuperate. You order room service for the two of you once Piotr’s feeling well enough to eat, and otherwise spend the day texting, scrolling through social media, or watching TV while you hold your husband and stroke his hair.
All in all, it’s a day perfectly spent.
And, fortunately, Piotr’s feeling well enough by the time the day comes to a close that the two of you can catch one of the park’s famed fireworks shows. Granted, you have to stand off to the side so Piotr doesn’t block anyone’s view, but it’s still a stunning spectacle to behold.
(It also gives Wade’s fireworks “demonstrations” a run for their money, which isn’t something you’d ever thought could be possible.)
“Are you feeling better, honey?” you ask as the two of you stroll back to the hotel, hand in hand.
“Much.” Piotr squeezes your hand gently. “Tomorrow should go much better.”
“Here’s hoping. No more spinning rides for you, mister.”
Piotr chuckles and shakes his head. “On that, we are agreed.”
 ***
 The following morning, Piotr’s in a much better state than the previous day. After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, the two of you head back into the attractions part of the park and scope out more rides to try out –with a strict emphasis on “non-spinning” for your husband’s sake.
Eventually, the two of you come across a ride called “Big Thunder” that seems promising. The two of you hop in line to get on the ride—
Except upon finally being able to get on said ride, it turns out that Piotr’s too big for the safety mechanisms to work properly.
You burst out cackling as Piotr sheepishly extricates himself from his seat and steps back onto the platform. “We can’t win with you, huh, baby?”
“It would see not.” He kisses you gently. “I’ll see you back at walkway.”
You smile at him and blow him another kiss as he heads towards the exit.
Then, an attendant comes by to check your harness and the harnesses of the other rides. There’s the sound of the motors that run the coaster coming to life and hissing –and then the ride shoots forward.
And you scream.
 ***
 “It was awesome!” you gush to Piotr once you find him outside the ride. “It’s like flying, but I get to sit down the entire time. It’s basically perfect! Although, I think we’re gonna have to skip rides while we’re here. You’re not gonna fit on… any of them, really.”
Piotr chuckles and kisses the top of your head. “You can still go on rides, myshka. This is your trip, also. And there are calmer rides and other attractions I can enjoy.”
“Alright.” You take a moment to check a map of the park that Piotr downloaded and sent to your phone. “Do you want to go find a ride we can both go on?”
“That sounds very nice.”
You smile and take his hand in yours, then the two of you head off in search of a ride that both of you can go on.
 ***
 The two of you wind up going on Astro Blasters –even though neither of you are very good at hitting any of the targets—and going on the famed Pirates of the Caribbean ride together, and you also hit Splash Mountain and the Indiana Jones rides on your own.
(Piotr pays to get pictures of you riding the rides on your own and gets a good chuckle out of your open-mouthed, exhilarated expressions.)
You also take time just to wander around the park and take everything in. You two take a selfie in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle, spy the Mickey Mouse costume character strolling around and saying hi to kids, and generally take in the sights and sounds of the park –of which there are many.
Just like the advertising says, it’s genuinely magical.
 ***
 “Are you enjoying Disneyland?”
Piotr grins as he wipes his fingers on a napkin. “Da. I really am. Are you?”
You grin back and lean over to kiss his shoulder. “Yeah. It’s pretty awesome.”
The two of you had opted to stop for lunch after a bit, with Piotr citing that getting overtired or going too long without eating in the baking California heat would wind up doing either of you in. You’d decided to get a corndog and a soda, whereas Piotr had purchased one of the famed turkey legs and a bottle of water.
(The picture you’d taken of Piotr biting into his turkey leg was nothing short of priceless.)
“I want to get something to remember trip by,” Piotr continues as he polishes off his turkey leg (which had taken him the same time to eat as it had for you to devour your corndog). “Proper memento.”
“Well, Mikhail did give us that jar of money after the reception,” you point out. “You want to use that to get a little honeymoon treat? Maybe some matching mouse ear headbands?”
Piotr beams and nods. “That sounds wonderful.”
 ***
 The two of you resume wandering around the park after eating lunch. You briefly stop to watch a parade of characters and decorated vehicles go by, then resume the hunt for some proper mementos to commemorate your honeymoon at the park.
Which, actually, is easier said than done. The park has several shops scattered throughout it and different kiosks by rides that host specially themed mouse-eared headbands. Trying to compare all the options available, let alone narrow things down to a top pick, is almost too tall a task to handle.
(Not to mention that the headbands themselves are egregiously expensive. Holy shit.)
Eventually, though, you settle on a sequined Minnie Mouse ears headband –complete with a sequined red bow with white polka dots—while Piotr opts for a classic –sequins free—Mickey Mouse ears headband.
“I think we look pretty good!” you declare as you post one of the selfies you took of you and Piotr to Instagram.
Piotr brushes a soft kiss against your temple. “I agree –but you look best.”
You sputter and duck your head bashfully. “You’re awfully sweet, Mr. Rasputin.”
“Says person eating cotton candy.”
“Not my fault it’s good.” You split your last bite in half and offer part of it to him –then gape when he actually accepts it. “What’s this? You actually ate cotton candy!”
Piotr rolls his eyes good naturedly –though he does pull a face at how sweet the candy is. “Is my vacation. I eat treats if I want.”
You grin and giggle, then yank on his hand and head in the direction of another vendor stand. “Ooh, come on! I need to get a pretzel!”
“You just finished cotton candy.”
“Yeah, but—” you glance around and lower your voice carefully “—I need to get a Snapchat of it so I can send Wade a snap about being a ‘childless whore fucking up the pretzel line.’”
Piotr’s eyes widen and he claps a hand over his mouth to stifle a massive snort. “What?”
“Baby, please?”
He shakes his head, but ultimately acquiesces. “Lead way, myshka.”
 ***
 You wake up on the third day of your trip with sore legs and feet, a barely there stomach ache from eating too much cotton candy the day previous, and an erection pressed against your ass.
You grin when Piotr’s lips start pressing against your neck. “Morning, sweetheart. Feeling good?”
“Chrezvychayno.”
You sigh, content, when his hand latches onto your hip and his other arm presses against your chest, pulling you flush against him. “Y’know… we’ve pretty much done everything we can do in the park. We could just…” You swing one of your arms back so you can slide your hand down his side. “Stay in bed today. Order room service. Do what all honeymooners do.”
“That,” Piotr murmurs huskily, lustily. “Sounds perfect.”
 ***
 You two spend the last day of the Disney part of your trip largely lazing around. You stroll through the park to get more pictures and check out a few more rides, but other than that you two simply enjoy each other’s company until the time for your dinner reservation at the renowned Blue Bayou restaurant comes. The two of you take a few hours to get cleaned and dressed up for the dinner –a cocktail dress with blue and purple flowers for you and a suit with a blue and purple tie for him—and head over to the Blue Bayou restaurant.
The space itself is nothing short of breathtaking. There’s trees along the edge of the outdoor dining area, and lanterns and flowers are strung across the space to give it a soft, ethereal feel.
You two are seated in a quiet corner of the dining area at a sleek black table bordered by chairs with elegant backs that look like wrought iron; the waiter hands you two your menus and takes your drink orders—
And then it’s just you and Piotr.
You glance up from perusing your menu and smile at your husband. “Anything in particular looking good?”
He “hmms” thoughtfully. “Possibly lamb… or roasted chicken.”
“They both look good,” you agree. You nudge his leg under the table, then grin at him when he looks up at you. “Love you.”
Piotr beams at you. “I love you, too.”
The waiter returns a couple minutes later with your drinks, jots down your orders, then takes your menus and whisks away once more.
Piotr reaches across the table –careful not to knock into either of your glasses or the candle at the center of the table—and takes one of your hands in his. “So. We are married.”
You grin. “Hell yeah we are.”
He smiles back, then gazes thoughtfully at the engagement ring and wedding band on your left hand while rubbing circles against the back of your hand with his thumb. “What comes next?”
You let out a huff. “I mean… we have a house to furnish.”
“That we do,” Piotr chuckles. “But I meant more for us. What do you want us to do next, as couple?”
You glance around surreptitiously, then quietly suggest, “Have lots of sex?”
Piotr snorts. “Duly noted, myshka. Answer question seriously, please.”
You sit back in your seat, taking a moment to enjoy the way his thumb rubs against your hand before mulling over the question. “I don’t know. Right now, I’m kinda just content to enjoy the moment and our new life together.”
Piotr nods after a moment. “Okay. And… in future?”
“Kids, eventually,” you say, flashing a demure smile at him. “I mean, I think we should get the house furnished and functional first, but… maybe in the next year or two.”
Piotr smiles at that, eyes sparkling and face glowing. “Alright. It is your body; you set all rules.”
“I think in a year or two we can start trying,” you reiterate. “But, right now, I’m just looking to enjoy us. You.”
His smile softens, and he squeezes your hand gently. “That sounds very nice.”
You smile back, slowly getting lost in the depths of his sparkling blue eyes—
It really is magical.
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organabanana · 5 years ago
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Here are the eight things that seemed most important when I decided to put together an ~aesthetic~:
Bonus ninth thing: I am long-winded so I had to put this under a read more to save your dashes. I apologize in advance for the rambling stream of consciousness under the cut.
One. I need coffee: I like tea, too, but I need coffee. There’s nothing snobby or pinterest-worthy about my relationship with the stuff, either. I drink it nearly black, instant (I KNOW, I KNOW BUT I DON’T HAVE THE COUNTER SPACE FOR A COFFEE MAKER), and in ridiculous quantities. I go through two 100-cup tubs a month, though I put in more spoonfuls than they recommend so I guess the number is more likely 150ish cups a month. Which is still frankly appalling, but you know. My excuse is I work full time as a teacher and also full time as a writer which means waking up at 4AM seven days a week and going to bed at around 11PM if I’m lucky so what I lack in sleep I make up for in caffeine.
Two. I hand write a lot: I’ve been journaling since I was around 7 or 8. It’s gone from your basic ‘today the teacher was super unfair and I had orange juice at recess’ kind of journaling to a beautiful mess that’s a mix of journal, sketch book (I’m terrible at visual arts, but dammit, I love it), wish list, scrapbook, and obsessive record-keeping. Though I’ve gone full digital for all my actual writing, my journal will always remain handwritten. A blog just isn’t the same.
Three. I belong near the sea: I was born, raised, and have always lived in a small coastal town. I was landlocked for two different periods of my life (college first, and then a couple of years abroad) and I missed the sea more than anything else in the world. I always hear people say not seeing the sea makes them feel claustrophobic, but for me it’s the opposite feeling. My town is a peninsula so I’ve always thought of the sea as a sort of barrier between ‘home’ and ‘the outside’. Land locked places make me feel like I’m out in an open space with nothing to keep me safe.
Three and a half. My dog also belongs near the sea: I was going to use a picture of him, too, but I didn’t have any in my computer and using a random dog seemed weird. He’s a black lab I rescued when he was three. He’s now six and has some white hairs on his chin which make him look very distinguished. He leads a very pampered life in many ways, but I think his favorite thing is the same as mine: we live fifty steps away from the beach, where he can run off-leash and swim every single morning and night. I like to say I’m his service human because he has epilepsy which means I’ve gotten really good at sensing seizures and making sure he doesn’t hurt himself when they hit. In exchange, he keeps me warm in bed and makes me feel like the most important person in the world.
Four. I’m a woman and I love women (a ton): I fall in love at least twice a week on average, and three times if I happen to visit our vet who is an actual angel. I also have the flirting skills of a sea cucumber, but I make up for it by coming up with the smoothest lines for my characters because I am a benevolent overlady and they deserve better. I extremely rarely, if ever, spend my time consuming media with no women in it. Bonus points if they’re queer, but passing the Bechdel test is usually enough (notable exception: I will love Star Wars until my very last day on this Earth, Bechdel be damned). 99% of my characters are also women, and generally of the woman-loving disposition, and I think that’s okay.
Five. I’m a teacher and I love teaching (also a ton): I’m a special education teacher, and I love (nearly) every second of it. I get to work in small groups, sometimes even one-on-one, with kids and teens and adults who need some extra help. I often say my endgame goal is to transition to writing as my ‘main’ career, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop teaching because I love it far too much. I’d love to reach the point where I can make my own hours and not feel overworked and underpaid while struggling to make ends meet, but a teacher is what I am, not just what I do.
Six. In a different life, I was a stage actress: I even looked into drama schools for years. I think a part of me will always wonder if I could’ve made it, but I’m very happy with the small-scale classroom version of acting I get to do every single day instead. The theater is one of the things I love the most in the world, both musicals and straight plays. I watch nearly everything that comes through my town, and I save up and spend a week in London getting my West End fix as often as I can possibly afford. If I had to go without all other media in exchange for keeping live theater, I would (though it’d make me very sad).
Seven. I read as much as I write: I read, and I read, and I read. And then I read some more. I devour novels, but also long form articles, short stories, plays, COMIC BOOKS OH MY WORD, and even the back of the cereal box if I’m desperate enough. I’ve been living in my apartment for nearly two years, and I still have several boxes of books and comics in storage waiting to be unpacked. I will never not be amazed that comic books are suddenly cool after so many years of being for nerds, and I’m loving every second of it (though as a big time DC fan, I am somewhat butthurt about the current state of affairs in the DC/Marvel competition). My biggest book weakness are old timey nonfiction books for women and/or educators. The more problematic, the better. The crown jewel of my collection is a book written in the 60s for pubescent girls in which the author (a priest) attempts to tackle sex ed. Beautiful disaster. It includes the ‘true story’ of a woman who used lipstick as a teen and that set off a chain of events which ended with her grandchildren blaming her for their syphillis. Living in a country which was under ultra-Catholic fascist rule until 1975, my collection of problematic books is pretty impressive, I must say.
Eight (FINALLY I’M SO SORRY I TOLD YOU I WAS LONG-WINDED). I watch a ton of movies: Old timey, new timey, it’s all good with me. Because I don’t have a lot of time, I’m trying to make a conscious effort to be a bit more selective with what I watch and explore new things instead of rewatching Moulin Rouge for the millionth time. Letterboxd has been a godsend and I spend waaaay too much time fiddling around with it. But no matter how many new (to me!) masterpieces I discover, I reserve the right to watch Imagine Me & You at least three times a year. 
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dio-roga · 5 years ago
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After years of stalling, this is finally seeing the light of day and thank actual jesus for that. There’s more fic out there than you’d think for the best boys, but like all things, sturgeon's law’s in effect when it comes to quality (big time actually, around 35 fics on this list from a rough 350 in existence). I read them all so you don’t have to.
Higher rank the better (though obviously YMMV) and the rest should just be ordered by word count. I have a place in my heart for everything on this list so no matter where it is or what I say about it, trust me, if it’s here, I think it’s worth your time.
Will do my best to keep things up to date. I F5 tabs like you wouldn’t believe. Love you guys ❤
[SSS RANK] ABSOLUTE TOP SHELF
ego, opinion, art & commerce 24parts
We hopefully all know it, we certainly all love it. The canon-compliant, rock-band road-trip AU that’s destined to rule the entire ship one day; the cryde child of prophecy. Go in hard and this’ll take you away like nothing else. The only thing not absolutely perfect about this fic is (like the rest of us) you’ll have to wait for the ending. I know waiting sucks, but please don’t let it stop you bingeing this story right now. I am not exaggerating when I say it’s better than most published books you’ll ever read.
let your heart hold fast niente
Literally the best finished cryde fic ever written as of time of writing this. The boys have grown up. Clyde’s a writer, Craig’s distant, and familiar circumstances bring them crashing back together. The cast of characters are a complete joy, it’s fully drenched in canon, and sports an amazingly rich post-series lore with all manner of cute nods and easter eggs for fans of the show. Nothing short of a masterpiece. Written with such love. Treasure your first read of it.
[SS RANK] AMAZING READS GAURANTEED
Pulling Mussels SekritOMG
A divisive fic maybe, but a classic all the same. Get ready for a fresh take on normal fic conventions to be sure. Personally? I’d consider it top shelf, no question. But to others? They might end up absolutely hating it. A strange midlife odyssey wherein a fed-up, lonely Craig begrudgingly reconnects with an out-of-shape, stagnated Clyde. Memorable to say the least, packed to bursting with detail and personality; go in with the right mindset and its glorious set pieces with burn themselves into your memories. Possibly the fic I’ve re-read the most ever.
Darkness Falls Vampiracy
Do you like cute, gorgeously written things? Set during the three days of Stick of Truth, it tells the behind-the-scenes story of Craig’s growing infatuation with the Lord of Darkness. Everything about this is clever and charming and just generally heart-warming. Best read after playing the game for maximum enjoyment, feel smart and accomplished as you pick out all the references. This fic’s adorable and pure and can do no wrong. 
Chicken Vampiracy
The gateway fic? Huge question mark? This story is cryde personified. Like the author distilled the ships very essence into this amazingly funny and light-hearted story about the boys playing the world’s most drawn out game of gay chicken. It’s impossible not to love this story, it’s perfect for what it is, and will leave you feeling happy by the end every time. What more could you want? Show this one to your friends and they’ll finally ‘get’ cryde.
the remains of our sky traiyadhvika
I’ll level with you fam, this story will emotionally cripple you, prepared or not. The writing is precise, sublime, and utterly heart-breaking. It tells the story of how Craig deals with the aftermath of Clyde’s death on Everest. Obviously a heavy topic, but I can tell you with complete confidence that this fic not only does the subject matter justice, but also manages to tell a story of love and hope despite it. Like Butters said, it’s a beautiful sadness. This fic had me obsessively researching mountains for weeks, and anything that can light that kind of fire in you is something special.
C & C, The Mystery Duo Darkyfoot
There is nothing in here but pure fluff, joy and happiness. This story will lighten your soul and brighten your heart. It tells the tale of the boys discovering a life-long obsession for hunting mysteries, and will resonate with anyone who’s ever held a strong passion in their lives (which is probably most of you, if you’re hunting down SP fics to read). The written equivalent of a warm blanket and a steaming hot mug of cocoa on a cold winter’s night.
[S RANK] THE REALLY GOOD STUFF
Equality Donkerblauw Fluweel
A good chill-out fic? Cataloguing a series of parties over the summer in which Clyde starts cozying up to Craig after much alcohol is consumed; and like a good drink, the fic mixes all its elements together nicely. It’s nothing ground breaking, but it’s got a super relaxing flow to it, and will brighten your mood by the end. It nails the party atmosphere, so if you’ve got no-where to go this Friday night, maybe pour yourself a little something and give this one a read.
Craig Likes Vanilla (Ice Cream) themuffintitan
The cuteness equivalent of porn. If you’ve got a list of cliché ‘aww’ scenarios, chances are they’ll play out in this fic. If hand holding and sharing an ice-cream make you melt (hahanotfunny) then this one’s definitely for you. For a fairly simple story about Craig and the squad visiting a waterpark, it’s remarkably detailed (check that word count fam), and has a killer summer atmosphere to boot. It certainly made me hit up a park last July. The writing does let it down in a few areas, but overall you’ll probably be too busy enjoying the ride to notice.
The Silent Lie Donkerblauw Fluweel
Guilty pleasure? Okay you caught me red-handed. This fic’s practically porn. Read all about how Clyde learns to surrender his heterosexuality as Craig massages away all his football injuries in the steamiest way possible. If I’m being totally honest? The story’s pretty obviously there to frame the smut, and writing can be a bit all over the place. But I can’t deny it just works. It’s hot AF. Come here for the sexies and you won’t leave disappointed. Read it after dark. ;)
Press Play flappySp00kster
Arguably unfinished, but the only thing missing is apparently a mostly superfluous epilogue. We’re in full AU territory here as Clyde hooks up with Craig on a dating app during a rough-patch with his long-time, and now ex, girlfriend. Your mileage may vary obviously as the story’s not canon compliant; however the boys behave like you’d imagine and the romance is nicely fleshed out and unique. Bonus points for a bit of kink in the sex scenes, which is rarer than you’d expect for this ship.
What Happened in 1637 pinkfloyd1770
One of the most strikingly unique stories out there; it’s essentially a flower shop AU in which Clyde embraces his Dutch heritage and sports and encyclopedic knowledge on tulip facts. Written in medias res during a seemingly long since established relationship with Craig, this fic merely offers a look into this unique take on the couple as they go about their lives. The detail is stunning, and you’ll find vivid mental pictures coming to life in every scene. If you can get past the fact Craig bottoms (let’s pretend he was feeling generous that evening) then you’ll certainly be charmed with this one. (1637 is the year the tulip bubble finally popped. In case you were wondering.)
Around My Head wendybirb
Are you looking for something that’s light and fluffy? Maybe you like reading Clyde’s inner monologue as he fumbles around high-key pining over his best friend? Perfect, sign yourself up to this fic; it’s a quick and easy read that’ll give you your daily dose of wholesomeness from one of my favorite authors. Nothing overly flashy or complicated here, just boys being cute and kissing.
hey there demons traiyadhvika
This spooky affair is thankfully a lot less of an emotional roller-coaster than it’s cousin ‘remains of our sky’, but that’s not to say it doesn’t grab you and refuse to let go. Have you ever wondered what Craig and Clyde would be like trying to host one of those dorky haunted house shows? Bonus points in that Craig can legitimately see ghosts? It’s a fresh concept that’ll really get your mind racing with the cutest hosts you could ask for. Kept me glued to my seat, ready to throw down if any bad spirits came between the best boys. Slept with the hall lights on for a couple nights ngl.
As Good a Reason as Any Vampiracy
The last of the sacred trinity that also includes Chicken and Darkness Falls, the only reason this fic isn’t ranked higher is because it’s also the authors shortest. Watching Clyde try anything and everything to spend more time with Craig is as endearing as it sounds, and the only thing that sucks is that it doesn’t overstay its welcome; when honestly, you’d like the fic to stay for dinner and spend the night. Quality everything. No joke made my heart flutter. Read it and know true happiness.
Kiss It Better dokidave
A one and done story of Craig trying to cheer Clyde up after a difficult day. This fic’s a nice double whammy if you’re looking for some hurt and comfort mixed in with some steamy sex scenes. It delivers exactly what is says on the box; don’t expect too much in the way of plot of development, but certainly feel free to gush over the sappy sweet character moments. A good pick-me-up fic if you’re having a lousy day.
Take a Chance (You Say It's Your Birthday) Miaou Jones (miaoujones)
So here we have Craig being drunk and vulnerable, while Clyde’s radiating raw sexuality as he dances for Craig’s camera. I’m usually all about Craig giving off that top energy, but the way this story frames (hahakillme) the whole dynamic is very soft and endearing; you can fully understand why Craig’s the one feeling thirsty this time around. This is a fic that really knows how to set a mood. Read it and feel like you’re being pampered.
You Make It Easier glowworm888
Pure comfort; Clyde’s feeling understandably miserable about the thought of growing up without his mom, and Craig’s doing his best to help Clyde cope. Wholesome dumb teenagers looking out for each other and low-key falling in love. I dare you not to feel all happy inside as Clyde slowly begins to feel better as Craig looks after him. Adorable throughout, the ending is very much them. Another good read for making a crappy day a better one.
Miss you x Vampiracy
A true hidden gem by one of the best authors in the whole fandom; we have here the best fic in which Clyde doesn’t even appear. The whole schoolyard gang give their two cents on Craig’s spiraling mental state as he tries desperately to justify a typo to Clyde during an obsessive summer-long texting marathon. Legitimately funny from start to finish, with buttery-smooth dialogue and a big soft ending that’ll have you grinning ear-to-ear for completely different reasons. Love it, cherish it, and dream of more. Vampiracy ̶ we’ll miss you x.
[A RANK] SHORT AND SWEET
Whatever Gets You Through The Night Miaou Jones (miaoujones)
There’s a lot of mixed feelings for me in this fic. A love-letter to Clyde and his parents, in which Craig gets caught up on the whole ‘love’ part of it, having trouble fully expressing himself due to some heavy personal baggage. The Donovan’s really shine in this story. Betsy’s alive and massively comforting, Roger’s family values personified, and Clyde’s being a sweetheart to end all sweethearts. It’s confronting, more than a little emotionally messy, but it’s none the less a story that’ll stay with you. Check the comments for a hidden stinger.
Some Dieting Donkerblauw Fluweel
Clyde’s self-image problems are the focus this time around, doing a commendable job pushing the ideas of healthy progress, properly looking after yourself and feeling comfortable letting others help out. It’s a good length for the story it is, and although the writing gets a little spotty in parts you’ll be unlikely take too much notice. Like Clyde, this one’s hearts in the right place.
If Time Could Stand Still WeCryde
I used to stumble across this story semi-regularly back in the day, wondering if I’d missed it before realizing we’d already been well acquainted. The amount of show rather than tell is fairly distracting, with the entire meat of the relationship relegated to backstory. There’s still something here though. Perhaps in the way it deals with long-distance relationships and just distance in general. Maybe the hopeless romantic in me resonates with the plight of two idiots with thousands of miles between them. See if it works for you?
The Edges of the Atmosphere Miaou Jones (miaoujones)
There should be some sort of law that states that confessions in cryde stories have to be some level of stupid or convoluted. These two are physically incapable of expressing such feelings to each other in any standard normie way. So enjoy some classic spaceman Craig tropes while Clyde juggles being cute and awkward like a pro. Trigger warning for some racy hand-holding action; we’re talking interlocking fingers here.
Standby Flier Cheesebirb (Hi Mark ;)
So upfront, this story isn’t even a romance quite honestly. It’s just a cute bromance sort of affair at most, in which the boys share a hotel room together while waiting on a flight back home. You could quite certainly interpret it as the start of something deeper, as the fic gladly provides hints to support it; however there’s nothing to see here apart from the two personalities bouncing off each other, and sometimes that’s enough. A memorable little story that might resonate that little bit extra if you’re a frequent traveler.
Bust and Boom Azul_Bleu
Clyde fumbling with the realization that he’s got the hots for Craig isn’t new ground, that’s about the only ‘downside’ I could give this story. What it does with this premise however is deliver some pitch-perfect characterizations, snappy pacing, a good variety of settings, and some surprisingly touching moments given its brevity. It’s also loaded with lines that stand up off the page and stick with you and those are always worth their weight in gold; the author really squeezes a lot out of the short word count.
Forts Can Be Fun wendybirb
In which little Craig builds a pillow fort and little Clyde is invited. It’s a soft story with some cute exchanges, if you’re looking for a more innocent kid-cryde vibe then this one can scratch the itch. Short and sweet by definition. Go read it and give yourself a little smile.
Ennui dsfgajkh
This simple story’s a real blink and you’ll miss it; detailing some introspective thoughts Clyde’s having about the monotony of small town life and his fascination with his much more interesting best friend. At nearly a decade old, this story pre-dates Pandemic, which solidified the usual stoic Craig tropes that came after so it’s an awesome little time capsule back to those days where apathetic Clyde and flamboyant Craig was as good a guess as any. There’s a line about skittles that makes it worth the ten minute read.
Neighbors Vampiracy
So remember that time that Vampiracy wrote one of the most realistic and precious depictions of little Craig and Clyde playing with toy trucks in the backyard, but then it got buried in the depths of tumblr? Try not to smile when Clyde beams over the prospect of making a new friend and being able to show off the hole he’s dug; I completely and utterly dare you. Bratty Craig is my spirit animal and I’d die for more adventures with him at the Donovan house. I’m such a sucker for cutesy pre-school fluff I swear; just like you will be when you’re done reading this.
Shine On How You Shine On Miaou Jones (miaoujones)
Real talk? I’m a sucker for all things Brokeback Mountain, and this fic’s just neatly slotting in Craig and Clyde as the cowboys sharing a rough and confusing night in a tent together. The story is exactly what you’d think if you’ve read the original, and it hits all the same thematic beats. Guilty pleasure alert in full here. If you’re in the mood for hearing Clyde Twist tense up as Craig Delmar spits on his hand behind him then I won’t judge if you don’t. I’d unironically read ten more chapters.
Two Weeks toddintops
Yeah-yeah I know I’m stretching the definition of fic with this one, it’s barely a half thousand words; but hey, better five hundred words that make you feel something than ten thousand that leave you feeling the same. A short, sharp dose of angst with some beautiful art accompanying, what have you got to lose? Something about Clyde’s smile, coupled with the bittersweet lines near the end has always managed to stay with me. Maybe it’ll strike a chord with you too.
UNFINISHED (BUT STILL GREAT)
Ask Craig obitotxt (Password is 12345)
Hop on board the angst express; with the last stop being yourself when you realize the story comes crashing off the rails and never hits the end. Is the fact this blog never reached a conclusion one of the great tragedies of our modern era? Yeah, kinda. Fact is, this is probably the only cryde-centric askblog-formatted story out there; and yeah, it’s hyperbolic at times, but goddamn if it doesn’t make you feel something. Packed to the brim with boys being boys, memorable moments and just so much heart, you’ll be pressing F (and F5) for days after you reach the final unfinished pages.
One More Year llexxii
And here’s a weird way to recommend something: you probably don’t want to read this one. It’s very long, it’s very dead, and it has a fairly submissive Craig coupled with a rather unlikable rendition of Clyde. So why’m I even talking about this, and really, I’ve not got much of an answer for you. Just that this fic, despite everything, has some consistently excellent writing. The flashback scenes to Craig and Clyde as young kids are total gems. There’s stuff to love here, and maybe it could have been something great; if nothing else, maybe check it out as an interesting look into the ships history.
Turn It Around, Get a Rewrite wendybirb
This one hurts, in just about every respect. Prepare for angst story wise as we follow along with the life and times of Craig, reconnecting with a clearly troubled yet desperately pining Clyde, who seems scared shitless about his dying claims to heterosexuality. I genuinely love this story. It’s raw and emotional and angry and sexy, it comes across messy and real and does an amazing job making you care about the boys while also showing their more frustrating attributes. I’m still holding out hope it’ll one day take its place with the greats, but until then, the hardest gut-punch is always that “unfinished” tag.
January White (Love Is a Stain) Dovakiin
Here we’ve got a different kind of tragedy. The usual formula is a promising author burning out after an amazing opening run, but here we’ve got a story that never even made it past the kickoff. It’s such a shame. The eponymous metaphor and the solemn tone throughout is honestly pretty captivating; I would love to see how this take on the characters would have played. Spare ten minutes from your day and give yourself something to reflect on with this abandoned beginning.
NOT FULL CRYDE, BUT CLOSE ENOUGH
ask MARSH and BROFLOVSKI jovishark
You know what? Fuck it. I’m putting this one here and no one can stop me. This ask blog is practically fandom required reading at this point, and I couldn’t in good conscience not mention it. Stan and Kyle answer your questions, the plotline reads like something from a CW show, and Craig and Clyde don’t even end up together. I love it genuinely. If you pressed me, this story might be what got me into the fandom; pressed me harder, it’s what got me into cryde (again ironic as cryde isn’t endgame here). Always worth a read or a re-read. Pretend Craig and Clyde sorted things out in college if you need to.
Brace Yourself skyline
Okay so it’s a style story, let’s get that elephant in the room well and truly pointed out from the outset. If it’s a deal breaker for you that cryde isn’t the focus, then move along, but I guarantee for those that stay, there’s a charmingly written cryde side-ship playing out in tandem to Stan’s quest to win over his super best friend. There’s a lot to love about this story, the writings sharp and surprisingly powerful at times, and the characters are a joy to watch. Watching the cryde story unfold from Stan’s POV is a unique experience that you won’t really find anywhere else.
Remove Before Flight skyline
So remember Brace Yourself from literally just one entry up? Okay, same concept, same author. This is a different timeline in which Kenny’s the lucky protagonist trying to win Kyle’s heart, but like before, you’re treated to an enjoyable cryde sub-plot playing on in the background of the K2 drama. The writing’s still on-point, the characters are still great; if you liked the authors other story (which I’d advise reading first), you’ll definitely enjoy this one too. It’s cute how Craig and Clyde always seem destined for each other in this universe.
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polygarnstars · 5 years ago
Note
part 1: 4, 12, 15, 18, and 19
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If you think I’m going to have common sense and not answer all of these in a single post, I have Bad News lmao
4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you? Smart, mostly. “Gifted”. This very much Did Not Last lmaoooo
12. name of your favorite playlist? I literally never make playlists I’m a stupid fuck who uses their spotify premium to skip freely through all my thousands of liked songs on shuffle until I find something I want to listen to lmaooooo (Having said that: Rey and I put together a playlist for some characters we were entering a contest to win last fall which I titled Story and Song after the TAZ arc and also because we wrote Way Too Much for it and I’m Very Proud Of That)
15. favorite book you read as a school assignment? Okay upon reading this I initially genuinely couldn’t remember any of the books I read in school because for the last several years of my schooling I just fuckin Sparknotes and TV Tropes-ed everything lmao... having said that, I do remember enjoying Maus! It was neat having a graphic novel assigned amongst all the “literary classics” that I couldn’t sit through a sitting of without falling asleep, and it may be the furry in me but the depiction of the characters/people as animals was Good :0c See, if all history was depicted with methods like this, I’d maybe actually be able to remember it ghfdjhgjfkdl
18. ideal weather? Depends on the day, but generally: Between like 65-80°F, not humid, not a lot of wind, and either sunny, partly cloudy, or drizzly but not outright storming. Basically decent temperatures without feeling like I’m walking through soup because of the humidity and weather that’s not completely gray and boring. Aka what Maine basically never is lmaoooo
19. sleeping position? I change positions every five minutes I swear to god (don’t take that out of context gfhdjbhvjd). Usually with at least one arm draped over a pillow that is Definitely Not Being Mentally Portrayed As A Character I Like To Supplement The Fact That I Did Not Get Enough Affection To Be A Functional Adult As A Child ghfdjknbhgfjdk
21. obsession from childhood? bold of you to assume i don’t still obsess over nintendo games (and just video games in general tbh)
23. strange habits? OKAY I COULDN’T THINK OF ANYTHING FOR THIS AT FIRST BUT I HAVE ONE NOW: MIDNIGHT FRIES
28. five songs to describe you? Speeding - LightsDaydreaming - ParamoreMusic - Mystery SkullsNo Lullaby - SIAMÉSLonely Dance - Set If Off+Bonus because it came up on Spotify while I was shuffling for songs for this and it’s a Mood: Pineapples Do Not Belong on a Pizza - Vargskelethor
29. best way to bond with you? I don’t know I usually just scream about ocs or video games with people and suddenly it’s been a year??? @riskreyes how has it been a year since we started talking but also how has it only been a year??? Wild bvhfdjkbhvgfjdk
30. places that you find sacred? Lmao I’ve never had anywhere like that really. Need a goddamn lock on my door :p I guess... the woods by my house? As a little kid before things got shitty my neighbor’s cousin or niece or something would go out there wandering around catching frogs and stuff in the spring or almost falling into the frozen streams during winter. When things started to go to shit in my life as a teenager I would hide out there to get away and nobody would find me. I haven’t been recently but the last time I did my friend and I walked along the train tracks and dove off into the woods by the side to avoid the amtrak coming by, it was great lmao. Uhh, other than that... I dunno, Boston and New York and New London all make me feel good to visit. Probably mostly because during those trips I don’t feel trapped in a dying land like Maine feels like bgvhfdjkhvgfjd
31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? ......my entire wardrobe is my work outfit, excessive graphic tees, and jeans. So uhh... I dunno. I guess my NWTB shirts are pretty rad, I’d kick a dude’s ass wearing Nate’s merch
34. advertisements you have stuck in your head? if i have to see another ad for some fuckin branch of the us military while i’m just out here trying to watch people play video games i swear to god-
40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? Oh boy I don’t know how weird these are but do you want a list??? I can give you a list hang on- In 4th grade we had a day of class where we all just had a party and ate chips and salsa and stuff because the pats won the super bowl and our teacher was Obsessed- In middle school my math class started working out of college textbooks, which is a bit much when you’re 11, advanced classes or no. Yet somehow none of the other students had any problems with this- Also in middle school, the school counselor really wasn’t very Good at his job so I usually just ended up playing Rock Band in his office instead of talking out any of my Many, Many Problems. I played the drums, for the record- Also in middle school, one time I straight up fell down a flight of stairs? Like, a full flight of stairs. Fuckin somersaulting down the stairs. The binder I was carrying broke open, papers went everywhere, my arm got cut open somewhere along the way and started bleeding. I get to the bottom, the other students are staring at me in horror, aforementioned counselor fuckin steps out of his office which is, of course, right at the bottom of the stairs, all concerned because what the fuck a kid just fell down the stairs, right? And so I, laying on the floor disoriented and laughing, declare, and I quote: “That was fun, let’s do it again!”- THE MOTHERFUCKING MAC AND CHEESE MUFFINS IN HIGH SCHOOL. Macaroni and cheese baked into the sweet batter of a muffin. I refused to touch the stuff but a friend of my did and it was bad enough he had to go to the trash can and fucking empty his stomach in it.- SAID FRIEND ALSO MANAGED TO GET A CARTON OF MILK THAT EXPIRED A MONTH BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED AT THE START OF ONE OF OUR YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL and if I didn’t trust cafeteria food before that sealed the deal on me Never Trusting It Again- OH BUT SPEAKING OF CAFETERIA FOOD one time in the old school before the renovation, in like freshman year I think? I laughed so hard a piece of spicy chicken strip flew up my windpipe and got stuck in my nose and it was too big for me to snort out so I had to suck it back down and for the rest of the day all I could smell was burning- ON ANOTHER FOOD RELATED TOPIC down in the library I was on my iPad and 3DS because I had Long Since Given Up On School and some asshole dudes threw a rotting orange at me and it splattered all over the screens of both? So I picked up the remains and chucked it back at them and yelled “Do you wanna fucking NOT?” and they all ran off. The librarian heard me yell and saw me throw the orange back at them and she just didn’t give a fuck lmao- The librarians at my school were cool as shit really during one of our years we had to do x hours of volunteer work so I did some adjustments to the library catalogue for mine but the thing is I was fast enough at it that there really wasn’t enough to fill up my required hours so instead of giving me more to do they just sort of let me and my friends hang out playing Yu-Gi-Oh and called that good lmao. (For the record I only had one starter deck so I let my friend pick half of the cards and I would use the half she didn’t want. I managed to fuckin WRECK her with throwaways it was Iconicque)- OKAY ONE LAST LIBRARY STORY on the last day of finals I was hanging out in one of the smart tv rooms in the library right? My last finals weren’t for a few hours and lord knows I wasn’t gonna study, ADHD ass couldn’t do that and I’d already given up on school lmao. So I fucking... I brought my Wii U to school, hooked it up to the smart tv, and just started playing Splatoon there in the library. One of the librarians walked past to check on everyone, stopped at my room, watched me play for a minute (I noticed her and just sort of nodded and waved like ‘Sup’ so she Knew what was going on), and then just LEFT. Like, she didn’t give a fuck. Shoutout to the librarians, the Chillest- ALRIGHT LAST STORY LAST STORY I straight up never got all the credits I needed to graduate lmao. I was missing half a credit but they let me go anyway and to this day I cite the reason as being my high scores on the SAT/PSAT? I was the first student at the school in like, a decade, to have gotten an award from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for my performance on them, and I guess they must have thought that me failing to graduate on time would look bad on them because, uh, yeah, it would, if people found out their teachers couldn’t handle a ~smart kid~ to the point that they did poorly enough to not even graduate with the rest of their class nobody would be willing to send their kids there lmao. And that’s the story of how I graduated when I wasn’t technically supposed to!!!
50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have? That’s a good fuckin question hey shit memory what was that thing that made us laugh so hard we couldn’t breathe again?...Don’t remember? Yeah I thought so lmaoI dunno, probably a joke in some let’s play? Or... god. Now that I think about it was probably the Slicer of T’pire Weir Isles moment actually. Holy shit, that was good.
68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? That I’ve ever tried? Jesus, I dunno, I have issues with texture more than flavor. I Refuse to eat my mother’s stuffing because it’s literally just soggy ass bread. In terms of pure flavor alone? Her shepherds pie. It’s just... there is no flavor. It’s like eating cardboard. I’m begging you, De, use seasoning. If I ever have to eat shepherds pie that just tastes like tin from canned peas and vague hints of unseasoned beef again I’m going to go on a murderous rampage.That said? F in the chat to Cameron for that mac and cheese muffin. Rest in pieces
73. favorite weird flavor combo? GVFHDJBVDN JUST GONNA MAKE ME SHARE THE DILL PICKLE/CHOCOLATE PUDDING PACK COMBO FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE HUH
93. nicknames? Gar, Garn, Lane, Bill, Master, Pants, Shortpants. The first three are self-explanatory, first two are shortenings of my name and then my masc/surname. The latter four come from usernames of mine - Bill from Bill Ciforce (If you stack a Bill Cipher on top of two other Bill Ciphers, you get the Ciforce), Master, Pants, and Shortpants from MasterShortpants in reference to one of Link’s nicknames in Skyward Sword
95. favorite app on your phone? Does the internet app count? No? Lmao. Spotify I guess :p Need me some Tunes
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bugheadfamily · 6 years ago
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Bughead Family Discord Member Spotlight
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This week the spotlight is on Cat ( @shibbycat ), our newest admin! Click the read more link below to get to know our member!
Spotlight by Mila, @jughead-jones | Graphic by Katie, @betty-cooper
Cat | @shibbycat
Name: Cat 
Age: I’m old enough to own a Sega Genesis bought in a store the year it was released, and yes. I still play it. 
Location: Northern Italy for the time being, but I’m prone to moving quite bit. 
Any other languages aside from English people can contact you in?: I can do some conversational Spanish, and I can have Eric (my husband) tell me what you’re saying in Russian.
Favourite Riverdale characters and ships?: What gave you the impression that I like Riverdale or its ships? JK. Shockingly, I’m all about that Bughead. ALL about it. I care about most of the characters & their successes/failures… with Betty, Jughead, Veronica & Cheryl in the lead. 
Favourite moments from S1 & S2?: Wow. Talk about a Sophie’s Choice. Here goes nothing. I legit yelled at my screen during The Look in 1x02, “omG. IT’S HAPPENING.” My childhood ship was exhumed. Best day. The dynamic between Jughead & FP in 1x07 rang particularly true to me. I also took away that Jughead talks about Jellybean like she’s his kid, not his sister. It guts me every single time. The end bit where Betty & Jughead walk away together really demonstrated how close they already were as a couple. Bonus for that being the scene where it clicks with Archie his two best friends were 5000% together, & their friendships was never going to be the same. It’s a small moment but I love it. Picking one thing from Season 2??? Co-Presidents. The absolute equality in their relationship was so perfectly on point here for me. The support and respect for one another was on display in blinking neon lights. WAIT. The hospital scene. I can’t leave it off. Jughead “I’ll never stop loving you” Jones almost gets murdered & only feels bad about not being there for Betty. All that matters to Betty is Jughead getting better. Plus, down-the-face kisses. I can’t with these two. 
What are your hopes for S3?: I’m really hoping to see more of a focus on the friendships. I want to see them all work together in general & specifically, to defeat Hiram. We got to see an entire season of Hiram doing nothing but succeeding in his various nefarious causes & successfully pitting Bughead/Varchie against one another. Seeing his takedown at the hands of those whose lives & relationships he thought destroyed as they’re instead working together? Yes. Very yes. I’m of course beyond stoked for the Bughead Detective Agency & them working/growing together in their relationship & lives. Some actual fun times would be great to see. Yano, ones that don’t end in someone getting murdered or going to jail.
Other fandoms you’re into?: Besides Riverdale, I only exist in lurker status (thanks anxiety!) for fandoms, but I lurk(ed) super hard in Harry Potter (Except that I’ve totally written terrible HP fic. Really happy no one’s going to read this to know that), Reylo, Doctor Who, & Sherlock.
What are some of your favourite movies/TV?: Besides the obvious, just about everything Disney touches owns my pocketbook, dedication & continued attention. Parks & Rec, The Office (both UK & US), Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, Doctor Who, Star Trek: TNG, & Sherlock are all shows I can watch on repeat. I’m not even going to start on non-Disney movies, because I’ll be here all day.
Favourite books?: This is literally the most difficult question to answer, because books are life. I’m going to keep it brief & say “Harry Potter.” They changed my life, they saved my life, & they’re always there to welcome me home.
Favourite bands/musicians?: Favorites are so hard. I like a little something from most genres of music, but I can never turn off classic Elton John, BSB (I had full plans to marry Kevin as an 11 year old), Linkin Park, John Williams, Lady GaGa, Guns n Roses, The Killers, or Queen. Big picture wise, I’m particularly attached to Classic Rock, practically anything 80s, late 90s/early 2000s pop (I still know all the choreo to Bye Bye Bye & Oops... I Did It Again), The Great American Songbook, classical music, popular songs converted classical arrangements, and I’m a sucker for 1960s/70s R&B/soul. Long story short, I make a lot of playlists. 
If you could live in any fictional world which one would you choose and why?: Harry Potter for sure. Wands which choose you. Broomsticks which get released like new car models. Owls which deliver mail anywhere. Portkeys/Apparating/Brooms/Floo powder making travel dirt cheap/free. Butterbeer & Pumpkin Juice. If it’s not clear, I’m really into Harry Potter. OH. I also did a HP LARP a few years ago in a Polish castle, & it was the greatest thing EVER. 
Favourite food?: Oh food. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Seriously. I travel around just to eat. Limiting to one kind? Mexican food. I could eat it everyday. 
Favourite season?: Fall/winter. First of all, I like to wear a GRIP of layers. I’m also a big fan of being lazy & putting a beanie on over my unstyled (often unbrushed) hair. I’m also VERY into Halloween & Christmas. I decorate for both with gusto. Christmas goes up in my house the same day it does at Disneyland: 10 November. I’m also obsessed with Christmas Markets. So many quality Halloween/Christmas films too! I have an entire list of mandatory watches every year. 
Favourite plant?: Really large sunflowers with the dark red/deep orange petals. Their seeds also demonstrate the Fibonacci sequence, and I’m a human who believes math is the most beautiful thing in the entire world. 
Favourite scent?: There’s something magical smelling about old books for me. I also really enjoy the way rain smells on dry pavement when it first starts falling.
Favourite colour?: It’s been purple ever since I learned how the Phoenicians made it when I was 9. 
Favourite animal?: Cats. All kinds & sizes...except Sphynxes. & unicorns. Are you a night owl, an early bird, or a vampire?: Night owl/early bird. The insomnia is strong with this one. 
Place you want to visit?: I’ve been lucky enough to check a lot of places off my “must see” list, but Madagascar is still a life goal. OH! & to visit every single Disney park around the world. 
Do you have pets? If you do, tell us a little about them: Ah! Something I LOVE talking about. I have 3 incredibly spoiled cat children who want to cuddle all the time. That’s right. Cat loves cats. They’re all rescues, Maine Coons, and little characters to be sure. Their names are Dorcas, Knick Knack, & Elmo. We’ve had Dorky for 10 years and Elmo & Knick Knack for 9 years. Knick Knack likes to walk on a leash & paws at the door for his walk. Dorcas plays fetch with toy mice, and Elmo likes to cuddle so hard Eric is genuinely worried I’ll be suffocated by his snuggles. 
Tell us a little about yourself?: My grandma once told me that I’ve always known exactly who I am, even as a child, and I’ve let that sense-of-self guide me (not always to greatness mind you) every day. I’m an introvert with fairly crippling anxiety & depression, and I simply don’t care who knows it. If me being upfront about it can help anyone, I’m happy to do it. I’m hypercritical of myself & what I put out into the world. Being frank, honest, and sarcastic are how I say “hello,” but I’m also a firm believer in “don’t say something rude just to say something rude.” Tact is key. Encouraging people to find their own happiness & fulfillment in life are things which bring me joy. Likewise, I’d do pretty much anything for a friend, & if there’s something I can do to help them/help someone in their journey to find happiness in life, I want to do it. Uuuummm, I laugh so hard I cry a lot, and my eyeliner runs. It always makes people think I’ve been crying for real & filled with emotions. It’s awkward. I guess I’m creative? I like woodworking, pyrography, crafting, and making nerd stuff through those mediums. 
Fun or weird fact about you?: I entered my wedding reception to “The Imperial March.” It’s safe to say I’ve been a wee bit obsessed with Star Wars for longer than my Sega Genesis is old.
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This is the ninth instalment of Bughead Family’s Member Spotlight series. Each week, a member’s url is selected through a randomizer and they will be featured in a spotlight post. In order to participate, please join the Bughead Discord (more information found here). Thank you.
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myassbrokethefall · 6 years ago
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Do you have any favorite scifi shows? Or any recommendations?
Well! This is a fun ask. Let me see…
So, I really like sci-fi, but sometimes I also don’t like sci-fi. I overdosed a little bit on spaceship stuff after my years of Star Trek obsession and then BSG (and like, I hear The Expanse is great but I just…haven’t been in the mood), and these days my favorite sci-fi is talky, high-concept atmospheric mystery stuff in a fairly realistic world where something is a little bit weird. What I really DON’T like is violence/shooting/chasing/action, and a lot of sci-fi, unfortunately, is that. (Westworld, I am looking at your ass.) I also am a LITTLE bit over sci-fi as sledgehammery social parable, again a la Star Trek. Even though I’ll always love Star Trek (and will get around to watching Discovery one of these days). 
Some sci-fi TV that I’ve enjoyed recently includes:
(hey surprise, this got very long! so it’s under a cut)
Dark. There’s just one season of this on Netflix right now, but I LOVVVVVED it. Talk about atmospheric. It made me want to move to Germany and live in a forest where it rains all the time. It’s in German – this isn’t a bother to me because I like subtitles, but it’s available dubbed as well if you prefer that. It takes place in a small town and starts with a missing child, and it quickly becomes clear that something strange is going on. Time travel is an element. A central part of it becomes about the way all the characters in the town are interconnected and how the events of the past affect the future. It’s part Lost, part Stranger Things, part Back to the Future. 
The Returned/Les Revenants. So there’s an American show called The Returned as well, and this is not that one – the one I’m talking about is in French (sorry…I swear some ones without subtitles are coming) and was on uh, IFC or something like that. One day in a(n extremely attractive and cinematic) French town in the mountains, a girl comes home from a class field trip…except she died on that field trip years ago, in a bus accident, and her family is completely shocked and freaked out. The same thing is happening all across town. Includes one (1) very creepy child. Very spooky and also super atmospheric. (One reason I loved Dark so much was that aesthetically it reminded me of Les Revenants.)
The 4400. I binged this show and had a window of time in my life where I was super obsessed with it. Premise is similar to The Returned, actually: A bunch of people (4,400 of them to be precise) who were believed to be the victims of alien abductions – across many years – are returned to earth all at the same time, all at the age they left. So you have a man who was taken in the 1950s (Mahershala Ali!) and a little girl from the 1930s, etc., all dropped back into modern-day America – and most of them (all of them? I forget) have mysterious powers of various kinds. Two police detectives (am I predictable or what) investigate. Things escalate from there. It is a little XF-y in a way I appreciate, while also being totally different (and much less arty than something like Les Revenants). 
Stranger Things. I might as well list it…everyone knows about this show but it really is pretty great. Season 1 especially. Huge ET vibes, creepy/Spielbergy, not a cop-out where it’s all a metaphor or something (pet peeve). 
Fringe. This isn’t so recent (well, neither is The 4400), but if you like sci-fi and you haven’t watched it, you should! It starts out being a liiiiiiittle bit of a less-hooky ripoff of XF (a group of FBI folks, including a retired mad scientist basically, investigate paranormal cases), but after a few episodes it finds its groove and it becomes its own weird and wonderful thing. It was a show I really enjoyed and it ended satisfyingly. John Noble as Walter Bishop is fantastic, and one thing I really loved about it was that it was not afraid to make things happen and shake up the premise if needed. 
Jessica Jones. I really, really am not into Marvel or any of the superhero stuff, but I like this show a lot. It puts the idea of having “powers” in a very grounded kind of gritty, cynical, noir-y setting and I enjoy that. It’s also woman-focused, which is nice, and it’s just different from other stuff on TV. I dig it. 
Orphan Black. Man, I loved Orphan Black. What a fun show, and – not necessarily the most important thing to me in a show, but hugely refreshing nonetheless – it’s also very woman-centered. The premise is that a woman named Sarah sees someone who looks exactly like her – right before the doppelganger throws herself in front of a train. And in unraveling the mystery, Sarah learns that she’s a clone and she has a bunch of “sisters.” Tatiana Maslany is FREAKING AMAZINGGGGG as all the various clones. It is definitely sci-fi, but it’s also a lot of fun and just a fast-moving, action-packed (but not in a way that makes my eyes glaze over) cool-ass show. 
Grimm. Grimm was a pretty silly network-y show, but my affection for it really never waned (though it also never really went too far above “mild”). Premise: Basically, that fairytale monsters (broadly speaking) are real and walk among us (disguised for the most part), and there are these people called Grimms who can see them and are supposed to fight them. Lots of ancient documents, old books, mysterious keys, etc. This one dude who is a police detective in Portland (it was shot in Portland and is basically the second Portland-iest show after Portlandia, as far as I can tell) finds out that he’s a Grimm, and he meets this guy who is one of these monsters but also a delightfully civilized clock nerd who becomes his friend and helps him learn about this hidden world, and it’s pretty much monster-of-the-week episodes every week (though there is a mytharc of sorts involving an evil cabal of European royalty or something, snore). I think it’s the people who did Angel (which I never watched; I’m not a Buffy person). It also started the same year as Once Upon a Time, so it was the “other” fairytale show.
The Leftovers. Technically, it’s sci-fi. It’s also just very imaginative storytelling, and is a good example of what I mean by high-concept and atmospheric and something being a little bit weird in an otherwise contemporary setting. (This is a post-Lost Damon Lindelof, and Damon Lindelof has learned from his Lost mistakes, with wonderful results.) The central premise is a sci-fi one (2% of the earth’s population mysteriously vanishes), but aside from that there are also just a lot of kind of fantastic imaginative leaps and surreal settings and…ah, The Leftovers. My standard intro/warning: Season 1, while really good, is VERY depressing; Season 2 becomes marginally less depressing while also changing things up considerably and in my opinion becoming much better; Season 3 is even better than that. Love you, show. 
Lost. I suppose I should mention it even though it’s another obvious one. I have rarely been hooked as hard as I was by the pilot of this show. It doesn’t necessarily deliver on everything it promises, and it’s interesting to think of it in terms of it being one of the first shows to, basically, cancel itself – to choose to end so that it could pace its story effectively and lead to a deliberate ending instead of just vamping forever and trying to keep sucking the audience in for one more season until that stopped working and it was canceled. However, before that happened there was some time-killing, and I think that maybe contributes to people’s perception that it didn’t know what it was doing half the time. A divisive ending that I did not have a problem with. If you watch it in the spirit of being taken on a ride and enjoying the feelings that the twists and turns give you in the moment, you’ll find it more satisfying than if you’re trying to solve every mystery and trying to make it all work out perfectly with every loose end tied up.  
The OA. This was a weird-ass motherfucking show on Netflix and I still don’t know what the fuck it was about. I feel like I dreamed it. It maybe involves angels? And stuff. 
Carnivale. Lord, talk about atmosphere. This was an HBO show several years ago now about a creepy traveling circus in the 1930s. Being on HBO, it’s very violent and dirty and twisted and stuff. I was obsessed with it, and loved watching it although I vaguely remember the ending being not super satisfying? I should rewatch it, really, because I have forgotten a lot about it beyond impressions (it started in 2003). It’s not that sci-fi, but it has kind of mysterious portents and shit like that all over the place. Anytime I see anything remotely carnival-y I’m like AAAHHH CARNIVALE
Westworld. Sigh…I’m having a lot of trouble connecting to the season of Westworld that’s currently airing (Season 2, on HBO). I loved Season 1. My opinion is that they blew their premise too quickly and now they have nowhere to go – it’s just been violent chaos of the sort that puts me to sleep. Literally – one episode a couple of weeks ago I tried to watch and fell asleep during TWICE – two evenings in a row – before I finally got through it on Day 3. Because it was just a bunch of shooting. But the premise is cool – in the undetermined nearish future, there is a giant elaborate theme park where extremely realistic robots interact with the superrich guests who pay to come and basically be super destructive and violent (this show doesn’t have a particularly high opinion of humanity) in an Old West-themed setting. Like Disney World if your dream was to fuck and murder everyone in the Hall of Presidents. It’s made by one of the Nolans so there are lots of twists and also you don’t know what the hell is going on half the time. But there are some high-budget groovy sci-fi set pieces in it, and if you like amazing piano covers of popular songs (sometimes but not always in the in-show context of the player piano in the saloon), that is a fantastic bonus (the music is terrific overall). ROBOTS.
Battlestar Galactica. Speaking of robots. I loved the hell out of this show, although I have my issues with it. I felt when I first saw it (this is the 2000s remake I’m talking about, not the 1970s original) that it was like Star Trek had grown up. It gets more and more high-concept the longer it goes on, and some people weren’t fans of where it ended up (I, again, was fine with it), but it starts out with a hell of a premise: Cylons (humanlike robots originally created by humanity, which then evolved) destroy almost all of the human race except for a few stragglers in a few scattered ships, who have to pull together and somehow survive. Great acting, great writing, big themes, Laura Roslin. 
Black Mirror. This is an anthology series, meaning each one is a short story basically, with different characters, a different near-future setting, and a different premise (often having to do with technology going wrong. In the words of Mallory Ortberg: What If Phones, But Too Much?) Some of them are better than others but if you can take some upsetting conceptual stuff, it’s really a super interesting show. Your bingeing tolerance may vary, but I personally could not handle more than a couple of episodes a night.
Roswell. Holy shit I was so into this fucking teen soap opera about aliens. Also not recent. They might do a remake of this I heard?? MAX + LIZ 4EVA
Millennium. Yes…Chris Carter’s Other Show. I’ve said this before, but in a weird way I feel like this show is…CC’s best work???? Without the chemistry supernova of Mulder and Scully dimming everything around it, the “scary stories” he’s always talking about actually have room to be kind of interesting. It also works with his inclination to do what is essentially an anthology series loosely connected via recurring characters that are almost more narrators/observers than participants. In XF, this makes me want to break things when it results in stagnated character growth and no continuity and endless reset-button-pushing. In Millennium, Frank wandering grimly through the show universe encountering fable after fable (grimmer than XF – less on the stretchy mutants and fat-sucking vampires and lake monsters and Reticulans and spooky green bugs; more serial killers and cults and angels and apocalyptic stuff) actually worked pretty darn well for me. It’s not that the characters aren’t good, but they are VERYYYYY archetypal (kind of like how M&S could have been if not given such aliveness and humanity by David and Gillian, and Morgan and Wong and Vince Gilligan at that). Frank Black is the tormented detective, he has a beautiful kind wife and an innocent young daughter and they live in a beatific yellow house and he has to keep them safe from the evils out in the darkness. You might say this is hammered home a lot. But: the kind of mythic tone of it is a much better fit here than on XF. Lance Henriksen is perfect as Frank, and some of the stories are really absorbing and emotional. I cried during WAY more Millennium episodes (I can think of three or four off the top of my head that I remember WEEPING openly over, one of which stars Darren McGavin) than I ever have at XF. 
Everything changes in Season 2 when Morgan and Wong take over as (I believe) showrunners – things lighten up considerably versus S1; there’s even a Darin episode! With Jose Chung! And the Spotnitz Sanitarium! – and then everything changes again in S3 when they leave. The show does suffer from a lack of cohesion in that sense, and frankly the “mytharc” parts never did a lot for me (loosely, the world is going to end in the year 2000 and a cabal of mysterious dudes something something). But there is a lot of cool shit in this show. There really is. Every few years I attempt a rewatch and never finish; I should try again. In late fall, which is the only time Millennium should be watched. 
 BONUS
Face Off. This isn’t sci-fi per se (it’s a reality competition show, on Syfy), but if you’re a sci-fi person you might love it. The way I describe it to people is very simple: It’s the exact same premise and structure as Project Runway, except instead of fashion, it’s FX makeup. The best thing about it is that everyone is NICE and HELPFUL to each other. It’s a bunch of creative nerds making monsters together and the competition element is there but no one is a dick and there’s no fighting and drama. Michael Westmore, who did the makeup on Star Trek: TNG among many other acclaimed projects, is the mentor (and the dad of the show’s host, McKenzie Westmore), and he pops in to give dad advice to all these starstruck dorks. The new season just started and it’s just a fun show. I have, at times, thought of it as my FAVORITE show on TV. 
Well, that was probably more than you wanted, anon! I feel like I’m missing some, too. TV! I like it. 
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watersportz · 7 years ago
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hey are you learning korean or japanese? if so, what do you recommend for starting to learn the language(s)? books, websites, apps etc? it would help so much.
yes!! i’m currently learning Japanese at university but it’s extremely plausible to learn on your own with some diligence and dedication. i’ll happily share some tips…
this is gonna be kind of long winded so stick with me (✿ヘᴥヘ)
1) Print out a hiragana and katakana chart and memorize each character! This will help significantly with reading AND writing. You pretty much can’t learn Japanese without having these two alphabets down first so it’s a great place to start. I recommend teaching yourself hiragana first and then moving to katakana. When doing this process, I made index cards. I would write the hiragana/katakana on one side then the romaji on the other side. This helped me a lot. I also highly recommend using Quizlet. On Quizlet you can study other people’s hiragana and katakana charts and take quizzes as well as make your own quizzes and flashcards. This app can be downloaded on your mobile device and also can be accessed on a computer. 
- Here are some charts for hiragana and katakana that I think are most useful:  hiragana chart … katakana chart  
for example: on one side of an index card write あ and on the other side write a 
2) Duolingo is available and reliant! This is an app provided in the store on both iphone and google phones (I believe). The grammatical structure of some of their stuff is a bit off but honestly it’s good for what it is. It’s completely free as well so that’s a bonus. It’s great for learning vocabulary and scattered kanji. There’s basic grammar structure as well which is super helpful. I’ve used it for fun and I have a lot of friends who use it often and love it. 
3) So, at my university we use a textbook called Genki. This book comes with super awesome grammar lessons as well as an extensive list of vocabulary for each chapter. In my opinion, I think this book is great and if you feel inclined, I would totally go ahead and purchase it. There are two versions. I would get the first version and if you feel like you want to move on with Japanese, you can get the second version.  Although, my professor as well as other kids who have studied Japanese recommend using minna no nihongo. I’m not really sure what this book consists of grammar and vocabulary wise but it’s what they use for foreigners in Japan to teach them Japanese. For minna no nihongo you have to buy an English translation of the book because it’s all in Japanese. Also with minna no nihongo, I believe they only have an english translation of it.
genki version 1 / genki workbook / minna no nihongo / minna no nihongo english translation 
4) I am going to warn you now- kanji is a bitch. This is the third component to the Japanese alphabet and it’s probably the most important. According to a few sources, someone who is fluent in Japanese will know roughly around 2,000 kanji characters. That’s a shit ton of kanji. Don’t let this discourage you though. Only allow it to motivate you because when you can start reading and writing kanji it’s super awesome. The way Genki puts kanji is AMAZING. They teach you stroke order as well as ON and KUN readings. If you’re not interested in buying Genki or can’t afford it then honestly just look around online. There are a bunch of free sites that will help you with kanji. Once you get the hang of it, it will become a lot easier. Please please do not let it overwhelm you. 
5) SPEAK. IT. OUT. LOUD. Repetition is so so so important. Especially with Japanese. Practice your pronunciation and if you say it out loud over and over you will remember. I’m telling you. I can almost guarantee it. If you have any Japanese friends that speak the language fluently, DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK TO PRACTICE WITH THEM! It helps so much to actually speak it. Even practice with a friend or family member and have them correct you on a vocab or a sentence that you got wrong. I can’t stress enough how important repetition and speaking the language out loud is. 
6) Find anything within Japanese pop culture that interests you. Whether it be music, movies, dramas, books, interviews or anime… SURROUND YOURSELF WITH IT!! I find this extra helpful because you learn while you’re doing something you enjoy. If you shoot me a message I can recommend you some good anime, movies, or music that you can listen to. I would write out a whole list but honestly that’s a lot of time. Just remember that with anime that it is NOT how actual Japanese people speak. It’s very dramatic. Do not base your Japanese learnings off anime. If you want to use anime to help, you are more than welcome. But don’t make it into a fetishizy weird thing. Interest is good. Obsession is not. 
I think this is a pretty good place to start. Just remember that with any language it takes practice, patience, and hard work. Don’t stress yourself out. Because you’re learning the language on your own, do it at your leisure. It’s a super beautiful language to know and it’s incredibly impressive if you’re able to even pick up a little of it. Please remember to also touch on other aspects of the culture if you’re interested in it! The Japanese culture and heritage is so beyond words. 
Feel free to message me if you have any questions at all! Good luck!
がんばっ~  
Disclaimer: This is how I learned Japanese and how i’m still learning it. If you don’t agree with any of my ways, it’s okay! If i’ve said anything that was wrong then please let me know. Thank you so much! 
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clarencenicholsonata · 4 years ago
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Seasonal Email Marketing Campaigns: How to Make Your Halloween Campaign Stand Out
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The time of the year when marketers discuss the design of the first of the most important seasonal email marketing campaigns is approaching fast.
I am talking about Halloween, of course, the time when lovers of all things spooky rejoice. No brand or marketer in their right mind would pass up on the opportunity to capitalize on this time of the year - or any time that would allow them to utilize the seer power that is a seasonal campaign.
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According to the graph above, Halloween is one of the most fruitful commercial holidays. 8.8 billion dollars was spent on this holiday in 2019 alone. So why not take a slice of those earnings by creating a fantastic Halloween campaign?
Let's see how you're going to use seasonal email marketing to achieve the ROI of your dreams.
Start Early
Create a strategy or campaign that will make your prospects engage and use all arrows in your quiver to do so.
Create an engagement scheme and start writing content that will serve as a little "treat" for the "tricks" you're going to pull, marketing-wise. Start early, around the beginning of October, and keep them hooked and waiting for your next move.
1. Create Halloween Contests
Start by treating your prospects to a spooky and fun Halloween contest on social media. A Halloween giveaway would be ideal. You could go about it the way Dunkin' Donuts did.
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Dunkin' Donuts held a competition on its social media platforms and created a branded hashtag for it: #DDCostumeContest. Now, not many people would go as a donut for Halloween; however, this contest was a huge success. And the prize - a feature on the Dunkin' billboard on Times Square, a year's supply of coffee, and $2,500 to boot - really did help!
The point here is that the competition generated tons of exposure for the brand, a lot of user engagement, and made the act go viral, all by utilizing User Generated Content (UGC).
Your brand can follow this tactic and pair it nicely with an optimized landing page, created solely for the needs of the competition. If your prospects want to be updated on the winner, they may enter their email. And there you have a Halloween contest that generates leads that are already interested and engaging with your Halloween content!
2. Create Extended Offers
Starting early and extending your Halloween contest, offer, or "treat" is essential. For the following reasons:
Prospects have all the time they need to decide on what they want. Of course, you can use a countdown timer to instill some FOMO in them.
Halloween could be on any day. A busy Monday or a slow Thursday will rob you of the traffic that your offer could generate on the weekend.
It shows just how much you care and will make prospects remember you.
Again, you can build up the anticipation with some great social media marketing. Phrases like "Subscribe to our newsletter for more info" will create a curated, interested email list in no time!
Oh, and do not forget the themed code for the offer:
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It shows your whimsical side and will help people connect with you and your content.
3. Build Halloween Campaign Suspense!
Is it a trick? Is it a treat? Is it a deal? Your prospects' only way to know the answer to those questions is if they interact with your emails.
Create a cryptic message you could share on your social media that will be leaving hints at an offer. And then, create an email sequence that will keep your prospects hooked and make them interact with your email:
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Get users to interact with your Halloween campaigns with a game or an interactive quiz that will capture their attention.
Starting early with an email that doesn't say much and building up to the big reveal right in time for Halloween is something that will help your click-through rate skyrocket, as well as your traffic.
Create Content To-Die-For
The tips above are all fine and well, but you need one key element to make them work, and that would be wonderful email copy and great social media content that can match that copy.
And I've got some tricks that will help you reach the "treat" of conversion. Now a high-converting seasonal email marketing campaign consists of excellent email copy - from the subject line to the CTAs-, content that is highly relevant and appealing, and, of course, visuals that will stay in a prospect's mind for a long, long time.
1. A Themed Subject Line
Your brand won't be the first or the last one to send your prospects a seasonal email marketing campaign, which can only mean one thing for you.
You need to dazzle them with some great email subject lines:
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This one is an example out of my inbox, and let me tell you, I was very curious about what "all treat" and "no tricks" really meant.
In that case, I opened the email and saw a seasonal offer that I rushed to grab. So, the example above shows a clever seasonal wordplay that is equal parts playful and intriguing.
Use that tactic to make your recipients feel a little interested and curious about your offer. And if it's a limited time offer, use a timer or highlight the fact right off the bat.
Super Pro Tip: It should be a given, of course, but never take a step forward before consulting your data and A/B testing everything. This practice will give you insight into the type of content prospects want to receive and help you make educated decisions, backed by data.
2. Halloweeny Look
Wondering how to write content for your Halloween email marketing campaign is one thing that you need to get out of the way, sure. But what about the campaign's "looks"?
Just because your campaign is seasonal doesn't mean that you need to change your email layout completely. On the contrary, you can use the design your prospects love, but with a little twist.
Change the standard colors for something more "spooky". Like this:
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Dunkin's email is the perfect example, as the original font is right there, as well as the colors. However, there's some Halloween decor on this email: notice the dripping effect on the letters and the mix of Dunkin's original colors - pink and orange - with the more seasonal purple.
You can also create a different color scheme, depending on your target audience and the vibe you'd like your email to have: Be fun and classic with oranges, purples, and bats or creepy and horrific with greens, cauldrons, and zombies.
3. Fear Is Your Friend
You know how Halloween is all about fear and spooky things. Your Halloween email marketing campaign might be the only one you can build around fear, without making it unpleasant.
Of course, I'm talking about Fear Of Missing Out - or FOMO, if you will.
Use words that have to do with fear and being wicked and scary. Here's an email subject line to help set the mood:
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No brand would use such language outside of Halloween, but at this specific time, it's appropriate and fitting. Not to mention that it brilliantly leads to the email body copy:
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Offer's good "until midnight this Halloween," which is a pretty good reason to be scared, especially as a gamer. You see, creative copy for little offers like the one above keep customers happy and keep your CTR, traffic, and customer churn at the rates you want them to be. For more help here are 6 actionable steps to reduce customer churn on your ecommerce site.
4. Create a CTA That Takes the Cake
...Or the candy bar, whatever you prefer. The whole point is that your CTA needs to stand out and be as spooky and fun as the rest of your email.
Does this mean that it needs to be cryptic and overly creative? No. CTAs show prospects what their next action should be and lead them straight to your goals.
Don't swarm your email with copy, no matter your creative knack. Customers won't read all of your emails, but they will bother with three things: our subject line, email design, and CTA.
Go straight to the point when letting your readers know what you want from them. Of course, this doesn't mean that you have to be bland or boring. Check this CTA copy, and you'll see what I mean:
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Also, don't forget to have one CTA button. Just the one. Otherwise, prospects will get a little confused about what your seasonal email marketing campaign is trying to do.
Honorable Mentions
Before I go, I'd like to remind you of some email marketing staples you need to implement on any campaign - apart from selecting the right email service, of course.
Keep a clean, well-curated email list. Unsubscribers can get you penalized, and the last thing you want is for your emails to end up in the dark corners of a spam folder.
Always segment your audience and create buyer personas and always consult your data before doing so.
Create responsive emails that will work correctly for any device. Mobile opens are taking over, and you don't want to miss out on that revenue.
Bonus: enjoy some best halloween ad campaigns and get some spooky inspiration!
Summing Up
Halloween is the holiday that marks the spending season, as Thanksgiving and Christmas follow soon after.
Don't be afraid to get creative and send out playful emails that can have a "magical" or "spooky" twist.
Just remember to adjust your tone of voice and copy, create a unique message, and save the prospect's time by not babbling too much in your email's body copy.
After all, the festive time of the year calls for presents and a little spending. Use the tips above, and you'll see that you can benefit from this.
About the Author
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Téa Liarokapi is a content writer working for email marketing software company Moosend and an obsessive writer in general. In her free time, she tries to find new ways to stuff more books in her bookcase and content ideas-and cats-to play with.
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mayafish · 8 years ago
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Is Iceland Worth It?
I went to Iceland for a week. Before I left, I called my grandma and she said “Well good for you that you’re going on vacation. But... why the heck are you going to Iceland?” I didn’t really have a good answer for her, and I don’t have one for you. I went to Iceland because everyone has always said that I need to go to Iceland, and my husband and I saw some cheap flights, so we jumped on them. If you’re thinking about going, here’s all the stuff I wish someone had told me!
Iceland is extremely expensive
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We took a WOW Airlines flight (sidenote: do not take WOW, it sucks) because it was $450 round trip instead of $1k through Icelandair. This seemed like an amazing deal, until we realized that a) WOW is the Spirit Airlines of Scandinavia, and they will charge you endlessly for everything in sight so that your flight ends up costing the same anyway, and b) everything once you get to Iceland is unavoidably, stupidly expensive. We had a hard time finding a single meal for less than $50, or a hotel room for less than $250/night. Add to that the ridiculous price of gas and one’s desperation when there’s no other restaurant within 100km, and you will start to understand. All in all, we ended up spending about twice what we had hoped to spend there, which is not ideal.
If you’re going, I suggest going into what I call “Disneyland mode” and just acknowledging that you’re going to spend a ton of money, because otherwise you’re just going to be pissed about it the whole time. And hungry. If you do want to try and go on a budget, you should look into staying in hostels or even camping, and you should plan to eat lots of gas station snacks. Or you could eat those terrible hot dogs.
Sidenote on Icelandic money: it’s in Kronor. We did not need to get any cash, we just paid for everything with credit cards. For conversion rate, a dollar is worth slightly less than 100 Kronor, so you can just move the decimal over two to roughly figure out what it costs in USD.
You do not need to buy an entirely new wardrobe to survive
We went at the end of winter (last week of March), and I panicked reading all the survival tips about Iceland in the winter. My husband and I both bought snow boots, thermal underwear, new fleeces, hats, nicer gloves, etc etc. 
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What I’m glad I bought:
I got these Sorel boots on sale and wore them every single day. They’re extremely warm, they’re waterproof, and they’re comfortable. They allowed me to walk in a river into a cave. I brought 3 pairs of boots in my suitcase and felt dumb because these were all I need. (Believe me when I tell you you do not need a “casual” or nice pair of shoes.)
I was very very happy to have warm gloves that worked with my phone. I basically never took my gloves off when we were outside of the car, so it was handy being able to take photos and look up maps and stuff while we were walking around. These are nice.
Thick, warm socks are your friend. I brought a couple fancy new wool pairs, but really my trusty Bombas socks (same as I wear at home) were just as good.
I wore this thin but warm vest under my jacket most of the days we were there. It was nice that it zipped up all the way to my chin so it kept my neck warm without making me too overheated when we were in the car or inside. As a bonus, it crumpled up into a tiny little ball that was easy to stuff in my very full suitcase.
I wanted to wear these fleece-lined leggings every day, and only didn’t because it started to make me feel gross. They’re super cheap on Amazon so you should just buy like 4 of them and not bring any other pants with you.
I’m obsessed with this lined flannel, which I wore on the couple warm days that didn’t require a winter jacket and which is my new favorite thing to wear at all times when I’m at home.
Polarized sunglasses! Snow blindness is real, y’all.
What I feel dumb for buying:
A ridiculous variety of undershirts and pants, which I never ever used.
A second (fluffier and taller) pair of Sorel boots, which were very cute but I only wore a couple times because I would have been mad if I didn’t wear them at all. But super unnecessary.
Extra hats (I really only needed one).
A new fleece (it was too bulky under my jacket so I ended up just wearing a long sleeved shirt, that vest, and my jacket and was totally comfortable).
...and countless other clothes and accessories. Just like with any other vacation, you’re gonna end up wearing the same comfortable outfit on most of the days.
If you’re getting in on an early flight, make sure you have somewhere to go
Our flight got in around 4am Iceland time (like midnight for us) so we didn’t sleep at all that night. For some reason, it didn’t occur to us that it might be a problem not being able to check in to our airbnb until 2pm - I think I just imagined we’d wander around Reykjavik for a while and find fun stuff to do. But we felt horrible (obviously) and nothing at all opens in Reykjavik until 8am. So we wandered around in the very cold, windy, foggy, empty city for a couple hours until we found a Dunkin Donuts. We posted up there for as long as felt reasonable, and then ended up driving to a mall so we could sleep in our car in the parking lot. It was not our finest hour, and was a pretty shitty start to our time in Iceland. Don’t be dumb like us.
How to read Icelandic
It’s not as weird as it looks. Also, most things are also written in English, so you really don’t have to worry about it. But if you’re getting thrown off by place names in your planning phase, here’s a few tips to help you out:
Pronunciation
ð is pronounced like "th" in "feather", "father" and "that", and if it’s the first letter of a word, it'll be represented as a þ. If you’re trying to google something with a ð in it, you can type it in as a d.
þ is pronounced like the "th" in "thunder", "theatre" and "thong". If you’re trying to google something with a þ in it, you can type it in as th.
Two L’s are pronounced sort of like tl, with a flattened tongue and a click. I cannot do this. But even if you can’t do it right, I think pronouncing something like Seljavallalaug as “sell-ya-vat-la-laug” is better/closer than pronouncing it as “sell-ya-val-a-laug”.
Those were the most helpful few to me, but you can read more here.
Common roots
berg = rock
borg = city
fell = hill or mountain
foss = waterfall
haf / höf = ocean
hellir = cave
hús = house
höfn = port
ís = ice
jökull = glacier
lag = layer
laug = warm spring
lón = lagoon
svartur = black
vatn = lake
vegur = road
vík = bay
þing = meeting
So, if you look now at something like Seljavallalaug, you might not know exactly what it says, but you at least know it’s a hot spring - which is true! Or you might not be able to figure out the whole meaning of Reykjavík, but you do know it’s at least partially called a bay (the full translation is smoky bay). Or here’s a couple good ones: Laugarvatn and Svartifoss. You figure those out! You can read more about Icelandic place names and their meanings here.
Here’s the stuff you should do
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Here’s a map I made of all the stuff we did (or at least the stuff I’d recommend doing - I left out a bunch of things that I don’t think were worth it). If you’re going in the summer, you’ll probably want to do things a little differently (like, you should go whale watching and find some puffins) but I think in general the highlights are the same. 
If you have about a week there, you have enough time to spend a few days in Reykjavik and then either head up to the northwest (where the fjords are) or the southeast (where the glaciers are). We did the latter and I feel good about it, but if I went back I’d definitely go up to the north because I think there’s a lot of cool things to see up there too.
Here’s the stuff we did
If you want a super detailed list of all the things we did, here it is. I hope this is helpful!
Day 1: Airport & Reykjavik
Good thing I had a Bloody Mary in the airport in NYC because bloodies do not exist on Icelandic planes (or in Iceland, for that matter).
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Landed at Keflavik airport and, as I mentioned, drove to Reykjavik and spent most of the morning being essentially homeless and sleeping in our car in a mall parking lot. Felt considerably better after sleeping.
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Went to the Icelandic Phallological Museum, which I can’t in good faith recommend, but I also know nothing could have stopped me from going, so just go ahead.
Checked in to our incredible airbnb, which I highly recommend if you’re staying in Reykjavik and it’s available. Central location, beautiful high ceilings, comfy couch, big tv, nice kitchen, the works. They even left us some skyr in the fridge!
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Ran around Reykjavik and got drinks at The Lebowski Bar (overpriced and overcrowded, but still cool to see), Bar 7 (a very strange place that’s sort of a museum and gave us super cheap drinks one night and ridiculously overpriced drinks another time), and Monako (a tiny casino bar where everyone stared at us and it was filled with cigarette smoke but we enjoyed it).
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The airbnb owners also run an awesome bar/restaurant downstairs called Vitabar, where we had dinner and which we loved. Good burgers and (relatively) cheap drinks. Also one of the few places we found in Reykjavik that wasn’t extremely crowded.
Day 2: Golden Circle
We got coffee at a chain called Kaffitar, which has good coffee but is extremely disorganized and takes forever so I can’t super recommend it. And their food is not good.
Then, we got in the car and drove THE GOLDEN CIRCLE, which is the most popular thing to do in Iceland and probably my favorite thing that we did. You drive a bit outside of Reykjavik and make a bunch of stops around what’s roughly a circle, getting to see a ton of different landmarks and cool things along the way. One of my favorite things we saw was just a big old snowy field that we got to run around in.
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First, we drove through þingvellir National Park, which didn’t really do it for me but you can’t really avoid so drive through it I guess.
Then we stopped at the Laugarvatn Fontana which was AMAZING. It’s a small hot spring with a bunch of different pools (as well as a cold lake you can jump in) and fresh hot bread that they bake right in the sand next to you. I loved the hot springs, I loved the food, I even bought some of their lotion. The only downside is that (like with every other hot spring) you have to shower naked with a bunch of strangers, but this actually didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.
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Went to Geysir, which is the geyser after which all other geysers are named. It actually doesn’t go off anymore, but there’s a bunch of other ones right there that do and one in particular rewarded us with a pretty impressive blast every few minutes. Worth seeing for sure. (This may not look big until you notice how tiny all the people are.)
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Stopped at Gullfoss Falls (a bit redundant if you’re paying attention), which was very beautiful but probably much more fun in the summer. It was freezing up there.
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Went to Kerið Crater Lake, which I loved. I am a sucker for crater lakes. It’s beautiful and you get to walk RIGHT down to the lake, which (like most things in Iceland) is as dangerous as it sounds.
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At some point, we also drove by some horses which I got to pet and feed. This was the highlight of my entire week. Icelandic horses are the best.
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On our way back to Reykjavik, we stopped at a Vínbúðin (the state-run chain of liquor stores) to stock up on very expensive alcohol for our airbnb. They have very wacky hours (like, 12-4 in some cases) so make sure you plan ahead. We had to race against the clock and got there 2 minutes before they closed.
Had dinner at Icelandic Fish & Chips, which was great but not the best fish & chips I had in Iceland. The cool part though was that I got to order NINE DIPS to eat with my dinner. That was fun.
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Got drinks at Gamli Gaukurinn, a cool cocktail bar that wasn’t too crowded, had a relaxed vibe, and good music. Only downside was that they had very sketchy bathrooms that everyone could see into. So I did not pee there.
Wandered over to the Hallgrímskirkja (Hallgrimur’s Church), which is very worth seeing in person.
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Day 3: The Road to Vik
We attempted to go to the Laundromat Cafe, which seems cool, but which was incredibly crowded like everything else in Reykjavik. We actually wandered around for like an hour trying to find somewhere to eat breakfast and couldn’t find anywhere without a long line of people already waiting. UNTIL we came across Prikið, which was awesome and I don’t understand why it had open seats. Their Breakfast of Champions was one of the best things I ate in Iceland.
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On our way out of Reykjavik, we checked out Perlan (”the pearl”), which used to be a restaurant in a rotating glass building that overlooks all of Reykjavik. The restaurant is closed permanently, but they’re working on turning it into a museum and for now you can still go in and get coffee and walk around. The views were incredible.
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We drove to Seljalandsfoss, my absolute favorite nature-y thing in Iceland. It’s a huge gorgeous waterfall and on the day we went there it was sunny and covered in rainbows. You can walk up next to it and get sprayed by the water, and you can walk down around the mountain to find other waterfalls and a cool little cave you can walk right into.
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When we got to Vik (a small town in the south coast of Iceland which is right in the middle of Reykjavik and the glacier lagoons to the east), we stopped by Dyrholaey, which has some beautiful and dramatic rock formations, and which is a hot spot for puffins. Sadly, we found out that the puffins don’t show up until spring, so I didn’t get to see any. But we did get to almost die in the strong winds up on the cliffs!
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We checked into our hotel (Hotel Edda Vik), which we hated, but luckily we were able to switch to a room in the Icelandair Hotel for our 2nd night in Vik. I would not recommend the Edda, which literally felt like sleeping in a hospital room. We went to a little local restaurant called Halldorskaffi, where we had expensive but delicious fresh fish. Their wine was terrible, but that’s ok, Iceland is not known for its wine.
We also hung out in the Icelandair hotel bar, where they gave us some hákarl (rotten shark) to try. I did not eat it. Erik did. It smelled horrible. We also tried some of the local drinks, like Brennivin (”Wash down the shark with it.” “Oh, will that help the taste?” “No, that actually tastes worse than the shark.”) and birch schnapps. If I were you, I wouldn’t taste any of this stuff, but I know you’ll do it anyway.
Day 4: Skogar & Seljavallalaug
Outside of the Golden Circle, this was my favorite day of the trip. First, we went to the Black Sand Beach outside of Vik, which is incredibly beautiful and where we invented a new sport that involved trying to guess which of the tourists would get swept out by a sneaker wave next. (NEVER TURN YOUR BACK TO THE OCEAN.) We also popped into the Black Sand Restaurant to taste some traditional lamb soup, which I did not enjoy because I felt bad for the lambs.
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Then we went to the tiny town of Skogar, which is a delightful spot nestled in between a couple mountains. They have a waterfall there (Skogafoss, predictably) which we didn’t care about seeing because we were sick of waterfalls, BUT they had an amazing museum which I highly, highly recommend stopping for. One part is a transportation museum, which was really cool. But the other part is a “folk museum” with Viking relics and intact houses showing you how the original Icelanders lived. We got to peek into a bunch of houses, a schoolhouse, and lots more. It was great.
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We ate at the little food truck in Skogar (”Mia’s Country Grill”) because it was the only thing in town, but it ended up being the best fish & chips I ate in Iceland. (Fish & chips are literally the only thing on the menu.) It was so lovely eating fish & chips outside and watching the waterfall and the mountains, but we got lucky with the weather that day so I don’t know if that’s a normal occurrence. 
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Then, we went to Seljavallalaug, which is a hidden little pool made out of a hot spring that you have to hike ~20 minutes to get to. (We were previously warned that we had to ford a river to get to it, and that part ended up being a little scary, but otherwise it’s an easy hike.) I think this is worth the trip, but you should know two things: 1) this is less of a hot spring and more of a lukewarm pool, so it’s not the greatest when you’re already cold, and 2) you have to change in some seriously grimy changing rooms that have doors that don’t close all the way, let alone lock in any way. But it’s all part of the adventure, right? We also met a great dog there who seems to live on the road on the way to the pool.
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Afterwards we stopped at the restaurant at Hotel Anna a little to the west and I ate the best tomato soup of my entire life. Seriously, if I were you I would drive very far out of my way to eat that tomato soup.
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We attempted to get dinner in Vik at the end of the day, but every restaurant was closed, so we ate premade sandwiches they sold in the Icelandair Hotel lobby. Not my favorite dinner.
Day 5: Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon
We got back on the road and drove towards the glacier lagoons in the southeast. On the way there, we drove through Eldhraun (the lava fields), which I had imagined would be red and black but instead were covered in moss and therefore a shocking and beautiful green. We got out and ran around the fields (it’s really fun because the thick moss makes everything so bouncy) and found a tiny little forest to explore. A recommended stop for sure.
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We drove out to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, which is supposed to be beautiful, but I became incensed when the bathrooms were closed for the winter so we ended up leaving instead of hiking. But what we saw was very nice!
We stopped off for lunch in the little town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur and ate at a restaurant called Systrakaffi, where I had a giant bowl of vegetable soup followed by a giant fish and baked potato that I very much enjoyed.
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Unfortunately, a few minutes after this, Erik made me hike up a mountain in Vatnajökull National Park to see Svartifoss (the black waterfall) and I regretted my giant lunch. But the waterfall was very beautiful. The only downside is that, like everything else, the waterfall was totally overrun by rude tourists climbing all over the rocks, so we didn’t enjoy it as much as we might have.
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On our way out of the park, we stopped at Svinafellsjokull, a beautiful and bright blue glacier lagoon that was really stunning. (I think most people miss this one on their way to Jokulsarlon, but I thought this one was actually more impressive.)
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After this, we continued on our way to our hotel, the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, which was my favorite place we stayed in Iceland. It’s nestled under a foggy mountain (very dramatic), has beautiful high-ceilinged rooms, and provided us with a delightful happy hour and a really amazing dinner. We felt no need to leave the hotel once we got there.
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Day 6: Glacier Lagoons & Reykjavik
We stopped at the famous Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the Diamond Beach right across the street. Both were really beautiful and striking, but I think we had seen so many amazing sights at this point that we were a little underwhelmed. If this is the only thing you’re coming to the southeast for, I’m honestly not sure it’s worth the trip.
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We stopped in Vik for lunch on our way back but couldn’t find a table anywhere other than our old stomping grounds, Halldorskoffi, so we just ate there again. I liked it less this time.
We drove all the way through to Reykjavik because we wanted to maximize our remaining time in town. Once we got there, we checked in to the Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Marina (which we loved) and had a drink in the lobby bar, Slippbarinn, which is definitely the nicest and most varied cocktail bar in Reykjavik.
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We stopped into the Punk Rock Museum, where you should absolutely not waste your time.
We had dinner at Old Iceland, which was THE most incredible dinner we had the whole week. I started with shellfish soup which had dill oil (!) on it and was out of this world, and then had a just ridiculous fish and mashed potato entree that was so good I wish I could eat it forever.
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Day 7: Reykjavik
On our last morning, we actually had a reservation at the Blue Lagoon (that big famous hot spring everyone will tell you about) but decided not to go because we wanted to spend more time in the city. I don’t regret not going to the Blue Lagoon - the reviews are really mixed, it’s supposed to be incredibly crowded, and I really can’t imagine how it could be better than the experience we’d already had at Laugarvatn.
We spent the morning buying a few presents for friends (and I really seriously considered buying a reindeer rug) and just wandering around enjoying the city (it was another beautiful day) and then headed to the airport. I think a week was the PERFECT amount of time because by the last day I was totally ready to go home.
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So: is it worth it or what?
I think that if you have a searing need in your heart to see Iceland, you should go to Iceland. But if you’re just looking for a vacation or an adventure, there are many places you can go which are cheaper and less of a pain. It’s beautiful, and I had a good time, but I’m not sure that I would go again or that I would recommend that anyone else definitely go. Also, we didn’t get to see the Northern Lights even though we were there in the winter, which was a bummer - so definitely don’t go just for that experience.
All that said, if you go, you will have a good time. You will also spend a lot of money and have a lot of inconveniences. So you need to decide if that’s the right vacation for you! For me, it probably wasn’t the right call, but we still had a great time.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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