#and the radio person found that very funny which is good

[autism-disco]

plot twist i actually do know two birthdayers today i can say happy birthday specifically to them

happy birthday to someone, somewhere. hope you have a wonderful day

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

for whom good omens is being written

Hey maggots and the rest of the fandom, it's the Good Omens Mascot here. Today I read a post about this tweet:

The accompanying video genuinely made me cry. And I've been thinking about this for a long while, as far back as February, when I saw a lot of conflicting opinions on what people wanted from the third season. It really is true that no matter what you do, some people will be dissatisfied. But what matters is that Neil is writing this for Terry.

And I was reminded of some paragraphs from the Good Omens TV Companion, which I'd read in Amazon's sample excerpt of the book. I know this is a long post, but I really truly do think you all need to read these, I've done my best to select only the most important parts. Here you go:

'His Alzheimer's started progressing harder and faster than either of us had expected,' says Neil, referring to a period in which Terry recognized that despite everything he could no longer write. 'We had been friends for over thirty years, and during that time he had never asked me for anything. Then, out of the blue, I received an email from him with a special request. It read: “Listen, I know how busy you are. I know you don't have time to do this, but I want you to write the script for Good Omens. You are the only human being on this planet who has the passion, love and understanding for the old girl that I do. You have to do this for me so that I can see it." And I thought, “OK, if you put it like that then I'll do it."

'I had adapted my own work in the past, writing scripts for Death: The High Cost of Living and Sandman, but not a lot else was seen. I'd also written two episodes of Doctor Who, and so I felt like I knew what I was doing. Usually, having written something once I'd rather start something new, but having a very sick co-author saying I had to do this?' Neil spreads his hands as if the answer is clear to see. 'I had to step up to the plate.' A pause, then: 'All this took place in autumn 2014, around the time that the BBC radio adaptation of Good Omens was happening,' he continues, referring to the production scripted and co-directed by Dirk Maggs and starring Peter Serafinowicz and Mark Heap. ‘Terry had talked me into writing the TV adaptation, and I thought OK, I have a few years. Only I didn't have a few years,' he says. 'Terry was unconscious by December and dead by March.'

He pauses again. 'His passing took all of us by surprise,' Neil remembers. 'About a week later, I started writing, and it was very sad. The moments Terry felt closest to me were the moments I would get stuck during the writing process. In the old days, when we wrote the novel, I would send him what I'd done or phone him up. And he would say, "Aahh, the problem, Grasshopper, is in the way you phrase the question," and I would reply, "Just tell me what to do!" which somehow always started a conversation. 'In writing the script, there were times I'd really want to talk to Terry, and also places where I'd figure something out and do something really clever, and I would want to share it with him. So, instead, I would text Terry's former personal assistant, Rob Wilkins, now his representative on Earth. It was the nearest thing I had.'

(...) As Neil himself recognizes, this is an adaptation built upon the confidence that comes from three decades of writing for page and screen. But for all the wisdom of experience, he found that above all one factor guided him throughout the process. 'Terry isn't here, which leaves me as the guardian of the soul of the story,' he explains. 'It's funny because sometimes I found myself defending Terry's bits harder or more passionately than I would defend my own bits. Take Agnes Nutter,' he says, referring to what has become a key scene in the adaptation in which the seventeenth-century author of the book of prophecies foretelling the coming of the Antichrist is burned at the stake. ‘It was a huge, complicated and incredibly expensive shoot, with bonfires built and primed to explode as well as huge crowds in costume. It had to feel just like an English village in the 1640s, and of course everyone asked if there was a cheap way of doing it. 'One suggestion was that we could tell the story using old-fashioned woodcuts and have the narrator take us through what happened, but I just thought, “No”. Because I had brought aspects of the story like Crowley and the baby swap along to the mix, and Terry created Agnes Nutter. So, if I had cut out Agnes then I wouldn't be doing right by the person who gave me this job. Terry would've rolled over in his grave.'

And, finally, this paragraph:

"Once again, Neil cites the absence of his co-writer as his drive to ensure that Good Omens translated to the screen and remained true to the original vision. 'Terry's last request to me was to make this something he would be proud of. And so that has been my job.'"

I think that's so heartwrenchingly beautiful, and so I wanted you all to read this, too, just in case you (like me) don't have the Good Omens TV Companion. It adds another layer of depth and emotion to this already complex and amazing story that we all know and love.

Share this post, if you can, please, so that more people can read these excerpts :")

Tagging @neil-gaiman, @fuckyeahgoodomens and @orpiknight, even if you've definitely read these before :)

[theyapper0]

Litte details abt my Hazbin rewrite that i wanna share :)

OK SO!!! IT'S DOOOOOONEEEE!!!!!!

So I FINALLY finished drawing out everything I wrote out for some major plot point in my hazbin rewrite 😋 BUT!!!

There's some things that I have made art of or talked about that are sorta important (but they're really not, just some silly things that I pictured in this that I never got the chance to talk about yet LOL!!!)

If you don't really care, feel free to skip this but there are some little doodles here too that will basically get all my points across just as well!

-So first point, I've touched on this a little bit here but Niffty and Husk are BROS. Like fr ride or die with each other.

In this rewrite, I want Niffty to have been an overlord like Husk (or at least just as powerful as he is because I feel like Alastor is EXTREMELY attracted to power and he wouldn't just make deals with weak as shit people unless he was gaining something GRAND).

But Husk and Niffty, they both.... really hate Alastor. I think Husk is much more vocal with his hatred towards Alastor but do NOT be fooled, NIFFTY WANTS HIS ASS IN THE GROUND TOO!!!!!!

And I think it's because of this hatred, because of this shared, unfortunate situation that they've both found themselves in in regards to being contracted to the Radio Demon, I think they are really close. Like, they look out for each other and watch each others backs because who else is gonna do it? ALASTOR? LOL!!!!

-Here's my Sir Pentious and Cherri Bomb designs!! I realized when I was making all those drawings for the rewrite that I never drew them! So here they are! 😋

Pentious has prosthetic arms that he made himself not too long after he arrived in Hell YEARS AGO bc I wanted to REAAALLY lean into the whole snake thing. And I also made him more steampunk-y because I think it's cool and that he'd look super adorable with little gear markings on his scales

And I read that Cherri died in around the 80's so I wanted to give her an aussie rocker look LMAOO Wild hair, big ol' hoop earrings and tattered clothes because she's COOL!!

-Niffty is the (m)hotel's maid/rooms keeper still (and it was only SLIGHTLY degrading in the beginning). The biggest reasons Alastor made her the maid is because of her OCD (he's an old man from the 1930's, he thinks OCD means being a neat freak) and because she is able to control all kinds of insects and vermin- which the hotel is INFESTED with

Niffty is also the only one with a spare key to Charlie and Vaggie's house, she's honestly the one they trust the MOST out of everyone at the hotel to have a key to their place in case of an emergency (and she only abuses it SOMETIMES)

-HUSK IS NOT THE HOTEL BARTENDER IN THIS!!!!!!

When I designed the hotel to look more like a motel, obviously there was no place to put a bar and I WANTED THAT! Like, I understand the humor in having a bar in a rehabilitation facility (it IS REALLY FUNNY I KNOW) but I really don't think that, even in this, neither Charlie or Vaggie would allow Alastor or Angel or anyone else to tell THEM what the hotel needs.

Like, they LITERALLY built this place with their BARE HANDS, I think they're both verrrry resistant to any changes and such that others may want to implement (for both the good and bad), even if that person was THE Radio Demon

So instead, Alastor had brought him in as a sorta bodyguard for the hotel (as a huge middle finger to Vaggie, who is not only the hotel manager but also is a very ready protector of this place)

(Husk DOES still sell liquor though, like that is something that is totally happening, it's just very hush-hush. He keeps it in his room and sells it to the patrons of the hotel (sometimes Pretentious and most of the time it's just Angel. Charlie and Vaggie have no idea this is happening))

(Niffty 100% knows since she's the one who cleans the rooms but she wouldn't sell out Husk because that's her bro)

-And speaking of the Radio Demon!!! Neither Charlie or Vaggie are scared of him. I mean, they're not really scared of him in canon (they could be sometimes tho ig)

Charlie is one of the strongest beings in Hell and Vaggie is (secretly) an angel who, as far as they all know, can't be killed by a Sinner. So neither of them are really threatened by him. Vaggie definitely voices this more than Charlie does, in fact, Charlie is almost always more than happy to just let Alastor talk and threaten as much as he wants because she's not violent and is very humble (that's what good people do, right?)

Alastor is also just as good of a Facility Manager of the Hazbin Hotel as he is in canon, and by that I mean he does not do his job and when he does, he sucks at it LOLLLL. He is very unhelpful.

-Sundays are the only day where the hotel isn't doing any reformative work/lessons so it's everyones' day off (it's holy day AMEN!) 

(Charlie WOULD make them pray on Sundays if it wasn't for the fact that every time she would try to guide a prayer, she would bleed from every hole in her body) 

-AND THE LAST POINT IS....

The Hazbin Hotel doesn't JUST do lessons in goodness, they also teach about the 10 Commandments and go on “field trips” to do volunteer work (soup kitchens, cleaning parks, helping Hell with one smile at a time :)

Thanks for reading and be sure to check in tomorrow for the first page of a comic retelling Charlie's meeting with Adam in episode one!!!

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

fight the future part 1

AHHHHH, i’m so EXCITEDDDD!!!

it usually takes me an hour and a half to write up my initial thoughts on a 45 minute episode, PLUS more time to edit them before posting, so this 2 hour movie is probably going to take all night LMAOOOO

but after having some brief troubles with my laptop’s DVD player, here we are!!!! i cannot wait!!! i’m so excited!! everyone has really hyped this up. but i read the back of the DVD and it didn’t mention gibson at all? so are we just pushing that to the side for now?

okay. yeah. i’ll have to not worry about that little boy. 

oh, and yeah, i'm watching it on a DVD! the quality is... not great. which i suppose adds to the immersion.

post-movie thoughts: i can see shrimp colors and feel their secret emotions.

let’s GOOOOO!

theme music playing……………….. over some oily looking stuff…. YEAH BABY!!!!!

we are in a blizzard. two figures run. wait, it’s texas? oh, it’s ancient texas. a very different time from now.

let us enter a cave together, where we can start a fire and rest. and look around with torches. deeper and deeper into this labyrinth journey the cavemen. it looks like skyrim. i half expect a skeever to jump out

wah! who is this in the ice?

ALIEN ATTACK??? what is going on? alien vs cavemen! place your bets!!! one caveman down!!! the alien escaped?? other caveman wants to know where tf it went!

i get the sense a jumpscare is coming. WHAT IS THAT THING??? it looks like a flounder??????? surviving caveman stabs it and it bleeds. OHHH.... IS THAT THE BLACK OIL STUFF???? YEAH, it is!!! and it crawls all over the caveman!!!! 

wahhhh!!! abrupt jump cut to a boy named stevie falling into a cave. stevie, there may be monsters afoot, please be careful. stevie wants this skull for himself. please alert any local archaeologists of this find instead of stealing it or its historical context will forever be lost to time. NO STEVIE! the goop!!!!! it is upon him!!!

maybe this is what he gets for trying to steal archaeological remains. take notes, children. a lesson was learned today.

it crawls up his legs like evil slugs!!!! and into his eyeballs!! the other kids run!!!

they abandoned stevie in his hour of need… personally, i would not forgive them for this

some yellow firetrucks are here to save the day (and who has ever seen a yellow firetruck?). go, fetch stevie. the fireman up top can’t hear the ones down in the cave through the radio!!!

now, what is this helicopter doing at the scene? they bring out a pod-thing to store stevie in. and this other guy (later revealed to be named bronschweig- simply too many german names on this show) is watching the boy with grave concern.

THIS DUDE LEAVES THE FIREMEN DOWN THERE TO DIE?????

absolutely DIABOLICAL.

a ton more trucks pull in and block off the area while the doctor bronschweig guy calls someone to say that…. the impossible scenario that they never planned for??? well, they better come up with a plan!!

a week later, a helicopter arrives in dallas. the FBI says there is no evidence of an explosive in this building, but this other guy (michaud) says they had better check again. he sees something in the distance….. upon the roof....

SCULLY IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i cheered and screamed!

“mulder, it’s me!” “where are you scully?” “i’m on the roof” <- it was her on the roof!! oh, my heart is so happy to see her!!! she says she hasn't found anything. and you know she is good at observing

LMAOOOOO she wants to know what the fuck she is doing there!!! after going up 12 floors of stairs!!! they are not acting in accordance with the data on how to respond to terrorist threats!!! the bomb threat was called in ACROSS THE STREET!! lives could be lost!!! yes diva, monologue statistics!

BOO! mulder scares her LMAOOO LMAOOOOOOO aww. babies.

(her lecturing him on the statistics and terrorist behavioral analysis is so funny because he is the behavioral analysis guy... but i recognize that they are doing a sort of character introduction for the girlies who are just tuning in for the movie, and she is the one who likes to do things by the book)

(he pops a sunflower seed) “what are we doing up here, scully? it’s hotter than hell” <- many are asking this question...

NOOOOO, he’s bored because they’ve CLOSED THE X FILES 💔💔💔 and now they have to follow the rules!!! and do boring things like look for bombs! but at least they get to do it together? that has to be a plus!

“maybe we should call in a bomb threat to houston; i think it’s free beer night at the astrodome” (she glares at him) LMAOOOOO she’s mad as hell!!!! and so is he!!! but in a different direction!

OHHHHHH she pretends the door is locked…. and he goes into open it…. AHAHAHA, OH I JUST GIGGLED!!!

“it’s locked?” “so much for anticipating the unforeseen” (he opens it and turns to her, who is smiling, crossing her arms) “i had you” (he’s laughing) “no you didn’t” “had you big time"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH i love when they write scully as a smartass!!! THAT IS MY BABY!! <3

SHE’S STILL TEASING HIM AS THEY GO INSIDE, BAHAHAHA! he says he saw her jiggle the handle; “i saw your face, mulder, there was a definite moment of panic” “you’ve never seen me panic. when i panic, i make this face” (he has no discernible expression)

BANTER!!! THE BANTER OF IT ALL!!!

OHHHH, SHE MAKES HIM BUY HER A SODA and she wants something SWEET... AGAIN, i say, that is my baby!!!!!!

15 minutes in and i’m already kicking my feet and giggling at their banter, oh my god… this is going to ruin me

LMAOOO what the hell did he just pull out of his pocket as he is putting the change in for a soda?!!

bro is slamming all of the buttons…. bro is kicking the machine… i have been there too, brother, i promise. 

aha! the machine was unplugged!

this DVD is skipping a little but i think he got locked in the drink room 💔 for what purpose??

he panics and calls scully on his nokia, and her number is 555-0113 btw, for those of you who keep track of these things

he says he found the bomb!!!! and she thinks he is joking, but he is absolutely not!!! 

OH SHIT!!!!! the bomb really is in there!!!! where the vending machine should be!! he starts counting down…….

so scully runs out, saying that she will get him out of there, but first: get everyone else out!!!!

YES, TELL THEM GIRL!!! “i need this building evacuated and cleared out in ten minutes. i want you to call the fire department and have them block off the city center and a one-mile radius around the building” “ten minutes?” “DON’T THINK! pick up that phone and make it happen!” <- YAAAAAAS EXACTLY RIGHT!!!

love when she raises her voice at men who doubt her. it brings me inner peace.

she needs to speak to michaud NOW…. tell him to deploy the FBI AT ONCE!!!!

oh, poor mulder, stuck in a locked room with the vending machine bomb….. he jumps when his cellphone rings. “scully, you know that face i just showed you? i’m making it again” <- NOOOOO his normally cool exterior is cracking 💔

she informs him to get away from the door because they are coming in. is michaud a welder????? or do they just keep one on hand for events like this?

michaud says to get out NOW!!! and mulder doesn’t want to listen, but scully forces him out. now why tf would this michaud guy know how to diffuse a bomb?? but he says he does.

okay, but he lies, because he’s just sitting there looking at it?????

mulder wants to run back in but she SCREAMS IN HIS FACE THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TIME!!!

(this was most pleasing to me as well. something about her screaming in his face to save him made me nod in approval)

they just barely get in the car, when the whole building blows!!!! poor limping agents emerge from the bombing as the place is in ruins. “next time, you’re buying”, mulder says. oh, this man, and his dumbass quips…

back to the FBI headquarters in DC. is scully in trouble??!?! but skinner is here!!!! surely he will defend her! oh no… mulder is here, too. there were 5 deaths in the explosion!!!

mulder rushes in, asking if the bodies really were found in the building, because they were told it was clear. but this lady tells him he was late and he better go wait outside… what is afoot at this moment…? skinner shakes his head ever so slightly

cut to him pounding sunflower seeds outside the door while the meeting takes place.

skinner emerges!!!!! NOOOO he gently informs mulder that they’re being blamed for this!!! he was so careful about the way he worded this news, too 💔💔

“if they want somebody to blame, they can blame me. agent scully doesn’t deserve this” “she’s in there right now saying the same thing about you” <- OHHHHHH……….. i fell to my knees in a walmart parking lot.

(metaphorically, of course. for in reality, i sit here, cozy in bed)

mulder says that he broke protocol by leaving the SAC, so he should take the blame, but she says she was the one who ordered him out. and he denies wanting to go back in.

poor scully :( she emerges

and now the people from the panel in the meeting room want skinner back :( she always calls him “sir” :(

NOOOOO, THEY’RE SPLITTING OUR AGENTS UP??? 💔 

“this is not about you scully, they’re doing this to me” “they’re not doing this. mulder, i left behind a career in medicine… because i thought that i could make a difference at the FBI, but it hasn’t turned out that way, and now if they were to transfer me to omaha, or cleveland, or some field office it just doesn’t hold the interest for me that it once did. not after what i’ve seen and done” <- OHHHHHH… his face while she says this…

and her guilt…. it’s like she wants to atone.

again, scully and her need to Do The Morally Correct Thing at all costs. and at this point, can she say that being in the FBI is the Morally Correct Thing to do? i don't blame her for wanting to go be a doctor instead, even though i am surprised she doesn't want to figure out who got her sick and killed her sister. maybe she thought if she cut her losses now, she could still make a life for herself somewhere else.

she looks so SAD, and she says she’s sorry, and when mulder walks away, she grabs his jacket that he left behind... ohhhhh my GOD, her standing alone in the hallway… someone please kill me

(post viewing note: i think he was trying to blame himself for the whole situation and assuage her guilt with the "this is not about you, scully" line, but it seemed like he was saying that he was the only one being persecuted for the pursuit of the great and noble Truth, which rubbed me the wrong way. i think i know what he MEANT, but when he said they were doing this to HIM, it was like, damn, pretty sure y'all have been a team... again with the hearing 'i' when he ought to hear 'we')

NOOOOO! mulder’s absolutely smashed at the bar. bro barely drinks and tonight he is going for the gold. 

AND THE BARTENDER ASKS WHAT HE DOES SO HE JUST. TELLS HER EVERYTHING??? so she cuts him off for the night. because his alien story seems to indicate his inebriation.

oh my god, it's like it doesn't bother him that he is a joke to his peers when he is getting results, but when he is separated from those results, being belittled hurts

“one is the loneliest number” <- SAID BY THE MAN who never wanted a partner….. oh my god…..

OH, the poor guy can’t even go to the bathroom in peace… which leaves him pissing against the wall… truly an all time low for my best friend mulder

this guy is talking to him while he goes to the bathroom. he says he has been watching his career for a while…….. since he was a promising young agent….. okay, who is this kurtzweil fellow? OH! HE CLAIMS TO BE “AN OLD FRIEND OF YOUR FATHER’S” EEK! i don’t think that will endear him to you 

HE CALLS THEM “FELLOW TRAVELERS”.... RED MR. MULDER CONFIRMED???

he’s trying to get away from this guy. kurtzweil heard he comes in there sometimes. huh, that’s interesting. i feel like we never see him drink. and he said he usually doesn’t, which he stated as much before. maybe he goes there on the tough nights. maybe he gets bored. maybe his general sobriety is being retconned in this film. very interesting.

bro is trying to get tf out of there… but kurtzweil says that michaud never tried to diffuse that bomb!! "they" wanted the medical quarantine office in that dallas building destroyed!! which is where the bodies came from!!! the dead they found were already dead before the bomb went off!!!!

ohhhh, mulder's eyes are alight again… he tells the doctor he thinks he’s full of shit, but i can see that spark in his drunk and pondering eyes.

he is now off to georgetown. where poor scully cannot sleep. in her white robe. sadly looking at the ceiling.

(i know nothing about DC. so scully lives in georgetown? then where does he live? how far away is that? you have to call a cab, so it's probably pretty far... how long are their journeys to work? and most importantly, how far are they from the museums?)

OH she immediately clocks that he is drunk and she is SUSPICIOUS. oh, i want to STUDY this interaction:

“oh, i woke you. did i wake you?” (he stumbles in)

“no”

“why not? it’s 3 in the morning” 

“are you drunk, mulder?” (i find it very fascinating she asks this without judgement- just very matter of fact)

“i… i… uh, was, until about 20 minutes ago, yeah”

“was that before or after you decided to come here?”

“what exactly are you implying?”

(she stares at him) “go home, mulder”

“no, get dressed”

“it’s late”

“get dressed”

“what are you doing?” 

“just get dressed, and i’ll explain on the way” <- ohhhhhh…. will she go with him?

she will, but only after a deep sigh

(post-viewing thoughts: i thought this was so fascinating because it felt like she thought he was going to break whatever tenuous barrier was between them. like, he was either going to try and sleep with her, or beg her to stay, and either one was something she couldn't handle. it felt like she assumed it was sexual, to me at least. and that firm rejection was very interesting. i shall unpack this for decades, i am sure)

back to texas, where the quarantine effort where stevie and the firemen fell in the hole is being resumed. AND CSM IS LIGHTING UP AS HE DESCENDS FROM HIS HELICOPTER!!! sadly and pensively smoking. 

the guy from before who we saw leave the firemen behind- bronschweig- has something to show CSM. AUGH, the fireman that they left in the hole is still alive, but he is very goopy??? why is this???

the black oil alien is eating him away!!! but they managed to slow it down by bringing him back to freezing!!!

he asks if CSM wants him to destroy “this one too, before it gestates” and he says no, no. we need to try the vaccine. and if it doesn’t work… burn it like the others. nasty.

AUGH....... the oil alien moved in the fireman's body a little bit. didn't care for it.

the agents are rolling up to the naval hospital at 4 am. i sure do hope mulder wasn’t the one driving. scully does not seem like the type to allow this.

LMAOOOO he is trying to get into the morgue by pushing around the young and inexperienced guard, and he does that thing where he calls him “son”, which makes me feel so weird, but the trickery of a guy named fox never fails to amuse me. he points out to scully once they're successfully inside that it’s pretty weird a hospital morgue is suddenly off limits on the orders of a general. yeah, seems sus.

mulder is unboxing this corpse, and it is horribly sticky!!! she’s gloving up to investigate. “god, it’s completely edematous”, she notes, and i giggled when she said that. scully using medical words makes my heart skip beats. i even giggled while gagging as she dragged her fingers through the human body that had become gel. and there was evidently absolutely no autopsy, she declares!!! the death report is obviously not true!!!

(shoutout to the props team)

STEALING A BODY with agents mulder and scully! but she is concerned! it takes a long time to conduct an autopsy! she’s worried they'll get caught!! “we’re being blamed for this man’s death. i’d like to know what he died of”, mulder points out, and you know what? i can’t really argue with that logic 

how is she gonna cut the body open if he’s goop?!?!

off to dr. kurtzweil’s apartment, where an outside investigation is taking place, and you bet mulder is going to crash it.

OH SHIT??? the cops who are in kurtweil's place accuse him of a very serious crime??? mulder also found a book he wrote about “global domination conspiracy” um… can we trust this guy? 

earlier when he said he was an OBGYN, my first thought was that he was one of those guys who works in the fertility clinics and makes the clone people… maybe he really is?

(after seeing the film, i think it was just a coincidence LMAO)

mulder make a joke about needing a pelvic examination and cracks the other cop up lmao. he has a way of charming people

GASP! as he tries to leave, he’s being summoned around the corner by kurtzweil!!! he says "they" know that he is talking to mulder. mulder is like how tf did you know all that about the goop guy in the hospital morgue?

well, let me tell you a story about a mouse disease, says kurtzweil.

and FEMA mentioned…. what are they doing in a mouse disease outbreak?? with their newfound powers? hmm.

MR. MULDER LORE!!!! they worked on a bio weapon together. “a plague to end all plagues… a planned armageddon” arranged with the aliens!! that's... not good.

so he says the president will declare a state of emergency when this plague arrives, and all power will come under FEMA/the secret government. and then i think he implies it will be transferred over to the aliens?

he says to go back to texas and dig… or else.

poor FEMA. always being blamed for something.

meanwhile, scully is working on getting an autopsy on the goopy body. but there are people approaching!!!

she hides!!! in the freezer!!!! but no!!!! her phone goes off!!!!

LMAOOOO!!! DESPITE the horrible timing, she picks up and says she can’t really talk right now- but mulder wants to know more about this infection she found. 

he wants her to come to dallas with him, but she says she can’t, she has a hearing tomorrow!!! OH SHIT!!! the army men are approaching, but just in time she hides under the bodies…… very gross

now mulder is in a lab far away. looks like she did not accompany him to texas.

JUST KIDDING!!! SHE DID!!! she walks in right as he is told about some archaeological bone fragments!!

she didn’t want to come, but whatever those men were infected with has a protein code she has never seen before!! and i KNOW scully knows her protein codes!!! it is a serious health threat!!!

time to look at the fossils with a microscope. oh, whatever she sees is crazy, judging by the face she is making

(i thought it was so funny how he tells the dude in the lab he wanted her to explore the bones because it was so conveniently timed AND because they were archaeological remains that were thousands of years old, and i'm thinking, is she trained in archaeology? or is that implied with a training in forensic pathology? at what age is a bone no longer in her area of expertise?!)

back to the texas site…. the scary government people are going to try the vaccine. BLEH, whatever was in that guy has come free through his chest!!!!!!!!!!! bronschweig is looking around all over the place, freaking tf out!!!! where did it go?!!!!!

bronschweig says he can see it?? in a cave.

it looks slimy. and kinda little? he’s loading up a syringe with some sort of liquid that must be the vaccine, but then it vanishes!!!

OH. IT IS NOT LITTLE. NOT LITTLE AT ALL!!!!

GIRL. IT EATED HIM!?!!!! bronschweig stabs the alien fellow with the vaccine, but the other scientists lock him down in the hole because he has been mauled!!!!!!! and they bury him!!!! damn!!! there are truly no alliances in this alien business!!!!

why are we in england now? OHHHHH! IT’S WELL-GROOMED MAN!!! his butler says he has a call….

(okay, yeah, his name is “well-manicured man”, as the subtitles show, but come on!! it’s been 5 seasons of me calling him the wrong name!! i can’t switch it up now!!)

CSM says there is an emergency meeting TONIGHT. and strughold called it- whoever tf that is.

i have a feeling i am supposed to be most sympathetic towards well-groomed man. especially as he runs for what i presume to be his crying grandchild who hurt their knee. he was also the only one to advocate for working alongside the resistance, which morally elevated him above the others. but still. he is IN the alien groupchat, which you do not enter by being a morally clean fellow

syndicate meeting time!! who is this strughold fellow? aww, well-manicured man’s grandson broke his legs :(

so, breaking news: the alien virus has mutated into a new entity! they need to reevaluate their role in the colonization! well-groomed man points out that they have been used this whole time!! and they dismiss all of his wisdom!

so, they are once again going to ignore his advice of trying to have any hope. but there have been complications… allow us to look at a TV to illustrate

it is mulder and scully on the security footage!!! someone must have tipped him off to what is going on!! and they suspect kurtzweil. so he must go. and so must mulder.

but if they kill mulder, they risk turning one man's quest into a wider crusade… so they must take away what he cannot live without… 

cut to scully!!!! NOOOOOO!

ahhhhh!! i left off at 54:52, i feel that this is an okay place to leave for the night, because my writeups take so long. i started this almost 2 hours ago, and i think a break is appropriate here. so! until tomorrow!!!

ahhhh… so many things to analyze. while trying to fall asleep, i couldn’t stop thinking about the following: scully teasing mulder at the very beginning of the film; how she doesn’t want to work for the FBI anymore without him, and how she no longer feels she can make a change there (and how she Needs to make change rather than simply earn a paycheck); how she is trying to find her place in life still; his sadness at this fact; how he went to the bar and got smashed to cope, spilling his guts out to the waitress, clearly crushed that the world thinks he’s a joke when he doesn't have the answers to dull the pain; how he showed up to scully’s place drunk and she was confused, and the careful line of their relationship was being walked upon when he did so, but she still followed him into the hospital; and then how she immediately started nerding out about the goopy guy, and then hid in the morgue to autopsy him!!!!! and then there’s the whole thing with the well-groomed man and the aliens and colonization and blah blah blah, but come on!! i want my babies back together!! kicking ass and taking names!!! so.

part 2 shall commence shortly!

[sunrayram]

im super interested in alastor’s and niffty’s dynamic in this au!! im not really sure how to word this question but do you have anything youve been thinking about with them, outside of him just being very protective/possessive over her, and her still being fairly loyal to him? any headcanons or ideas you have for the two of them?

Alastor has two whole friends before the events of canon, Mimzy and Nifty. Even though he'll never admit it, he desperately needs both of them.

I've gone into his relationship with Mimzy before, but she basically acts as the only person Alastor can really let loose around. Alastor only really has some genuine fun when Mimzy's around.

When it comes to Nifty, she's the closest thing Alastor has to family on this side of the mortal plane. Nifty is the first soul Alastor owned, and it was honestly a pretty painless affair. At the time, Nifty's ex-husband had still been alive in hell, and Alastor promised to keep her safe in exchange for her soul. The ex-husband has long since been dealt with, but Nifty has no complaints about Alastor still holding her soul. She once jokingly told him that it was likely in safer hands now.

here's some fun stuff about these two!

Alastor cooks, and Nifty bakes. Nifty is the only one who's allowed to go in and out of the kitchen with no complaints from Alastor, and they can spend hours there together, singing along to classic jazz from the radio.

Alastor is not allowed to just say whatever he wants on his radio show, since it's now a part of the Jackpot Casino. That means he has a lot of opinions built up that he's not allowed to share. If he's not yelling these opinions at Husk, he's passionately sharing them with Nifty. She thinks they're funny. Sometimes, she'll bargain with him. He'll be allowed to rant for an hour, and then she'll get an hour to read her latest fanfiction out loud. Only her sfw stuff tho, obviously. (She reads him found family fic as a not-so-subtle-hint of how she feels about him. It goes right over his head.)

Nifty and Alastor play a weird version of fuck/marry/kill when they have the same shifts at the casino. Nifty points out the people she'd fuck/marry, and Alastor points out the people he'd kill. It's fun, I guess.

Nifty really really wants them to get a pet. Alastor banned any discussion of dogs, and Nifty's slightly allergic to cats. She has a list she's been secretly making of animals she thinks Alastor would like. It goes as follows:

Possum: eats bugs. Frog: no fur, not dirty (?) eats bugs. Alligator: Alastor has an alligator skull. Might like them. Bat: eats bugs. Con: Might have rabies? Deer: Maybe some form of kinship. Pig: Actually pretty clean. Makes funny noises. Anteater: eats bugs.

Alastor loves collecting trinkets, which actually annoys Nifty to no end bc it means his room isn't clean/organized. He apologizes by bringing back little gifts whenever he goes out. He also keeps his collections away from areas Nifty frequents so it doesn't bother her as much.

Alastor has banned Nifty from gambling at the casino. The one time she tried, she lost almot 500,000 dollars in one night. Even Husk was horrified.

They're both a bit mad, but they like it that way. Nifty's one of the only people around who doesn't want Alastor to change. Whether or not that's a good thing ... ehhh who knows. But it's priceless to him.

[wumblr]

end of year music albums long post do NOT press "expand" if you don't love the color of the sky

albums i SAID were good that are making end of year lists

tierra "world wide" whack: this is more often making top 100 than top 50 and i think that's kind of unfair because out of anyone she took the largest strides toward, i don't know, making an album that makes it crystal clear what your whole deal is as a musician. i'm giving it album of year. the visible lighting rig and the track interludes really make me feel like i'm listening to tierra variety hour show, which is a thing that somebody should probably book her for

doechii alligator bites never heal: this one made several top tens! love to see a (former?) tumblr girlie go off, shoutout to whoever told me about her on here like fruitcake era. this is one of those albums that really gives you a picture of what succeeding in the music industry is like. and she makes it funny. every joke lands, some of which are like, doing a 0.4-second bit

magdalena bay imaginal disk: you already know and if you don't it's not too late

megan megan act ii: you already knew this was a contender for best of year before she released the second disk. which really seals the deal tbh. if we're going to talk about brat summer we have to talk about hot girl summer, but she's already moved on to hosting the anime awards and celebrity family feud while winning in court for being shot. this was an indie release, she is no longer on a label, only other person who pulled that off this year is tinashe

allie x girl with no face: i didn't think this was a 10/10 no-skip but it was very close, i did listen to it a lot and i think it's musically and conceptually her most cohesive album yet and she's been dropping such high-quality work for so long that she's well overdue for her moment. do not miss out on her back catalogue or the next one, she is one of the music industry's best self-producers and most unjustly well-kept secrets

jamie xx in waves: to be honest i'm still reeling from a "girl" samples video i watched this year, that track is 10 years old and i'm still putting it on playlists

tems born in the wild: I said it was good

beth gibbons lives outgrown: i said this is going to make multiple end of year lists and why are you guys, on the portishead audio post website, not getting in on this

fabiana palladino s/t: this is the vibe that vaporwave was trying to recapture

kelly lee owens dreamstate: i said this was my most anticipated of year and to be honest i found it kind of underwhelming. i'm trying to look at it as being purposefully thin so as to be more ephemeral, but none of the deep cuts come across as well as the advance singles did. that said she's another of the music industry's best self-produced and she's really never released a bad album. my expectations were too high and she had different ideas about where she wanted to go, which puts it in a category with bjork volta

albums i didn't say were good for various reasons but that are also making end of year lists

erika de casier (this WOULD HAVE been in my top 10. if i had HEARD ABOUT IT!!! blogging every day on the kpop website and nobody even tells me about erika de casier like what am i even clocking these hours for? hello?? she did a collab with newjeans that's why this is relevant but she's in copenhagen and it's R&B. so like, again, you guys should know that's up my alley, since i still won't shut up about snoh aalegra)

normani (i honestly forgot sorry, i liked it a lot and then never said anything about it)

ravyn lenae (i had her on best of 2022 and did not make a note of this one for whatever reason)

glorilla (idk i liked this album but she's been on the radio for years so i assume everybody already knows)

taylor swift (my man will be upset if i don't put this here)

charli xcx (brat #1 every end of year list. for more information, there was an explanation video produced by al jazeera)

billie eilish and kali uchis (top 2 most listened to cds in my car from when i had a car that had a cd player before its ignition switch died and i said "is $400 too much work for a $300 car?")

shygirl (i think i've put her on end of year lists once or twice but club shy released one track at a time and i think, like, multiple versions so i didn't keep up)

justice (did not grab me the way genesis did on a 501 jeans tv ad in 2007 and still does to this day. i do not understand how they've been doing the same thing for almost 20 years and their debut is still fresh and the new work isn't. i love consistency. i will never get tired of ltj bukem. but this one just did not do it for me)

st vincent (this one came out with a self-immolation album cover the same week aaron bushnell self-immolated, so i never actually listened to it but apparently everybody else is saying it's her best)

clairo, kaytranada, tyler the creator, kendrick (you know what i haven't actually listened to it yet but i knew about it i swear)

sabrina carpenter (to be honest i do not like her! apparently everybody else does, or is being bribed to say they do)

nala sinephro, mdou moctar, jack white (not my thing/not genres i know anything about but for people who do these are consistently mentioned)

ariana (boy is mine will always be a fondly remembered track for me bc my man played it when my ex went in to bother him at work. which to be fair he did apologize for doing later and i'm not like upset about it but that as a reaction really did confirm to me i was making the right choices. i would stan if she used imogen heap's mimu gloves more often, which is a criticism that people also can and should make about me if i'm being fully honest)

father john misty (hozier fans who don't like the church themed junk or bon iver fans who aren't all about the walden pond fantasy will LOVE that he's doing, like, some kind of witch thing. right? isn't that what he's doing? i swear i remember a hooded cloak or something. and apparently he's friends with aubrey plaza, which seems cool. but i've known about him for over 10 years and i can't say i've listened to any of his albums twice. sorry. i lived in portland i've had enough of lumberjacks who won't commit to being kinda effeminate)

mannequin pussy (eurovision winners? in 2024? man cmon. oh wait what they're from philadelphia? oh, my god, i've had them confused with maneskin this whole time. hmm! so they're both like, indistinct, derivative, and unremarkable...? hasn't rock music been dead since before disco demolition night...?)

remi wolf (i still think of her as "plagiarism controversy girl." sorry. i find that very hard to get past and i still don't even like nathy peluso for the same reason)

ice spice (i actually promised a mutual half-jokingly that i would never say anything about her ever again and i wanted to see how long i could actually do that. i kind of put her in the "plagiarism controversy girl" category with wolf and peluso but i do have to admit the album is good)

beyonce (i simply do not care for country music)

albums that are conspicuously absent from end of year lists (???) probably because music critics are grudgebearing jerks and they're still mad the beatles broke up. 80 years ago. in 1942. weak tbh

yoko (ohhh my god. oh my god. that was a soundcloud reupload of a 2001 album. now it all makes sense. those literally ALWAYS get me i never expect an old album to be reposted with a wrong release date. well anyway stream yoko not getting enough)

honey dijon dj-kicks (she really nailed classic genre dj in multiple genres. i mean this and the disco jukebox museum exhibit. see also jamie xx album, where she guests)

kimbra idols & vices (this one also released one track at a time but i kept up!! 10/10 no-skip it's injustice that somebody i used to know is STILL appearing in frankly mid remixes on the dancefloor and nobody seems to be remotely aware she's been releasing a solid gold album every ~2yrs ever since)

logic1000 mother (obsessed. listened to it for ages. nobody else nailed house. i'm giving it "album of year that isn't tierra whack." it's so good i thought it was from 2023 and apparently so did every other reviewer because i am NOT seeing it on any lists. which is fraud, libel by omission, stock manipulation, miscarriage of justice, tax evasion, etc etc)

peggy gou i hear you (well i was listening to this all summer but nobody dropped it on the dancefloor until like last week! why are we on the reposting olafur eliasson exhibit photographs website not doing more for this album? do not go into the peggy gou tag unless you would like to see heterosexual pornbots and zero gifs of the music videos)

tinashe quantum baby (what the hell. what THE HELL. this HAS TO be on some end of year lists!! i've been saying "this is my song" every time nasty comes on at the bar because the bassline is easily identifiable from the patio through a brick wall. track of year. again, it is a billboard-charting indie release. oh it did make vulture honorable mentions nevermind you can drag and drop this one to the first category. i GUESS. should be on MORE lists)

flo milli fine ho stay (man come onnnnn. come ON. how does this have glowing pitchfork and rolling stone reviews and no end of year lists)

lola young this wasn't meant for you anyway (her debut was probably the most promising i've heard in a long time, maybe y'all will figure it out in time for her third album...?)

nelly furtado 7 (i think we as a society should have paid more attention to comendador furtado's return. it actually did make my most listened list on deezer but i kind of forgot about it sorry)

albums that are on EVERY end of year list and even got some #1s, which i listened to once and didn't really "get," apparently because i didn't take the time to dive into the lore and also it's 2hrs long

cindy lee diamond jubilee. also an indie release. if i posted my albums on my website instead of distributing to streaming would you guys show up for me like this? because i'm not saying i'm doing that but i'm also not saying i'm not doing that. to be honest it really depends on whether i can get the vampire roadtrip album to come across, i've been in the R&D phase for several months. do i have to use javascript to add a button that lets you give me money and is a download link, or can i just do an honor system paypal button with free downloads? does github pages allow you to host audio? if i start using javascript, how hard is it to add a pageview counter or an actual audio player? does anybody want to join a "musicians who built their own website no squarespace" webring? we may never find out!

albums i forgot about and did not get my memory jogged by looking at lists

???

albums that were not released this year that i listened to a lot this year

amber mark, aluna, 187, cabezadenego/mbe/leyblack, priya ragu, little simz, deee-lite, jill scott, chaka khan

[gemsofgreece]

Thats such a shame re: the Greek class community. I've been trying to do my best to learn greek for the last little bit, but methods for doing so are rather... limited? It's easier to learn basic Spanish here in the US, or Chinese because my partner's family speaks it, but there isn't enough of a Greek community or anything like that in the city/area I'm closest to, and any places that offer a Greek class (not a 1:1 tutor which is hella $$$, but an actual class with a few other students) are in person only and at least a 6 hour drive away :(

Re: apps, so many have started integrating AI to generate lessons that native speakers (of multiple languages!) Have called them out on having down right incorrect information.

I've got vocabulary lists and Greek radio stations, but they talk so fast that it's really just for immersion right now, there's no way I can follow any of it lol

All that to say, I (and I'm sure many others) appreciate your language posts, they've been super fun/interesting/helpful, so thank you for posting them (despite tumblr being... tumblr)

Thank you! I am really happy to know they actually help some people in their effort of learning Greek or deepening their understanding of it.

It might be perceived as sabotaging people's efforts or killing their motivation but I can't help but agree that the resources for Greek are limited and often of low quality. Nobody who is studying Greek should feel disheartened because they struggle with it, because the resources really are not that good and it is totally legit if not expected to have trouble learning due to it.

Also, I have been seeing "entertaining" educational content left and right and even that makes me... angry. I have seen Greek-learning content that has actual mistakes and I am not even a linguist, so they are glaring mistakes and it's unacceptable to see mistakes or limited knowledge in the content of the supposed teachers. So much of the content features unserious and pointless intervals for fun, focusing on funny expressions or hand gestures or malaka malaka malaka tzatziki malaka yassou souvlaki malaka and honestly this is not a befitting image for the Greek language (or any language for that matter). And even serious resources are chaotic for real. It can not be justified because Greek is easier than Chinese, if Chinese can be taught methodically and realistically, so can Greek. Half of the Greeks making educational content don't truly believe others will learn Greek other than to say a couple vacation phrases for fun. And malaka. *sigh*

If it makes you feel any better, if I weren't a native speaker I would not be able to learn Greek with the tools and apps I have seen around, except some basic with Duolingo. Duolingo is solid. I have checked some other apps and have hated them all but people learning Greek swear by Language Transfer. I didn't get the hype at all but maybe it's a me problem. Check Language Transfer if you haven't. It has recorded actual audio lessons of a Greek teacher with a foreign student and it was originally designed with the Greek language in mind. Maybe this one offers that depth of understanding I mentioned earlier and this is why people like it. I still found it a little chaotic tbh but most people say otherwise so give it a try if you haven't.

You said something that works like a trigger in me XD about Greek being spoken very fast and being unable to follow. I admit it's bold of me to say since I am a native speaker but honestly......... I don't think we speak THAT fast. I have seen this comment many times, people joking that Greeks speak like "atdkyfkaugsakikoakistakpidakoltesiki" so I decided to look into it and there was a study confirming that Spanish and Greek said on average the biggest number of syllables per time unit. However, I kept looking into it and I found what could be clearing things out and maybe it's a trick you can use (though of course I don't know your level in Greek):

The trick is that the difference of Greek (and Spanish) is that unlike many others, they are overwhelmingly open-syllabled languages and have MANY open syllabled endings. That confuses people from more closed-syllable lingual backgrounds because they sort of miss the beats in which the word or phrase is ending and they think the speaker pronounces a never ending word or sentence and they can't follow. Furthermore, despite the openness of the syllables Greek has strong and sometimes challenging consonant clusters (quite stronger than Spanish) and people from closed-syllable backgrounds tend to think this is where a word or phrase is supposed to end but this is never the case since Greek has usually open syllables and the words never end in a consonant cluster (just a sigma or a ni at most), so they kind of miss the flow of the language. To make this false perception worse, Greek has some seriously long words and due to the open syllables it makes people feel like a lot more things are said than what is actually said! And the unpredictable stress also perhaps confuses people with a first language that is usually stressed in the same spot within each word.

For example, imagine a Greek saying in a breath:

"o-si-ði-ro-ðro-mi-kós-stath-mós"

"wow hold on a bit now"

"what...? I just said 'the rail station'!"

You know? It's like German but with a lot of vowels which adds more and more length. I don't know if this hits any close to home, maybe the difficulty you encounter is different, but I figured I should mention this potential explanation just in case. If this hits close to home, then try to train yourself to expect the pauses and the endings of words and phrases only in a vowel or a ni or a sigma. And when you start listening to the radio, don't feel defeated but keep thinking "I am listening fewer words than I think" and "I am missing less stuff than I think".

By the way, by radio you mean classic radio or podcasts? Because there are some podcasts where the narration is a bit on the slower side (to my native ears at least). Check the podcasts of LIFO, such as Mikropragmata by Ares Dimokidis. Check in general podcasts with one single speaker (because in dialogues things get more animated and faster).

From youtube, if you like science, check channels like Καθημεριν�� Φυσική, Astronio, Greekonomics. Obviously the vocabulary is advanced in this context but I feel they speak medium to slow.

If you like Criminology, real crime stories etc, check out Vassilikou's channel, she speaks slowly and is thinking as she speaks so I think it's a good pace.

For some lightheartedness, trash tv references, celebrity news (Hollywood and Greek), LGBTQ+ representation (mild though, he doesn't really focus on sexuality topics), check Eponimos. He speaks slowly.

And as always, I keep recommending ERTFLIX, the entirely free and internationally available Greek state TV OTT platform which has lots of good content with Greek audio and foreign content with Greek subtitles. Available in all devices, apps, platforms etc

I know you weren't really asking for help but I thought that maybe these notes would make it easier for you idk

[p-cap-press]

INTERVIEW

Interview with the star of In the Loop and The Thick of It

Jan 13, 2010

Web Exclusive By Chris Tinkham

In the British film In the Loop, which is based on the television political satire The Thick of It, Scottish actor Peter Capaldi plays Malcolm Tucker, an intimidating, acid-tongued communications chief to the Prime Minister. The character is widely speculated to be based on Alastair Campbell, the controversial Director of Communications and Strategy for Tony Blair in the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003. In the film, directed by The Thick of It creator Armando Iannucci, a flaky government minister claims during a radio interview that war with the Middle East is “unforeseeable,” and Tucker runs rampant amid the crisis, cussing out various government types while trying to administer damage control.

In the Loop is out this week on DVD and Blu-ray. Peter Capaldi spoke to Under the Radar about the film when he was in Los Angeles in November. At the time, The Thick of It was in its third “series,” airing on BBC Two.

When you found out that you’d be reprising the role of Malcolm Tucker for In the Loop, was it important find some consistency with what you’d done on The Thick of It, or were you looking to bring new elements to the character?

I think it was inevitable, because the story was played out on a much larger canvas, that there would be new elements, due to the American involvement and due to the stature and gravity of that particular plotline. So Malcolm had to face people who were tougher than he was and who were at least his match. But in the TV show he’s the most powerful person in the room. So this time he was taken out of his depth and dropped into Washington. And that was very exciting because you think, “Well, we’ve got to find a new way to do this. We’ve got to see how he responds to this.” And that was challenging and very interesting.

What were rehearsals like for the film? Did you have a complete script by then?

Armando works in a very individual way. I did a number of readings on a number of variations of the script. I did about three table reads, and each time the script was about 400 pages long. And it was a really good script, and it wasn’t necessarily the movie that we ended up with or the story that we ended up with. It was in there somewhere, but eventually he settled on one story, and we began to pursue that. And how that works is, he develops a highly polished script and then asks us to improvise with all the writers present. And we all play the scenes but using our own words. And if we come up with anything that’s funny, then the writers will fold that into the new version of the script, which will be the shooting script. I’m talking about the movie here, but it also applies to the TV show.

By the time you get to shoot, you have this highly polished text. Armando works in a very unusual way in that there are no rehearsals. We just start shooting. And the camera people don’t know where we’re going to stand, where we’re going to go, because we don’t block for that. The rule is, the cameras have to follow the actor, which is contrary to the way things normally work. So, the sets are lit, you can go anywhere. If I choose to walk out the door, down the corridor, out into the street, the cameras have to come with me. So this gives a certain energy to the whole thing. And, in fact, at the end of the last season, Armando very kindly and rightfully thanked our two cameramen and referred to them as the invisible members of the cast, which is what they are. They’re the same guys that shot the film. They’re right in there with us.

One of the things that strikes me about your performance is how much motion is involved. I imagine that would have been difficult to rehearse anyway.

Yeah. No, we just go where it takes us. Obviously, if you were in the United Nations, then you have to know you’re going to come in that door and probably go out that door to give everybody a chance. But it’s an enormously liberating way of working. I’ve been acting over 25 years, and I rather stupidly thought I had accumulated a technique, which is based on doing years of episodic television, where they lay tracks and change the lens, and I hear them say, “I’m going to put on a 70mm lens,” and I think, “Oh, well I’ll give them a 70mm performance,” whatever that is. I thought I could modulate my performance according to the lens we had on and various other tricks of technique. But the way we shot the film, you just forget all that because the cameras are on long, barrel zoom lenses. So, they can be at the other end of the corridor, and you can be on a tight, tight close up. But you have no idea, so it just means you concentrate on the truth, the comedy, the energy.

How easily can you turn on and shut off Malcolm before and after you leave set?

Frighteningly easy, really. It’s my family I feel sorry for. They have to listen to me shouting and swearing in the kitchen when I’m practicing my lines. But I’m also very much in the zone, then. So when they can’t find the remote control for the TV, they may get an unfortunate earful from me. But they’re very patient. And also, because my daughter’s 17, I have no authority over her whatsoever if I hear any bad language from her, which is tough.

You mentioned not having rehearsals. Is that also true of your scene with James Gandolfini?

We did some workshops in New York with James and the rest of the American cast. So we sort of played that scene and similar scenes, but not written, in the sense that I’d be told, “James is playing the General and you’re playing Malcolm, and now you’re going to argue about this,” whatever this might be. And then we’d just argue. I’m a huge, huge fan of James, so it was quite terrifying going head-to-head with him. But I felt, “I mustn’t let my fanboy take over. I’m the keeper of Malcolm’s black heart. Let Malcolm take over,” which I did. But James, he’s sensational. I just think he’s brilliant, and was so kind. Although we didn’t rehearse, he’d do my lines with me, help me practice for other scenes. He’d read in the other characters. I think he was quite interested in the whole process. But what a wonderful actor and gracious man. He was a guy I thought, “That’s the way to do it. Be like him, if you can.”

Your characters trade some outrageous insults. Did you have any trouble reciting your dialogue without breaking into laughter?

No. It really doesn’t happen very much because I’m so in a zone that everything’s very serious. Malcolm rarely makes jokes. Oh no, that’s not true. He talks in jokes. He talks in gags. But no, and also because it’s James. He’s the real deal. You’re very aware of trying to do your best work with someone like him.

On YouTube, someone has edited together a highlight reel of Malcolm cursing throughout In the Loop. Do you ever have fans come up to you and give you Malcolm impressions?

No, not as yet. But what has started happening—The show has been going on the last four weeks in the UK, and it’s become very much bigger; it’s moved to BBC Two. So what happens now is people stop me in the street and ask me to tell them to fuck off. And sometimes I mean it, and sometimes I don’t. You should feel sorry for my mother, because she gets to come to the premiere of the movie with her son in it and sees him up on screen talking about lubricated horse cocks. I’m sure she wanted me to be Jimmy Stewart or something, but instead she’s got Malcolm Tucker. But you take what you can get, right?

Have you ever met Alastair Campbell?

Yeah.

Did he offer any opinions on your character?

He didn’t, but his partner said, “You’re exactly like him.” It was, I think, someone’s idea of a joke at an awards ceremony dinner to place me next to him. So it was only when I got to the dinner and sat down at the table and looked at the name card next to me that said Alastair Campbell, that my heart missed a beat.

Is it true that you were in a punk band with Craig Ferguson in Glasgow?

I was. I was on his show. I think it’s going out next week. So we hadn’t seen each other for years and years. But yeah, he was a drummer and I was a singer, and he introduced me on the show as being the only guest that he had actually dropped acid with. Is that the way I want to be introduced to America? I don’t know. But that’s what he did, and boy he wouldn’t let that go.

[lancrewizzard]

Please tell me you’re not a gaiman fan because it seems like you have issues with him and goddd me too

Okay this is a complicated question to answer and has got both more and less so in the last couple of weeks. Since there's still information coming out about the sexual assault allegations, I don't want to say too much now and then have to backtrack hugely, but even the very best case scenario makes his behaviour scummy as all hell. And I don't believe it will turn out to have been the best case scenario. So we'll just bundle the whole thing up with "yikes" and move on to things I've had a long enough time to think about and put proper thoughts around.

A month ago I'd have said that he seems like a decent bloke, but seems to have real trouble understanding experiences he can't relate to. The foreword to his short story collection Trigger Warning is a great example of this. He spent a while wittering on about his misgivings about trigger warnings as a concept, then remembered he knew someone with a severe phobia of tentacles and conceded that they had their place. He then proceeded to give a very dumb non-warning which completely failed to mention how something like one in three of the collected stories involved sexual violence. Great job Neil.

I already mentioned in the tags of that previous post my issues with his obvious lies to TV Omens fans who don't know any better. It's just annoying and stupid to lie about something that unimportant, unless it was actually an attempt to get disillusioned Book Omens fans back on side (in which case, wow that failed spectacularly).

And now I realise that everything else is about specific works of his, so I've stuck it under a cut if you don't want to see me bitch about Good Omens adaptational changes changes for the umpteenth time or go on a short heartfelt ramble about what was almost a perfectly crafted short story.

I'll be blunt, I only saw S1 of Good Omens, and while I enjoyed it, it was an incompetent adaptation. The fucking radio play managed to tell the same story with greater faithfulness and more elegance without a 3rd person narrator (and had the brilliant idea of having the opening and closing credits performed by Agnes Nutter's voice actress). Compare and contrast the show making God the 3rd person narrator and exposition dump, and how that changes the whole story from a humanist tale where people are all people and whose choices matter, where God's grand plan night not even exist, to a story where everything implicitly or explicitly is going to God's plan under God's watchful eye.

And I will never comprehend how Gaiman successfully argued to have a whole set built to film Agnes Nutter's death, but then said that for practical reasons they couldn't have Crowley revive the dove. The angel accidentally killed a dove and the demon intentionally revived it! It's so thematically important! Neil why are you like this? Do you understand your own works or was Pterry the only one of you who put actual thought into things' meanings?! HOW DO YOU FUCK THIS UP NEIL? I UNDERSTOOD ITS IMPORTANCE WHEN I WAS 15 NEIL!

Ahem. Moving on.

Neverwhere is the most recent Gaiman book I've read and it's a good showcase of all the issues I have with his writing. The protagonists are dragged along by the plot, they're Special TM by birth or fate, not by the choices they make. The world they inhabit is wonderful, detailed, and vibrant, but I found that far more interesting than the protagonists inhabiting it. We got a random rape backstory for a girl whose main role was to die so the male protagonist feels bad. The way Gaiman described every female character bar one in terms of their attractiveness made me unsure if it was him or the protagonist who was weird about women (although I guess I have the answer to that now). Funny how Gaiman didn't shy away from things and people smelling bad right up until a hot woman who had been fighting, running, and falling over in a swamp apparently smelled not of sweat and stagnant water, but "musk". Really normal, that. There were wonderful descriptions and great moments, but after that first SA moment I couldn't relax and enjoy the ride because I was always on edge waiting for the next time Neil felt the need to be Like That.

Then there's my beloved, hated The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains. It's almost the perfect neat fairy-fable where every little detail is paid off later. It's a story of grief and vengeance and greed. It's about the price of fairy magic. And it has a pointless scene stuck in of marital rape. It has no purpose. It does nothing for the pacing or themes or characters. It never comes up again. I hate it.

Stuff can be horny or harrowing or both, I don't care, but Gaiman just drops SA into things for no clear reason as a generic Bad Thing Happen, Make Tone Dark. It's distasteful and inelegant. It cheapens the rest of the writing by its presence.

The simple truth is that Neil Gaiman seems to have a near pathological urge to shove sexual violence into places it has no need or right to be. It's disgusting but sadly not shocking that this apparently includes his personal life.

[bi-bard-reviews]

Movie Review - Abigail [2024]

Abigail is a horror film that was released on April 19th, 2024. It was directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who are more commonly known as Radio Silence. They have been behind many great modern horror projects, such as Ready or Not. The writers of this film were Stephen Shields and Guy Busick.

I have been looking forward to seeing this movie since I first saw the trailer. With a small ensemble cast of actors I adore and a singular main setting, this film had everything it needed to be one of my favorites.

There was plenty to love about this movie. I already mentioned the setting. Every time a single-location movie takes place in a big old-money mansion, I am hooked. It allows for so many different little elements and pathways through different areas. It allows for some amazing variety to something that could be incredibly boring. Another element I loved was the sound design. I don't know why I needed to listen to Frank (Dan Stevens) vomit for a minute straight, but at least it sounded good.

Throughout the film there is an impressive talent for balancing comedy and tension. Sammy (Kathryn Newton) and Peter (Kevin Durand) both carry this dynamic for most of the film with a number of background conversations. I also want to note Peter saying Wrinkles instead of Rickles (William Catlett) as another great example of this. This balance is exemplified by some lines during different fight scenes, such as Joey's (Melissa Barrera) "I'm doing my best, Abigail" and Frank saying something along the lines of "Holy fuck, she's fucking flying!" There were multiple moments where I had to just pause for a second while I giggled.

That balance was really just a smaller highlight of how great the chemistry was between characters and how well their personalities were defined. Even early on, each character was distinct. This is detrimental when looking at a film with a small cast.

The gore and effects were absolutely brilliant throughout the film. To my knowledge, most- if not all- of them were almost completely practical. It was so impressive that I was almost getting angry about it. I wish I could name one standout scene, but there really wasn't one. It was all so well done.

I also want to highlight the performance of Alisha Weir. While everyone in the cast was incredibly talented, Weir's performance had so many elements and nuances to it that it needs to be talked about. She does a nearly perfect job at portraying this calculated hunter. Abigail isn't some mindlessly hungry girl; she likes the chase. It's like the most intense version of the most dangerous game. I loved it. The dance sequences throughout the movie are an example of that. Her dancing with Dean's (Angus Cloud) body and using Sammy as a puppet to do that dance in the middle of the movie just showed how much fun she has when she's doing this. Weir was an absolute star at playing this character and I genuinely cannot wait to see what she does in the future.

Now, while there were many elements that I loved, that does not mean that this movie is without flaws. On a smaller scale, I don't see the value in the appearance of Abigail's father. I understand what the goal with the scene was, but there simply not enough for me to emotionally connect to feel like that goal was fulfilled. Which was a shame because it was the last scene of the movie. On a much larger scale, I don't love that the twist was so heavily advertised before the movie's release. The characters don't find out what Abigail is until almost halfway through the movie. This feels a bit dragged out considering most of the audience likely knew from the moment that they pressed play.

Overall, I found Abigail to be a very funny and chaotic film filled to the brim with amazing gore and really well-done characters. The shortcomings of the film have little impact on the overall quality of the film. If you are a fan of Radio Silence's other projects like Ready or Not or other horror-comedy movies like Bodies Bodies Bodies, then this movie may very well be right up your alley.

[that-sarcastic-writer]

Upon a second watch of the trap and analyzing it from a psychological perspective (not taking into account the silly direction and at times nonsensical plot holes and character choices) and not a horny perspective, I think it’s so facilitating. Gonna leave my in depth thoughts below.

I think it’s fascinating how cooper just bullshited his way through the entirety of the concert. He didn’t know what the fuck was happening but he adapted to his surroundings and manipulated every single person he encountered in such a clever and cold way. He smiled in people’s faces as he listened to the police radio, he sneaked into a swat meeting and was even like “wow! You guys are huge!” (Which like lol no baby YOU are with your 6’3 mf ass). And his switch of body language as soon as he stepped out. He just seemed to know exactly what to say and what to do, and if it didn’t work, he thought of something else. I also want to note I find amusing that he almost thought of it as a game, in typical sociopath fashion (which yes ik is an outdated term but saying APD seems a little too clinical for my horny blog), he kinda enjoyed the chase and was even making faces at the description of himself (he also laughed at lady raven when she was like “you’re such a good boy”). He was very unbothered and collected up until he realized his perfect life was ruined, that the perfect image his family had of him was gone (the two lives mixed). Which is very on par with his antisocial personality traits.

Though I will acknowledge the fact that man actually was being dumb asf going back to the house knowing Rachel was the one that ratted him out (yes ig he didn’t know for sure but he suspected it, and let’s be real, he’s smart enough to piece it together without Rachel telling him verbatim). Unless maybe he wanted to get caught? It just seemed like very impulsive thing to do, which doesn’t seem on character for his more cold and calculating personality. His survival was the most important to him (other than his perfect dad of the year and upstanding member of society persona) and I don’t think it made sense for him to go back to the house and top of that eat something from Rachel when he suspected her, but then again maybe he wanted to get caught (or this is just bad character choice).

I also think it was incredibly dumb on his part to straight up tell lady raven he was the butcher. When this happened my expectation was that he’d kill her before she told everyone? I mean I can see why logically that’d be complicated but I expected a better outcome. It didn’t sit right with me that suddenly the focus was shifted to her and in the process they made him panic and make impulsive decisions (i.e run after her and pound on the bathroom door in front of his family, try to kidnap her instead). For someone who was shown to be incredibly smart and calculating and was described to never panic, this seemed like a very rash choice. Like what did you think was going to happen? But this movie does have character flaws and plot issues so I can’t be too critical.

Going back to the positives, another thing I found fascinating is once again his ability to manipulate every situation to his favor. Realistically speaking, in no sane world would a bunch of swat officers allow a suspected serial killer to grab something, they’d be dragging him to the van. But they allowed him to fix the bike. And the reason why I think Cooper knew this would work was because he already knew they knew he had OCD, so they knew if he had a “compulsion” he had to do it or else he would potentially lash out or get violent (this is typical when a compulsion can’t be accomplished there is a lot of anxiety that may lead to aggressive behavior or some type of breakdown). The thing was, this wasn’t a compulsion. He didn’t need to fix the bike. But the cops didn’t know this. Hence why (in my in movie understanding, regardless of logic) he was able to get the metal thing. But what’s funny about this is that you can see it in his face as he’s undoing the cuffs he’s like ooh and he laughs. I think cause he realized that he actually got away with that, that he manipulated everyone to his advantage once again, even when he was supposed to be “under control” and “subjected”. Even in cuffs he manages to be in control of the situation by coming up with ways to manipulate people to benefit his survival.

And I think that’s wonderful. I often enjoy seeing sociopaths actually be sociopaths (from a scientific standpoint as a psychology major) Like the level of manipulation and calculating cleverness (Dexter is my biggest example of this). Regardless if this movie is good or bad (I think it’s alright but it does fall apart after the concert), I think Josh (my hubby) did a fantastic job with what he was given. His mannerisms and facial expressions were so on point you could tell when he was being himself and when he was putting on the act. It was fantastic.

Anyway Josh I love you and everything you do, you’re so perfect you made this nonsensical silly movie enjoyable <3

[cryssyd]

A Love Beyond Hell

Good Day Everyone:) I hope it is a good one. This is my first fan fiction for Hazbin Hotel.

It is an adaption to "Always and Forever" by ChaoticDoll (MadamMimic505) at Quotev.com.

Pairings: Alastor x Reader (Julia), Female

Summary: Romance was a funny thing. Something, not many people had the pleasure of having it or finding. When Julia hit the age of twenty, she had never thought of being swept off her feet by a charming radio host. She had always thought love at first sight had been a silly thing. Surely something as doubtful as that couldn't exist, right? Her and Alastor had courted (dated), loved, and married. But as we know, happiness often felt fleeting in the world, her husband, Alastor, was killed. About a year later near the date of his death's anniversary, strange occurrences begin to happen around his widow's house. It all started with his beloved radio. "Remember when I said until death do us part? Well, I lied. I'll never part from you darling."

Warnings: 18+ Content, Established Relationship, Violence, Death, Graphic Details, Pregnancy and Birth, Smut, Minors DNI

Chapter 1

Romance was a funny thing. Something, not many people had the pleasure of having it or finding. When Julia hit the age of twenty, she had never thought of being swept off her feet by a charming radio host. She had always thought love at first sight had been a silly thing. Surely something as doubtful as that couldn't exist, right? Oh, how wrong she was. Her family had moved to New Orleans in search of new opportunities, the kind she could never have found back in her small hometown. Her father had gotten a very good-paying factory job, while her mother owned her very own boutique, where she would sell beautiful gowns to the townspeople. Her mother said that she didn't have to work if she didn't want to. But Julia craved an excuse to leave the house, to break free from the shell of her shyness. She had been homeschooled, an only child, and had spent far too much time cooped up in her room. Her passion for music and the arts was her only outlet, rough drawings in a leather-backed sketchbook that captured her dreams. She thought she wasn't pretty, but her mother always reassured her that she was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. Julia was modest, and her mother of course would say such a thing. But deep down, a spark of hope ignited in her heart. Maybe, just maybe, romance was a funny thing that could happen to her after all.

Julia never really had any gentlemen callers. Sadly, she had always shied away from men usually. She would never think she would be good enough. Even if she did feel envy a few times from seeing just how happy her mother and father were.  She had found a job in the newspaper as a secretary for the local Radio Station. She happily took it and walked to the two-story building in hopes of getting the job. Thinking, it would help her come out of her shell and be more of a people person. A pretty, petite woman greeted her with a warm smile on her first day, and she was kind and friendly to her. She had led her to the new boss’s office. He was dressed impeccably, a bright red blazer with a crisp white undershirt with his sleeves rolled up neatly. His blazer was buttoned up perfectly, with a sleek black bow tie that matched his sleek slacks. And polished wing-tipped shoes. Alastor was surely something else. Julia had never in her lifetime seen a man as attractive as him. She was a nervous wreck the whole interview with him, and he remained calm with a dazzling pearly white grin. Finding her and her nervousness utterly adorable. He had never seen such a woman as Julia, he was used to women falling head over heels for him, and trying to seduce him to get the job. All of which he had turned down every time, but she had fallen for his charm as well. Julia didn't try to jump him in ten seconds, however.

She was dressed modestly, her cheeks rosy thanks to him. He rested his head on the backs of his hands as she was interested more in the job than him. Which he found, oddly charming. Needless to say, Julia had gotten the job in a heartbeat. He was charming as the devil. He knew just the right things to say just to make her heart flutter even more the more and more time she'd spend with him. As his secretary, she would answer his calls for him, and go over the scripts he had for his broadcasts. Looking for any mistakes, when there were hardly any. He had very nice handwriting, which made her a little jealous as her penmanship wasn't exactly the greatest. Her s's looked like lowercase g's.

Julia's heart would flutter as Alastor played his swing tunes. Sometimes she couldn't resist tapping her heel to the infectious rhythm. She made a point to arrive at work early, just so she could see his smile when he walked in. And oh, that smile - it made her feel like she was floating on a cloud. She could tell he felt the same way, his eyes following her around the room. Each time Alastor drove her home, her mother would give her a knowing wink. It was clear - Julia had fallen head over heels for the gentleman with the golden touch on the radio.

"Oh, I know that look!" she would always say, giving him a playful nudge. "You're up to something, aren't you?"His mother said the same thing, teasing him to no end. She was the first woman to catch his eye, after all, and she loved hearing about her. She was proud of him. The two of them only grew closer as time went by. Until he had shown up at her home with a bundle of red roses in his hand, she was pleasantly surprised, and immediately pulled him into a hug accepting the flowers, and his affection. Her parents loved him. Her father didn’t care for anyone else usually, but Alastor was polite to him and her mother, showing that he had nothing but good intentions for her. He wasn’t just some shmuck on the street looking for a quick lay, he was far from it. As for his mother, well she more than happily welcomed Julia with open arms. She adored her instantly! When she had told her, she had been the first girl he brought home she was surprised.

“Oh, you must be Julia!” Alastor's mother exclaimed, enveloping her in a warm hug. “It's so wonderful to finally meet you. Alastor has told us so much about you.” From that moment, Alastor knew he had found his one true love. They kept their relationship secret, sharing private moments away from work. But there were hints - love songs on the radio, whispers in the hallway. On special nights out, Alastor spoilt his belle, taking her to the finest places New Orleans had to offer. At the Christmas party, he finally made their love public. With a proud smile, he introduced his radiant Julia to the rest of the office. Blushing, she hid her face in his shoulder, a soft laugh escaping her lips.

“There is no need for you to be so modest, darling!” Alastor had said.That spring, Alastor surprised Julia with a beautiful engagement ring. It was pure gold, with a ruby in the center of it. Julia burst out in happy tears, eagerly pulling him into a hug and covering his face in many kisses. The both of them laughed before he returned the embrace. Once she turned twenty-four, she happily married Alastor. The dance the newlyweds shared with family members all around was the happiest day of her life. Just being in the arms of the man she loved was enough to keep her satisfied, and she smiled more with him around. Alastor's mother would often tease them about having grandchildren, which made Julia blush and try to change the subject.

"Mother, please," Alastor sighed, wrapping an arm around Julia to comfort her. If it's in God's plan, they may one day have children together - and if not, she was completely content with that too. He truly is an incredible lover, always cherishing her and making sure she feels appreciated. He adores her, showing immense care and consideration as he guides their intimacy. It's almost surprising that she was his first, as he handles everything with such confidence and skill.

Nestled within the Louisiana backwoods, not too far from New Orleans but far enough that it was still considered the countryside, stood a lovely two-story cabin that exuded the charm of a hunter's lodge yet was modest enough for a family home. It had been Alastor's mother who had played a crucial role in helping the newlyweds find this wonderful abode. The house occupied a fantastic piece of property that bordered hunting grounds, surrounded by sprawling wooded areas and thriving with diverse wildlife. Truly, a haven in nature's embrace!

Loving the country air, the smell of moss and scents of pine and cypress, and the way the birds sang each morning was far better than the honking of cars and city noise. She had even placed some bird feeders in the grassy yard to attract some of the birds. Julia would stand on the front porch in a wrap-around with a warm cup of hot chocolate in her hands staring out into the woods with a pleasant smile. Alastor would wrap his arms around her waist, resting his chin on top of her head, to not hit his head on the wind chimes, she had. She would stand there with his warmth around her, just watching the wildlife carry on with their day. Rabbits would search around and snack on the carrots and other vegetables she had thrown out for them, as would the deer. It was their little slice of heaven.

She had always had a soft spot for deer. The way she adored the graceful fawns with their cute spotted coats and the majestic bucks with their impressive antlers was truly heartwarming. Despite knowing that Alastor was a hunter, she trusted his promise never to harm the wildlife that frequented their home to graze. But as we know, happiness often felt fleeting in her world.

When Julia had said goodbye to Alastor for the day. She had no idea that it would be the last time she would see him. She had been asleep when it had happened. She was getting comfortable on the bed, wrapped in the warm comforter that smelled of Alastor, which smelled slightly metallic and like expensive cologne. When she was suddenly woken up by the loud crack of a gunshot, nearby. She nearly fell out of the bed in shock, her heart thundering in her chest at the sudden crack. She knew there were some hunting grounds near their home, but gunshots had never sounded that close before. She quickly grabbed her handgun from the nightstand and a flashlight.

She hoped, feverishly praying to a higher power that Alastor hadn’t been caught in the crosshairs. She wandered through the woods near their home, justifying all manner of what ifs or scenarios that could have resulted in the gunshot, and not any possibilities invoking her husband. As she neared the suspected area in which she had judged where the sound had come from, Julia was shocked and horrified by the scene in front of her. Alastor was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

In the dying embers of twilight, Julia found herself surrounded by a chilling tableau. A vicious pack of dogs circled her husband's lifeless form, their snarls and growls echoing in the still night air. The man who had once been her rock, her partner, the love of her life, lay sprawled and mutilated, his tan skin slick with blood. The bullet wound in his forehead had robbed him of his sight, and the savage mauling of his limbs had reduced him to a twisted, broken shell of a man.

Julia's heart shattered into a million pieces as she knelt beside him, her hands trembling as they cradled his blood-soaked head. His chestnut eyes, once so full of life and warmth, now stared back at her, devoid of any hint of consciousness or emotion. They were empty orbs, soulless and haunting. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the blood on his ruined blazer, as she whispered his name, a prayer for the dead.

With trembling hands, she aimed the revolver at the man, her mind clouded by grief and rage. Her heart pounded like a drum as she aimed the weapon, her vision blurred by hot tears. Her finger tightened on the trigger, and with a deafening roar, the bullet tore through the air, shattering the oppressive silence. And the man was shot in the leg by her.

As the police descended on the scene, their flashing lights painting the scene in harsh, unnatural hues, Julia stood frozen, her mind reeling. The man who had murdered her husband was whisked away, his guilt etched in every line of his face. The lifeless body of her beloved was loaded onto a gurney, his shattered form wrapped in cold, sterile linen. She clutched at the broken glasses, the only tangible remnants of Alastor, as the world spun around her.

In the days and weeks that followed, Julia's world crumbled. The vibrant colours seemed to bleed from her vision, leaving her surrounded by a monotonous grey. She stopped smiling, her laughter turned to hollow sobs, and she retreated into herself, finding solace in the empty silence of her home. The pack of deer that had once brought her joy now served only as a stark reminder of the life she had lost.

On the anniversary of his death, something strange began to happen. The old radio in the living room would crackle to life, its static hiss filling the silence. Julia would find herself humming along to the melancholy tunes, the notes a balm to her shattered soul. It was as if Alastor's spirit had found a way to reach out to her, to let her know he was still with her, still watching over her.

¯Put your head on my shoulder, hold me in your arms baby. Squeeze me oh so tight, show me that you love me too¯

¯Put your lips next to mine dear, won’t you kiss me once? Baby just a kiss goodnight. Maybe, you and I

will fall in love¯

¯People say, that loves a game. a game you just. can’t win. But if there’s a way, I’ll find it someday. ¯

¯Put your head on my shoulder, whisper in my ear, baby. words I want to hear. Tell me, tell me that you love me too. ¯

In the quiet solitude of her home, Julia would find herself swaying to the music, her body moving in time with the rhythm. The familiar melodies would carry her back to happier times, to the memories of their shared laughter and love. And in those moments, she would allow herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, a part of Alastor still lived on, woven into the very fabric of the world around her.

As the hauntingly beautiful notes of their song drifted to a close, Julia's gaze fell upon the old radio resting on the dusty shelf. Her heart pounded in her chest, a fluttering echo of the melody that had filled the room. This wasn't just any radio - it was a cherished relic from a bygone era, its warm wood grain glowing in the soft lamplight. It was a symbol of the love and connection that had once thrived within these walls, a tangible reminder of the life they had shared.

Alastor had been the one to bring the radio into their home, his hands expertly dismantling and rebuilding its antique mechanism with love and precision that bordered on obsession. He would spend hours poring over its intricate parts, his brow furrowed in concentration before finally coaxing it back to life with a spark of electricity. And when it played, oh how it played! The old radio would fill their home with a symphony of melodies, each notes a testament to the enduring strength of their bond.

As Julia approached the radio, her fingers trembled with a mixture of awe and trepidation. It wasn't plugged in, yet the haunting strains of their song had filled the room. How was this possible? Was it a ghostly echo from the past, or something more? As her mind swirled with possibilities, she reached out a tentative hand, her fingers tracing the smooth wood surface.

With a gentle touch, she turned the dial, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. She expected static, or perhaps silence, but instead, the radio burst into a cacophony of crackling and popping. Yet amidst the chaos, a familiar melody began to emerge, notes weaving together in a hauntingly beautiful pattern.

Julia's eyes widened as realization dawned - this wasn't just any radio; it was a conduit for the unseen, a vessel for the echoes of their shared past. With trembling hands, she carefully examined the device, her mind racing. Had Alastor left some hidden mechanism that allowed it to function beyond the ordinary? Or was this something...other?

As her fingers traced the familiar contours of the radio, Julia felt a strange warmth emanating from the device. It wasn't hot, exactly, but rather a tingling sensation that prickled her skin. With each passing moment, the radio seemed to hum with a life of its own, the static taking on a rhythmic quality.

"My love," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the music, "I've been here with you all along. Even in death, I cannot leave you. This radio...it's not just a machine, my dear. It's a part of us, an echo of the love we shared." Tears streamed down Julia's face as she reached out to the old radio. The music swelled to a crescendo, the notes intertwining with her sobs as she clung to the apparition of the man she had lost.

"Forever and always, my love," she whispered back, her voice choked with emotion. "Forever and always."

Next: Chapter 2

[palomahasenteredthechat]

I KNOW WE KEEP BRINGING UP TOM HIDDLESTON AND I'M SORRY! But at the risk of giving myself away, I have been saying since the beginning that Joseph's breakout into fame mirrored Tom's in a big way! I made a few posts about it back when the fans were being insane in late 2022. I was there in 2012 when Tom first rose to overnight fame and I stayed for about 3 years before fully moving on. Just before the T.S fiasco thank goodness. The point of saying this is that in the beginning when I was seeing Joe do all these interviews and saying whatever he wanted without really thinking and making inappropriate jokes I was reminded of how Tom used to be and I wondered if the similarities in their journey's would continue in the coming years. I wondered, would we see this version of Joseph that we started seeing in the media tour for AQPDO. Because I used to wake up in the mornings and read Tom Hiddleston's twitter like the morning paper. The man was SO funny and he posted ALL THE TIME. But about 6 months in, after someone found his old Myspace (showing my age there) and posted a bunch of photos from his 20s and screenshotted all the silly things he said as a young man, he hired a publicist and that just stopped. Not like, slowly dwindled. Like went from posting several thoughts he had 10 times a day since like 2006 to radio silence. Only ever posting to plug his new things . He went from giving titbits about his life and making jokes in interviews (He sang a very inappropriate part of a Tim Minchin song in an acceptance speech after Tim gave him an award for example😂) to strictly professional and very private. His Publicist at the time (Luke Windsor) was always watching to the point that it became a fandom joke because he was just THERE all the time in the background of photos, giving looks off to the side of interviews etc. It was pretty clear that he was getting absolutely reamed behind the scenes for saying things he shouldn't and posting things on socials that they didn't approve of. Don't get me wrong, Luke was seemingly lovely and the fandom enjoyed his presence but he was GOOD AT HIS JOB which meant that while Tom lost a lot of fans that "missed 2012 Tom" and wanted him back, he was taken way more seriously in a professional setting and ultimately it was great for his career. This is what's happening to Joseph. The parallel of 2012 to 2014 Tom Hiddleston to 2022 - 2024 Joseph Quinn is so extremely interesting to me, I could go on about it forever but I won't force you all to listen. The point of the message is to say that Tom never did go back to "who he was" or at the very least his public persona changed completely and we never did get "The Old Tom" back. Even if he may have still been that person behind closed doors, we never saw him again. So I'm sorry to say, for anyone hoping that Joe will magically reverse his image and behaviour after the DC thing ends or if he changes publicists that that is not likely to happen, especially now that he's signed with Marvel. So I encourage you all to do your best to digest that info. Sit with it for a bit and decide if you want to be a fan of or follow "The New Joe" because unfortunately, he's here to stay. :(

Fascinating, fascinating stuff Nonny. I also remember Tom's 'I am incredibly excited' tweets.

I have to believe these publicists do what they do not only to professionalize the actor's brand/career prospects but also to help the actor manage fame. If you are constantly giving up a part of yourself to everyone it can consume you. Only giving the 'persona' is probably a shield.

Thank you for writing!

[synthshenanigans]

woah hey a year has been passed wowie :0

First two weren't posted here cos they were too long ago & not CJish related but love the way he took up 70% of the year lol

[ Full images + templates below :} ]

[TW for Bright Colors, maybe blood & very very vague themes of depression/suicide for like 2 drawings I believe]

Long text about the arts if anyones actually curious!!

January: An old OC I completely forgot about until making this. He's based on old radio like things :}

February: Played Person 5 Royal last year & drew Joker cos idk he's neat. Fun fact, the same day I fully finished the game was the day Storm & a Spring came out. Also while grinding in the game, I had his Bidding & VoaC covers on repeat. Which was a bit annoying to do since they weren't on Spotify yet & YT on mobile didn't have looping then.

March: The Hawaii Part ii album cover :} I did post that eventually but that's the time I actually made it. Had listened to TME a couple of months before then which got me into the album, so months later I drew it cos why not? [Also the month Vol.1 fully released on everything. What's funny is my gallery for that day was a handful of memes I saved at 4am before I fell asleep. And then the next image saved is when I woke up which was a screenshot of the whiteboard in TfaR lol]

April: First main Jash art !!! And its not even with any of the songs from Vol. 1 lol. I had his Moss cover on repeat again & now that all of Vol. 1 was out, I drew Heart in some moss. Or really in the image from the video.

May: Lil animation I made of Heart with the song Don't Hit the Lights! Link to my post & the song can be found here :}. Still really like the song & even the drawings. Might remake em eventually idk

June: Sky/socialc1imb's Clue AU! I like murder mysteries & this one was real interesting so I drew it a lot lol. Might remake that one or one of the others I made at somepoint? It'll be a bit later if I do but ye

July: A redraw of a HMS piece I originally made back in May, based on the Three Wise Monkeys thing. I like the idea of it so I keep wanting to remake it.

August: I honestly can't remember if I posted that art or not. Actually yea I don't think I ever did PFFT. It's one of the few drawings I did of myself this year & its from CJs Not Perfect cover [as you can tell by the lyrics on it]. Also one of the very very few vent-ish arts I made. I like the background more than anything but its still neat ig?

September: Art for one of the best songs ever. I love Fine, I'm Fine its so good & I listened to it for like 70% of the 20+ hours it took me to make the drawing. Still proud of it so there's the sketch I drew on paper, the one on my tablet & then the final versions.

October: There was a lot from this month due to Jashtober. I still like this one lot & it wasn't insanely rushed so I picked this one to show lol.

November: I have no idea why I made a fun lil soul. I was having an identity crisis over my art style & ig decided to draw the guy who is a walking identity crisis/j

December: Same as September. One of my favorite songs ever was covered & released, so I made a drawing like everyone else lol.

[grazinginthefield]

Most of the reviews and reactions I've seen said that they did not foresee the story to go in a direction they were expecting for. It was the same case for me. I went into the book by pure recommendation, and did not check what it was about.

I thought it was really just about the problem, that alien life form would be portrayed strictly as a microorganism, and that the character's emotional journey would be about his deceased crews. And I'm so happy to be clueless about it.

(Spoilers!)

I found it so refreshing that the human-alien encounter was amicable, at the same time, it doesn't feel like it's far from reality. Maybe because it's also not an "alien invasion" story, but it could have gone to aliens-shooting-lasers-in-outerspace. Or that was just me getting scared it would go that way.

Now, Rocky is my favorite alien, and I couldn't emphasize enough how much I adore the Ryland-Rocky friendship. There was the scene where I unexpectedly bursted into tears. I even surprised myself. It was the built up and hoping nothing happens to Rocky, and all of a sudden the scene was all laid out, and I was an emotional wreck.

On their first encounter and learning about each other's species, I realized Ryland was the perfect person to talk to an alien. He is a schoolteacher with a scientific background, so he knows how to communicate and educate in a basic way, or in layman's terms. I was warned though, that as I go on reading, I'll learn something about him that would make him seem unfit. Coming to that part of the book, I did judge him for reacting that way. I had to stop there and get some sleep. Funny thing was, when I woke up, the first thing I thought of was "It's not fair to think of him as a coward when he was only given 5 hours to decide." In fact, his reaction was very appropriate considering factors like knowing all the intricacies of the mission, being there from the beginning, and had the assurance that he won't have to leave Earth and die. And all of sudden, it was just splurted out on him. I would have done the same, even though that would be the last thing I do on this planet.

Then the ending, which was also a mystery to me. I couldn't predict where it was going. When I was talking about it with my partner and he asked me what ending do I want, I said I want them to go home, save their respective planets, and find a way to have instant communication, because I didn't think I could take it if one of them dies. I think the only thing I was sure of is that their planets would be saved. Then again, the actual ending was waaaaay better than the ending I wanted. It was the best for Ryland too to go with Rocky in Erid as he seems to have no one else back on Earth. And I just found it super cool that they saved both planets. Rocky did save Earth by saving Ryland, right? You can just tell how pure and selfless he is as the first thing he said was save Earth.

Also was laughing and slapping my knees reading this book. The humor is so good, along with the banters.

"Sample device radio signal strong," Rocky says. "Getting closer. Be ready."

"I'm ready."

"Be very ready."

"I am very ready. Be calm."

"Am calm. You be calm."

"No you be cal---wait. I see the sampler!"

That was just so funny and adorable. Amaze amaze amaze!

Another interesting part for me, that I just want to put here quickly, is the discussion they have about both being there at the same time and place. Because they're right, if they're more intelligent beings than they are, they would have already found a solution, and if less intelligent, then they're probably dealing it with it in a much slower pace. I just love how that was discussed in the book.

[malimothreads64]

🌊Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare🌊

Genre: Classic Comedy

Series Status: Standalone

To start, in my mind, I'm not classing this as a "review" as such. More, just a casual discussion of my enjoyment. While you may argue those two things are the same - shut up! I will not be seen, my alleged porn addicted smut reader self, criticising The Bard!

This was fun. I've only very recently gotten into Shakespeare since in the past I had been very prejudiced towards classic literature. I struggle with how they're written and find them very dry. Which, while still true, I can use audiobooks to help with such matters! The first I started with was last year with Macbeth. I was reading in preparation for Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid before finding out she apparently changed Lady Macbeth's nationality and in that spends the entire book being xenophobic towards Scottish people that's never challenged. The only "good/non-savage" one in her eyes was Macbeth himself, but he was only half Scottish.. so. I quite enjoyed the original story, though, and my friend likes Shakespeare, which led me to this.

I originally took out Twelfth Night from the library on her recommendation because it's one of her personal favourites from those she's read/seen. Though, before actually reading this, we watched the proshot of the 2011 production of Much Ado About Nothing staring David Tennant and Cathrine Tate, and oh my god! If you haven't seen it, please do your self the favour and go to the Digital Theatre wesbite and rent it.

No joke. You will not regret it!

So with that, I was a lot more excited starting this! I was also reading this using the BBC Radio Dramatised reading to follow along with. They switch around some scene and character's lines, and some things are cut for brevity, but it's full cast and sound production. So, imo besides just fully watching a performance, it's the best way to read along with the script.

So now we're past preface; the play. It's funny, but I actually found this quite similar in ways to Much Ado. Even said to my friend with David Tennant being a part of the BBC cast, that it's a weird coincidence that he's played 2 different Shakespeare character's that are tricked into thinking someone is in love with them. With that, though, I don't think this is as funny as Much Ado. Which I think is where my 4 star rating comes from. I really like the story, and it was entertaining, but I definitely think I need to watch a full production to get a true feel for it. I now have high standards, and a script reading just isn't the same quality or fair to compare.

One thing that does need to be said, though, is Sebastian is a bit desperate. Getting married after only spending an afternoon with the wench?! Get some standards! Least Viola had the decency to pine over her man for 3 months.