#around the year spring reading challenge 2022

[childofsquidward]

Books I Read In 2022 (and by read I mean actually liked)

Flora the Dress-Up Fairy (Special Edition Fairies #6) by Daisy Meadows

“Should we knock on the door?”

⭐⭐(2.5 STARS)

Little things that I noticed and felt the need to share:

BERTRAM. Just, Bertram the frog footman in all his glory.

Flora's magic is so freaking cool! I think it's awesome that both her costume and her special items are constantly changing. It makes sense that the fairy in charge of costumes and events related to costumes would be extra af and apply that to her powers too.

I absolutely LOVE that the girls dressed up as angels rather than fairies, because that's what you'd expect, but then they didn't do that and 7-year-old me would've definitely been like WHOA.

The consequence of the missing mask being that the guests were literally turning into what they were dressed as was actually a really awesome idea! Flora also looked adorable as a witch.

I also think that turning the girls' cardboard harps into real harps is one of the coolest presents that Kirsty and Rachel have ever received.

[drivingsideways]

2024 Watch List: Movie Edition

After what feels like a decade of not really watching any movies, I had a good movie year- 70 films, which is a little over a movie per week, mostly because I stuck to watching or rewatching older films. Went through most of Wong Kar Wai's filmography, which always leaves me dreamy and slightly perplexed and also a bit annoyed (complimentary); going bonkers over Interview with the Vampire S2 made me fall into French New Wave for a time- a longing to revisit Paris struck me enough to do something about renewing my passport- though naturally, it didn't improve my bank balance enough to think about actually visiting. Anyway, tbh, I was quite surprised that Hiroshima Mon Amour and Masculin Feminin, among others, are really all that. Sixty years later, Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall (2023) would have been my pick for best film at the Oscars- it made me want to return to watching movies in theatre.

Returned to the mothership (UK) via Merchant-Ivory productions and old British tv - Howard's End (1992) which I probably watched for the first time too early in my life, knocked me down and then took me out back and shot me in the head this time around. Maurice (1987) was everything Luca Guadagnino films aren't (y'all were just really flat out lying about Challengers being good); Heat & Dust (1983) made me a little angry, and also pushed me into reading A Passage to India (1924).

Closer home, Kim Jee-woon's weird and wonderful brain gave me Cobweb (2023), which was odd, stylish, darkly funny, and just an incredibly good film to watch some of Korea's top actors doing their thing (and some unexpected things- Jung Woo Sung's cameo, for example). Speaking of the new father (*sniggers meanly*) , I finally got to watch Kim Sung-su's era-defining "youth" film Beat (1997) and John Lee's A Moment to Remember (2004), two films that have defined Jung's career- loved the former, despite the bleak ending, and about half of the latter; it was at its best when it was being unselfconsciously horny- the sharp left into melo territory left me unmoved. It's crazy to me that it's Jung Woo-sung who keeps getting asked to re enact the "If you drink this, we're dating" dialogue for like twenty years, when that scene- and the movie- really belong to the luminous Son Ye jin. Shout out also to director Kim Sung-su's 12:12 The Day/ Seoul Spring(2023), a fictional retelling of the 1979 coup by Chun Doo-hwan which was oddly prescient about Events (TM) of December 2024 to the point where I actually said aloud- wait, I just saw this in a movie.

Hirokazu Kore-eda's Monster (2023) is a perfect film, 10/10 no notes; and I wept buckets watching Shoplifters (2018), but found Airdoll (2009) a bit icky, despite a bravura performance from the great Bae Doona. Andrew Haigh's All of Us Strangers (2023) was another film that had me crying- and it didn't surprise me later to find out that it was based on a Japanese novel by Taichi Yamada. There's just something about how Asian storytelling uses the supernatural that is easily identifiable, even when situated in a different culture.

Moonstruck (1987) turned out to be the rom com of the year for me- just PERFECT, god, imagine Hollywood used to know how to make romances????

Malayalam cinema continues to be the only Indian cinema worth watching (I said what I said): Kaathal: The Core (2023) and Thallumaala (2022) are very different films thematically and stylistically, and give you some idea of the range of what's on offer there, while the bigger Hindi/Telugu cinema industries continue to churn out headache inducing, morally and artistically bankrupt mega-hits. They're not the only ones, of course- why on earth does Emerald Fennell get to make movies, y'all? Saltburn (2023) was trash. Poor Things (2023) was even worse, if that were possible. And yet, I'm told we're going to get treated to MORE of the same. Love yourselves, guys, please.

I'm not sure what I'm looking forward to movie-wise next year, but I do hope to continue rediscovering the joy of cinema. Anyway, what've you all been watching this year? Tell me in the notes/ link me to your posts!

[ayearwithoutwater]

Twenty-one.

As spring melted into summer in 2022, New York State Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou announced her candidacy for the freshly-redistricted NY-10, New York's 10th congressional district. NY-10's reshaped borders broadly overlapped with those of New York's 65th State Assembly district, encompassing Manhattan's Chinatown. When Yuh-Line announced that she would vacate her State Assembly seat to campaign for NY-10, she set off a chain of events that resulted in my first official foray into politics.

At the time, I was a resident of both aforementioned districts, but politics were a tangential matter to me—not because I didn't care, but because I was in the midst of the worst breakup of my life. I still kept up with the news to stay informed, but I was busy spending my days wallowing in misery.

Like many other Millennials, my own interest in politics was activated by the 2016 Presidential campaign run by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Prior to that, I was a straightforward Democratic Party voter with little insight into the true machinations of American politics; Bernie's campaign, steadfastly focused on everyday people's material needs, switched on a light in my brain. So, by the time 2022 rolled around, I had spent years reading both theory and jargon alike to form my own political compass, and I already knew who I would support to replace Yuh-Line.

For the past decade, American politics has largely been defined by the demagoguery of President Trump as well as the abject ineffectiveness of the Democratic Party in opposition. But, the purpose of a system is what it does, and it's not lost on me that the Democratic Party is currently the perfect vehicle for funneling donations and taxpayer dollars into the wallets of a craven consultant class and achieving nothing else, best exemplified by Vice President Kamala Harris blowing through a campaign war chest of one billion dollars only to deliver for her party its worst defeat in modern history. Shamelessly, not even one full week later, her campaign has already sent emails and text messages begging for more donations from the millions of people that remain on its listserv, which it's shopping around to interested telemarketers because the campaign also finished the election twenty million dollars in debt. To say that the Democratic Party is in shambles would, however, be an overstatement—that would imply that their intended goal is to win elections. Clearly, it isn't. It's just an unfortunate coincidence that the rest of us are collateral damage.

To remedy the cancer that is the Democratic Party, two schools of thought have emerged. One advocates for a complete break with the Democrats to establish a new third party. Another argues for an incremental takeover of the existing Party by electing, year after year, "better" politicians running on that party line. I myself don't care to generalize; I think reality has demonstrated that a case-by-case basis is necessary in determining the proper path forward.

The 2022 Democratic primary election to fill Yuh-Line's shoes was one such case. As the outgoing Assemblymember, she declined to endorse a successor candidate, thereby allowing that election to be as open a primary as it could feasibly be. Two candidates of consequence threw their proverbial hats into the ring: Grace Lee and Illapa Sairitupac. Grace, endorsed by real estate and business interests, campaigned as the centrist candidate. She'd previously challenged Yuh-Line in 2018 and lost. Illapa, meanwhile, was a relative unknown who was the candidate fielded by New York City's Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) chapter. Between the two, even in my depressed state of mind, it was a no-brainer for me to plan to vote for Illapa. What did surprise me, however, was meeting him on my doorstep.

I was in the midst of bemoaning my love life to a visiting friend in my apartment when I heard a knock on my door. Not expecting anyone, I was confused about who it could be, but I was pleasantly shocked to see that it was Illapa; evidently, he had no qualms canvassing the district himself. I told him that he's already got my vote and not to feel like he has to spend any of his valuable time convincing me, in response to which he very graciously invited me to canvass with him. I declined, explaining that I didn't feel up to talking to people because I was going through a separation and expecting him to leave me to my wallowing, but he kindly stood there and listened, attentively, to my grand romantic drama. As a social worker by trade, he told me that he's seen this sort of matter all the time, and I was impressed by his seemingly genuine interest and compassion. By the time he finally moved on to another voter, he might have told me to have hope (in a brighter future or outcome), I don't remember, but regardless of whether or not he factually did, I did.

Days later, I saw online that his campaign sought Chinese speakers to help the campaign with reaching Chinatown voters. Remembering the kindness he'd shown me, I decided to respond; I had nothing better to do with my time, anyways. Within twenty-four hours, I had a volunteer from his campaign reaching out to me, and I was invited to attend one of their canvassing kick-offs. That time, I accepted.

Although I'd never before canvassed for anything or anyone, my first shift was everything I expected. I was paired with two experienced volunteers, and together the three of us took to door-knocking block by block across Chinatown. We traipsed up and down apartment complex stairs, the two of them leading conversations with anyone that answered their door so that I could learn the ropes. One group of elderly Fujianese residents invited us into their home for tea, during which we get to know them and share with them our personal phone numbers in case they need help with anything, particularly because their English skills are essentially nonexistent. Determined to be useful, I gradually progressed to interacting with potential voters myself, explaining why I believed Illapa to be the best candidate for the position.

Between apartments, I explained to my partners my motivations for joining the campaign: I was depressed from my breakup and needed to get myself out of my rut, and I was already sympathetic to DSA's politics anyways. We spent the final half-hour of my very first shift chatting with a former investment banker, who schooled us on revolving debt and photographed the three of us—I’m wary of how my photo will be used, but I didn't decline quickly enough.

Back at the campaign office for our official debrief with the rest of the team and a barbecue dinner, I ran into Illapa himself, who remembered me and my heartbreak. He reminded me to stay strong because my ex-boyfriend wasn't worth all the unhappiness and introduced me to the rest of his compatriots, remarking to them that we'd come full circle from him canvassing me to me canvassing for him. I joked that I intended to vote for Grace; he playfully snarked back at me.

My subsequent canvassing shifts were similar. Paired with other bilingual volunteers, I came to get to know them, and after every shift we ended up hanging out together, whether in a park or the campaign office or a local restaurant. With every new friend I made, I felt my heart heal. We recommended books to each other and made plans to watch obscure films together, and above all we were steadfast in our belief that a better society was achievable.

When all the votes for that primary election were tallied, the result was a resounding defeat. Our campaign was outspent. Still, that didn't impede the more stubborn members of our group from their organizer impulses. We spent the following months in brainstorming sessions, taking a leaf from DSA's book to figure out how to make the best use of our ragtag collective, united by our language capabilities and commitment to material change. We had people from every industry, we were residents from all over New York City, and we rationalized that we, a group of around thirty individuals, had power together.

For the next couple of years, we ran concurrent projects staffed according to skill sets and interest. Some of us taught free English classes in Chinese neighborhoods, while others provided housing support and unionized renters. When conservatives set drag queen storytelling events as the target of their ire, I organized Chinese translations for pamphlets and flyers explaining why such protests were, at best, misguided. Above all, our efforts were guided by the same logic that once inspired the Black Panthers: providing communities with material support and mutual aid is the best preventative measure against reactionary politics.

When my friends despair to me about the results of the 2024 general election, I advise them to not get lost in feeling powerless. Not only is it unhelpful, wallowing is also utterly stagnant—I would know, because I've also been there. Politics is not an inscrutable puzzle; people want to be heard, and building community preempts division. My love life, however, is a different beast altogether.

[thetoxicgamer]

An LCS veteran has role swapped to support, joins NA amateur team

Joshua "Dardoch" Hartnett, a seasoned North American League of Legends player, has changed positions for the upcoming 2023 Summer Split after almost ten years as the team's starting jungler. The 25-year-old will be heading down to the bottom lane to become the starting support for Mirage Alliance, an amateur League team that recently participated in the 2023 NACL Spring Qualifiers, the org announced last night. He will be joining a roster filled with various other former LCS talents, including former Immortals top laner Kieran “Allorim” Logue and former TSM and Team Dignitas AD carry Toàn “Neo” Trần. https://twitter.com/MirageAlliance/status/1666148628384055305 Dardoch has always been one of the biggest “what-if” stories in League, especially after showing incredible promise during his rookie year with Team Liquid in 2016. Considered to be one of the best rising stars of the region, the talented prospect could never find a long-lasting home after his opening year, bouncing between nine teams across the LCS, including Immortals, CLG, Echo Fox, TSM, and Team Dignitas. One of the biggest issues that teams constantly ran into when working with Dardoch was his critical attitude toward teammates, especially when they were losing. This was documented in Liquid’s own Breaking Point documentary, where he could be seen voicing his opinion about his teammates, his head coach, and even other members of staff. Dardoch has bounced around the amateur scene since leaving Immortals’ Academy roster in 2022 and was even rumored to join a European team after signing with a U.K.-based agency. This will be the first time he’s trying his hand at the support position, though. With plenty of experience from his years as a top jungler, he should be a perfect candidate to help lead the team. In fact, Mirage Alliance might have one of the stronger rosters in the amateur scene with three former LCS players on the lineup. But they will need to build chemistry if they wish to make the arduous climb up to the Challengers League, where they can garner more eyes on their talent from major organizations moving forward. Read the full article

[the-active-news]

MHA Season 7 Release Date: Time to Start Counting Down

Anime lovers, listen up! My Hero Academia, one of the longest-running and most popular anime programs ever, is finally returning for a seventh season. The epic saga of Izuku Midoriya, a youthful hero-in-training, continues as he takes on new obstacles and fights off evil foes. The anticipation of this new season's premiere has been great among viewers, and its arrival is finally just around the corner. Put the dates on your calendars, and get ready to dive back into the thrilling world of MHA—season 7 promises to be filled with exciting new adventures and intense emotional journeys.

MHA Season 7 Release Date

There is a possibility that the seventh season of My Hero Academia will air during the Spring 2024 anime season, as per the reports by sportskeeda.com. Even though there are still 55 chapters that have not been animated, the production company may only require 15 more to finish the seventh season. The fact that TOHO animation's announcement trailer for My Hero Academia season 7 features footage from the previous season suggests that development for the new season is still in its early stages. Season five of My Hero Academia aired from March to September 2021. Eventually, from October 2022 to March 2023, the sixth season of studio BONES debuted. Since Season 6 premiered less than a year after Season 5 concluded, Season 7 may follow a similar release schedule. Unfortunately, it appears to be challenging to do so right now. Over 70 chapters of the manga were converted into the 25 episodes of season 6 of My Hero Academia.

The problem is that studio bone lacks enough manga chapters to animate another 25-episode season. Studio BONES can produce a single cour season or wait for more manga material to become available.

Spoilers About the Upcoming Seventh Season

We no longer know when the popular anime adaptation of My Hero Academia will return now that it has caught up with the manga's publication schedule. Typically, the show's seasons have premiered around a year following the conclusion of the previous season. For instance, the fifth season concluded in September 2021, while the sixth season premiered in October 2022. My Hero Academia season seven will probably premiere in the spring of 2024 if previous seasons are any indication. Those following My Hero Academia closely won't want to miss the series' exciting conclusion. What happens now that All For One, the show's main antagonist, has escaped prison and amassed an army of evildoers thanks to the story arcs established and resolved in season six? Here are some links that will take you to more information about certain times of the year. - Blue Lock Season 2 Release Date: Is it Coming Out in 2023? - Hulu Great Expectations Release Date: the Moment We Have Been Waiting for Curious viewers can get a sneak peek at what's to come in the ongoing, original manga. Beware, though; there will be major spoilers ahead. The seventh season of My Hero Academia will probably pick off just where the sixth one left off, with the arrival of the American hero known as "Star and Stripe." If the film stays true to the manga, we'll see her fight against All For One and the aftermath of her crushing defeat. Don't miss out on the exciting new season of My Hero Academia. This is all our information regarding the release date of MHA Season 7. Stay in touch with us through theactivenes.com so that you can obtain further information. Read the full article

[the---hermit]

03|03|2022

I finally started writing my paper for the philosophy of science class I am working on. I have been exausted these days, I found out I'll probably won't be able to graduate in July as I was planning, but I'll have to wait to either Spetember or November (I honestly cannot remember the potential graduation dates after the end of summer, because guess what ? I planned on being done before, but apparently not). So a lot has been going on in my head in the past days. On the bright side I am still finding time to practice Irish on duolingo, and to read, so not everything sucks.

tranquil's study challenge 2022 // Day Sixteen: Go on a walk and take some pictures of what you see! Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from studying to go out in nature.

I really want to start going on my morning walks again, but these past few days have been really cold, and I've been really busy with uni work. So in alternative I added a picture of last years walks. I am hopeful to be soon able to start with this habit again cause I really miss it, and it's super therapeutic.

March productivity challenge // 3rd March: If you could make your own garden (consider that it is self-tending, and has the perfect environment for the plants you'd choose) how would you plan it out? styles, locations, fauna you'd plant, furniture? Just talk about your dream garden.

Dream garden? This is THE question for me, so hold on cause it's going to be a long one. I'll start off by saying that I am pretty happy with my own garden, but here I'll go full on dream mode. So, in a dream world I will live even closer to the woods than I already do, so I won't count big trees in my garden. But I'd love to have some elder trees around, because I adore elderflower jam. Anyway I would divide my dream garden in three main areas, one for vegetables, one for herbs, and then one for flowers. I want to a very specific area for planting vegetables that are in season, but there's not much to say other than I would try to place everything in a very tidy manner, to make it easy to walk around and work or gather things. I would then like to have all my herbs close to each other, but not necessarily in a specific area. What I mean is that I don't mind the idea of having them around a more open space in which I can just chill in the grass and read a book. Same thing with flowers I would place them according to whatever the plant needs, of course, and then purely on personal aesthetic. As in for the kind of plants as I said I want as many herbs as I can get (basically what I am trying to do with my own real garden), so that I can use them to cook and make herbal teas. I don't really have huge preferences on flowers so I think I'd plant anything that I see and I feel drawn to, I'd like to have some roses though, because I'd really like to make rose syrups and jams. Additionally I'd also love to have a small part of the garden to plan berries in, with this I am in fact manifesting the fact that I really want to get a raspberry plant this year. Also since we are talking about dream gardens I would sell my soul to have some hedgehogs living in my garden, because a. they are absolutely adorable and b. they eat slugs, which have often been a problem in my own garden. I would go on, but it's probably wiser to just stop cause I already wrote a lot, can you tell I am excited for spring? Anyway thanks for the question, cause thinking about gardens make me real happy.

[chayscribbles]

chayscribbles’ monthly writing update ☆ december 2022

posting this one a little early as i'll be posting my writing year in review post on the 31st!

☆ STATISTICS.

words written: 11 936

projects worked on: Andromeda Rogue; The Gemini Heist (or, The WIP Formerly Known As "Secret Space WIP")

proudest accomplishment: idk i feel like this has been one of my best writing months in a while. i just feel it in my heart of hearts

books read: Discordia by Kristyn Merbeth

☆ GENERAL COMMENTS.

so i've been pretty MIA these past few weeks :/ i just started a new full time job which is quite physical and while i am enjoying it immensely, i'm usually tired at the end of the day to come on writeblr.

BUT somehow i've still been finding time to write! lots of fun things are happening in the chaynematic universe.

i've also been drawing quite a bit too! i'm really challenging myself to draw out of my comfort zone (which really just means drawing backgrounds that are more than a shape or a gradient, welp). currently working on a piece for my new wip which is... taking way longer than i would like 😅

reading comments: Discordia (which is the final book in this space opera trilogy i've been reading over the last few months) was good, not great, and the ending felt a little anticlimatic, but i can understand why it ended the way it did. a solid 4/5 stars because i still had a good time. anyways if you like Chay Stories, i recommend this trilogy! it's far from perfect and a little rough around the edge but it's still fun and enjoyable and hits all the right elements i personally love! (sibling drama in space! funky alien tech! bisexuals, plural!!!!!)

more specific wip-related comments + featured excerpt below.

☆ COMMENTS: ANDROMEDA ROGUE (draft 2)

i tend to work on this one when i don't have the brainpower to think too much, as a lot of it is just polishing or expanding on things that are already written.

i did add some new scenes that i hope will add more meat to the story. one is a phone call Azami witnesses between her father and some other politician, which is meant to add some political backdrop to the conflict between the planets. the other is a scene where Azami tries to run away before being placed on the expedition, but gets caught by her brother Ansel, as i wanted Azami to be more active in trying to shape her fate from the very get-go, and also give her and Ansel more scenes together. i haven't quite finished the latter one yet though because i haven't had the braincells to write any completely new scenes for this wip lately.

i also really reworked an exposition-heavy chapter where Petra gets the rundown of the expedition, and the scene right before they leave when they're given a tour of the ship to make it less clunky, sprinkling description of the ship into the team's actions as they get settled in instead of throwing a big wall of description at you.

so as of now a good chunk of act 1 is already rewritten!

however i do think in the second half of the month the steam for AR (which was all momentum from finishing AR3) has cooled down a bit and my mind has shifted elsewhere. which brings me to my next section...

☆ COMMENTS: THE GEMINI HEIST (outlining / draft... 0.5?)

in case you missed it: i have a new wip !!! (technically it's not new because i've been secretly working on it sporadically since spring, but it's new to most of you.) i'm having a ball writing about these awful gay women doing crime in space!!! i really missed that New WIP High haha. i feel like a kid in a sandbox.

i realized partway through the first act that the way i was writing AR wouldn't work for GH. because it's a heist i'll have to plan thigns more than i did with AR... but having a too-detailed outline feels too restricting. so instead i'm attempting to fast draft this thing so i can get a fuller picture of where i'm going, but still be able to plants this draft which seems to be the way that works best for me. (probably because you can't spell plantsing without plants.)

except that i'm really bad at not getting caught up in details while drafting, especially when writing dialogue-- these guys always end up talking and talking way more than i intend lmao. so i'm calling this more of a draft 0.5, where some parts will be more detailed but others will... not. i've pretty much skipped all description or non-essential worldbuilding. that's a problem for Future Chay.

☆ FEATURED EXCERPT.

this is from gemini heist chapter 4, where Leo is trying to convince Illiana to help them, and Euna and Gabi are... not exactly helping.

Illiana’s chest tightened. She took a deep breath. “How do I even know I can trust you? You’re a criminal, aren’t you? Why wouldn’t you take the money and leave once I’ve given you what you want?”

Leo leaned back in her chair. “I’m an honest criminal, Heir,” she began.

The shorter, chubbier of the two minions spoke for the first time, muttering under her breath, “I’m pretty sure ‘honest criminal’ is an oxymoron, actually.”

The taller, muscular one reached over and gave the short one a little smack on the arm. “I don’t think the Captain appreciates you calling her a moron, Gabi,” she scolded.

Leo’s overall expression didn’t change, but Illiana didn’t miss the exasperation briefly flashing through her eyes.

Leo, to Euna and Gabi: i have total faith in you guys

Leo, to herself: there's like a 30% chance they both die

☆ TAGLISTS. let me know if you want to be added/removed to any of them.

general taglist:

@nicola-writes @dgwriteblr @the-orangeauthor @retrogayyde @quilloftheclouds @ashen-crest @writeblrfantasy @celestepens @stardustspiral @pepperdee @extra-magichours @avi-why @lefttigerobservation @chazzawrites @bardolatrycore @innocentlymacabre

andromeda taglist:

@bebewrites @nicola-writes @dgwriteblr @the-orangeauthor @retrogayyde @akindofmagictoo @quilloftheclouds @nora-theteawriter @ashen-crest @corpsepng @writeblrfantasy @chaylattes @toboldlywrite @celestepens @stardustspiral @pepperdee @cheerfulmelancholies @extra-magichours @writeouswriter @cilly-the-writer @lefttigerobservation @rose-bookblood @drowsy-quill @chazzawrites @cynic-and-chief @enchanted-lightning-aes @aesa

gemini heist taglist:

@florraisons @akindofmagictoo @cream-and-tea @nicola-writes @memento-morri-writes @antique-symbolism @rose-bookblood @afoolandathief @pepperdee @avi-why @zonnemaagd @chazzawrites @analogued @enchanted-lightning-aes @innocentlymacabre @kahvilahuhut @celestepens @cilly-the-writer

[tranquilstudy]

Hi again! It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these and I’ve missed talking with you guys on a more collective level. So, here’s another studyblr challenge so that I can feel like I’m virtually hanging out with all of you!

Rules and Information:

This challenge will last for 29 days, and while they can be answered at any time I wanted to start the challenge on June 16th, 2022. That would mean it would end on July 14th, 2022, or 29 days from the start date.

I want to track the tag “#tranquilsummerbuddies” since this is taking place during the summer! That way I can reblog your guys’s posts and track what everyone is up to.

Don’t feel any pressure to start exactly on that date or post every day, however. I usually post catch-up posts instead of posting every day, but it’s really up to you. It’s meant to be fun so do whatever will make it more fun for you!

I’ll make a tag list that will be posted separately. If you reblog this I usually take that as you showing interest and I’ll add you to the tag list. However, if you want to be added or removed from the tag list you can always send me an ask!

If you have any questions, send me an ask!

Questions are under the cut!

So, usually I do a daily question that stays the same throughout the challenge. You can answer it every day, or you don’t have to. My lab likes to share one thing that they’re grateful for every day, so I think that will be my daily question!

Today, I am grateful for __________.

Question Prompts:

Day One: A brief introduction of yourself! Where are you at in life at the start of this challenge? How are you feeling? Are you happy with the way your life is right now? What do you hope to gain from doing this challenge? They say that starting is the hardest part. Do you find starting this challenge difficult? (You don’t have to answer all these questions, just a couple to get you started haha)

Day Two: It’s pride month! How do you identify, gender-wise and sexuality-wise, if you’re comfortable sharing? Do you do anything for pride?

Day Three: Do you have any tips for people sending professional emails or communicating with professors or teachers online? Do you prefer sending emails to people or talking with them in person?

Day Four:  List five things that make you happy.

Day Five: Who is your all-time favourite teacher or professor and why?

Day Six: What have been some things that have changed for you this month? Are they big things, little things? How do you feel about these changes? How do you feel about change in general?

Day Seven:  Share your to-do list for today! Do you often make to-do lists? Do you find they help you?

Day Eight:  What would you say to people that are stuck in difficult or toxic relationship, be it friendships, romantic relationships or relationships with family?

Day Nine:  What do you do when you’re sad? What makes you feel better during difficult or trying times?

Day Ten: Are you writing any papers / doing thesis work / journaling / general writing right now? If so, share what you’ve been working on! If not, share a picture of your favourite set of notes you’ve written.

Day Eleven:  What are your biggest fears? What tips would you give someone trying to overcome their fears?

Day Twelve:  What reminds you of home? Share some pictures that you’ve taken around your city (or your favourite public place or coffee shop to study or read in in your city).

Day Thirteen:  What happens when you come across a concept that you just can’t wrap your head around in your studies? What tips do you have to make difficult concepts easier to grasp?

Day Fourteen:  Have you ever done a productivity challenge? Were you successful?

Day Fifteen:  Share pictures of your pets, if you have any! If you don’t, do you want any pets?

Day Sixteen:  Show is your study space! What’s your favourite part about this space?

Day Seventeen:  Spring is in the air this time of year! Share some photos of nature and tell us your favourite types of plants and flowers!

Day Eighteen: Are you planning on taking any trips or vacations soon? Show some pictures of your last vacation!

Day Nineteen:  What big achievements have you accomplished today?

Day Twenty:  Share something that you’re proud of or something you think is worth celebrating in your life.

Day Twenty-One:  What was the last book or textbook you purchased?

Day Twenty-Two:  What are three things you want right now?

Day Twenty-Three:  Halloween isn’t that far away, you know. Have you read or watched any of the classic horror books or movies? What are your favourites or least favourites if you have?

Day Twenty-Four:  What gives you hope? What makes you feel alive?

Day Twenty-Five:  What books are you currently reading, if any? How are you liking them? What books would you recommend your followers to read?

Day Twenty-Six:  What makes you nostalgic? Share some of your favourite memories from your childhood!

Day Twenty-Seven:  Take some pictures studying outside in the sun!

Day Twenty-Eight:  What time do you usually go to bed? Do you have a bedtime or night routine? If so, share it with us! If not, what helps you get to sleep faster?

Day Twenty-Nine: The end of the challenge! How are you feeling now that the challenge is finished? Have you made any friends during the challenge or made any new connections? Thank you for joining in on this adventure with me!

___________

Thank you everyone! See you on June 16th!

[childofsquidward]

Books I Read In 2022 (and by read I mean actually liked)

Emma the Easter Fairy (Special Edition Fairies #17) by Daisy Meadows

“Fairies can sense when magic is near.”

⭐⭐⭐ (3.5 STARS)

I think this is one of my favourite Rainbow Magic books so far! I know that there are different authors for every book, but I didn't realize that applied to the illustrations as well. The art in this book looks very different compared to the art in all the other books I've read. Regardless, I think that Emma's design is the cutest, just look at her rain boots! Speaking of Emma, I truly love everything about her. I think it was a really cool idea to have her items be created every year for Easter rather than just existing - Emma paints three Easter eggs with different designs that her pet chicken has to lay and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this idea. Also, not only do the girls have to find the items, but they also have to find the Easter Bunny, which is different and interesting and probably exciting for the kids reading these books because they're just used to these girls always having three items to find. Also, I didn't expect Emma to be able to communicate with animals through songs, but the Cinderella of it all was something I was super into, more power to her. One other thing that I appreciated about this book was that they added something new, at least as far as I know, to the fairy lore by saying that fairies can actually sense magic, because it makes sense. 'Goblin Gossamer' was also new to me and I like that they're doing something new with goblins because of course they have pet spiders weaving GREEN webs to catch fairies. I also think that this book feels like an Easter/Spring book because you have all these flowers and colours being mentioned throughout the book, so it had that vibe that I think it needed to have.

[scorchieart]

Honor Roll - Chapter 2

Honor Roll - Chapter 2 | AO3

Chapter List: 1 2(here!) 3 4 5

Characters: Jin Grandet, Nokto Klein

Rating: G (no warnings)

Word Count: 2,013

A/N: Wow, this chapter has been stuck in the editing void for 2 months now, it's just insane how life eats up the days like little snacks.

Idk if it's too late now, but this is technically a continuation of the first chapter which was part of @atelier-maroron's 2022 Spring Bouquet Content Creator Challenge, so also technically a continuation of that prompt as well.

Will Jin make it back to the kitchen in time for the picnic? Will Nokto tell us why he's lurking around in the library? Will I ever finish this saga before next Spring? Tune in next time on... whatever this is 🙃

************************************************************************

Jin couldn’t recall the last time he ran through the palace halls. He figured it would have been to chase down one of his brothers, but it had been years since he last played tag. He remembered how the youngest ones would complain about how he would catch them too quickly, pointing out that his legs were much longer than theirs, but their shrieks of protest would quickly turn to ones of delight the moment he lifted them onto his back and shuttled across the grounds. He let the memory linger a while in his mind as he caught his breath by the library entrance; he truly did not want to be the cause of any of his brothers’ dismay ever again.

His determination slightly faltered however the moment he pushed through the massive oaken doors and gazed upon the dozens of stacks towering before him. Hundreds of books loomed overhead of varying sizes and thicknesses, and Jin’s spine gave several sharp pops as he swiveled his head taking it all in. He rubbed the back of his neck, set the basket on a desk near the windows, and glanced at the grandfather clock mounted at the apex of the room. 

9:28 . If the rolls needed an hour to prepare like Belle claimed, that meant he had just over an hour and a half to find the book, read up to the passage about the Forest King, and make it back to the kitchen. Mentally kicking himself for not asking Belle where the book was stored, he resigned to scanning the shelves that contained the fiction novels and hoped he’d stumble upon it soon.

The first half hour passed with no luck, and panic started to settle in Jin’s mind as his finger brushed over the final covers of the fiction stacks. Belle said the book would be here, and there was only one person in the entire kingdom he trusted more with the library catalog. The titles did all start to muddle together after the first couple hundred, was it possible he passed over it without noticing? No, if there was one thing Jin was confident in, it was his eagle eyesight.

Well… that and his ability in charming women, but it seemed both were failing him today.

Perhaps the fiction section was larger than he thought? The grandfather clock began its head of the hour ringing as he raised his head and gave a quick pass of the shelves he just searched, then backed up slowly, one step per chime, adding more and more rows to view. 

4… 5… 6… His lips silently moved as he counted until his back bumped into something soft and he toppled over.

“Arggh!” groaned a voice under him.

Jin scrambled onto his knees and turned to find Nokto lying on the floor beneath him, bug-eyed and grabbing his stomach while he coughed and hissed in between clenched teeth. He had fallen directly onto his sword, and it looked like the hilt jammed uncomfortably into his abdomen.

The clock completed its tenth chime just as Jin walked Nokto over to the nearest table and sat him down. Nokto hugged his gut, bent over, and coughed profusely while Jin awkwardly patted his back and quick-fired apologies. 

When Nokto could finally speak, he wheezed, “Was going to tell you — cough — you hid your naughty magazines over on the back shelf. Figured your memory was finally starting to fail you — cough — old man.”

Jin ceased his patting and frowned. “Do you really think that’s the only reason I’d come to the library?” he asked.

“Isn’t it though?” Nokto rested his arm on the back of his chair and lifted himself to meet Jin’s eyes with a challenge. “Of course, I’ll bet you’re telling everyone who passes by that you’re reading up on economics or something, like a good prince.”

Jin took a seat and knitted his fingers together. He considered himself to be on fairly good terms with Nokto; the boy rarely interfered with his day-to-day proceedings and he could always count on Nokto to lighten the mood with some witty banter. However, it was common knowledge throughout the palace that Nokto’s favorite bantering victim was Yves, and Jin figured it would be best not to privy the fox to his true purpose.

“Secrets and lies… my-oh-my, I do so love a good game of fox and mouse.” Peering down from atop the jumble of twisted oak branches, the wounded fox shakes his lustrous tail side-to-side hypnotically, as though casting a spell on the adventurer. The dense thicket behind him growls with concealed dread and alluring mystique, though its riddles pale in comparison to the danger in the fox’s twinkling eyes at the sight of the adventurer’s unease. “Do try to keep me entertained longer than the last one.” 

“Is it so hard to believe that I’ve found a new hobby in reading?” said Jin airily, catching a glimpse of the clock overhead to avoid the look of suspicion growing on Nokto’s face. 

10:02. He wondered if he could convince Nokto to help him search for the book. “In fact, I was just in the middle of searching for my next great caper. Belle recommended this one to me, One Step Back, Two Springs Forward . Maybe you’ve heard of it?”

But Jin received his answer the instant he saw the look of discontent enveloping Nokto’s face. 

“Ugh, not you too. It’s all the noblewomen have been talking about since Valentine’s. It’s all forests and magic and friendship with them, can’t even mention the word ‘Spring’ without one crying all over you.” Nokto rested his head on one hand and turned his gaze towards the window as if the mere sight of the books repulsed him. “I tell you, the season’s just started, but Summer can’t come soon enough!”

“So you’ve read it then?” Jin asked hopefully.

“No, and I’ll thank you never to make such an atrocious suggestion again,” tutted Nokto. His eyes steered to the basket at the edge of the table and he lazily reached over to it with his free hand. “And even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t find it here.”

“Why not?” 

Nokto pulled the basket towards himself and narrowed his eyes at Jin. “It’s not exactly what I’d call your brand of literature. Why do you want to read it so badly? ” he asked.

Despite his injury, the fox gracefully leaps down from his perch onto the prickly forest floor without so much as a totter, and advances towards the adventurer.

Jin felt his palms start to grow sweaty. “I hear it’s full of desserts and I wanted to see if Yves would make me some.”

“That so? Looks to me like you’ve got enough here to last you a while.” Nokto lifted the lid and peered inside hungrily. “Maybe I could give you a hint as to where it is… for the right price.” 

Jin hesitated as he watched Nokto pick a roll out of the basket and examine it admiringly. Surely Nokto would recognize Yves’s handiwork the instant he bit into the pastry, and surely he would  waste no time in tattling to Sariel or the other princes.

Jin’s gaze dipped to Nokto’s other arm, still clutched protectively around his midsection. He could stop Nokto easily if he wanted to in this state, it would take little more than a grab and a shove…. No, the guilt of hurting him already rattled so madly in his mind he couldn’t even continue that thought.

“Of course,” the fox continues, his beady eyes never wavering from their target, “the law of the forest dictates I am entitled to fair compensation. An eye for an eye, after all. So what shall I take from you?”

Jin closed his eyes and sent an apology to Leon and Belle; they were no doubt out there busting their guts trying to fix a substitute up in time. He prepped another apology for Yves; maybe if these signals reached him they’ll temper the blow when Jin delivers the truth in person. Finally, he gave a silent prayer for all the future delicacies he would be denied when a devilish idea popped in his head.

“If the right price is one cinnamon roll, then you’ve got a deal,” said Jin, leaning back in his chair and smirking. 

Nokto gave him a wary look, but bit into the pastry with gusto.

“As I thought, this is Evie’s work, which means you've been lying to me, old man .” Nokto took extra care to enunciate the last words as he finished off the roll and licked his fingers. “Now the question remains, why were you hiding in the library after plundering our poor brother’s toils when you were explicitly told it was forbidden?

Jin raised a hand. “Now hold on, a deal’s a deal. You’ll have to hold up your end of the bargain first.”

With the aura victory, Nokto folded his hands behind his head and smirked. “It hardly matters at this point, but where would a book be if it isn’t found in the library?”

Jin frowned at Nokto’s typical circumvention. “How should I know? That’s why I’m asking you.” 

“Come on, it’s really not that difficult.” Nokto said.

“A bookstore? Hasn’t been added to the collection yet.” Jin offered.

“Not quite. There are more ways to get your hands on books than just buying them, you know.”

“Someone borrowed it then!”

“Right! And aside from our sweet Belle, who in this castle is the most up-to-date on the latest book trends?”

Jin felt those last words hit his ears like a well-rounded punch. “Not him ,” he moaned.

Nokto nodded his head sympathetically. “Afraid so. Saw Clavis giving it to him yesterday. You could probably ask if he’s done with it, though I highly doubt he’d be up yet…. Ooooh, this is not your day, big brother.”

Jin scowled as Nokto chuckled derisively. The only consolation he felt was that Nokto appeared to still be gripping his stomach in pain while he laughed, though it pained Jin himself that his mind came to that conclusion.

“At least I won’t be alone in that regard,” Jin replied, and Nokto wiped away a tear. 

“Sure, I guess you’ll have poor Evie to confide in, though I doubt he’ll be in much of a comforting mood after he finds out what you’ve done,” he hiccuped. 

“You mean when he finds out what you’ve done. The decree did say any prince would face punishment if he ate one of Yves’s desserts,” Jin said.

Nokto nearly choked on his laughter as it died out, gripping his sides more strenuously as he forced himself to lift his head. He wildly shifted his gaze between Jin and the basket as if both conspired against him before finally landing on Jin with a wide grin. 

“You’ve beaten me, nicely done. You may proceed, but be warned of what lies ahead.” The fox winks, turns back towards the flora abyss, dives in headfirst and vanishes into the night. “Oh, I do hope you’ll come play with me again.”

“And I thought I was the sly one,” Nokto said gruffly. “What do you want then?”

“Just keep Yves out of the kitchen. He’s having a picnic at noon, tell him Belle’s going to bring his dessert to the site for him.” Jin picked up the basket and started towards the door.

“That’s all you’d have me do? You really pulled the short end of the stick here,” Nokto called after him.

“Consider this my atonement for my transgression. Besides, I feel kind of bad tricking you into it.”

Nokto huffed as he stood and scurried up beside Jin. “Well, I don’t fancy feeling like I owe you something, so I’ll let you in on something else.” He balanced himself with one hand on Jin’s shoulder and rested the other on the basket. “Recently, King Highness has been indulging Luke during his snacktimes. I’d say it wouldn’t hurt to offer him a trade,” he said sweetly, patting the lid.

[medea10]

My Review of Spy x Family

How did I get into this anime? Out of the many, many, many sequels I had on my plate for the spring 2022 anime season, I knew I had to see this one. Fans have been pumping this anime up nearly a year in advance as being the next big thing. Too bad the fandom died once Chainsaw Man reared its head. Crunchyroll started to promote this anime months in advance too. So here I am!

Twilight is a secret agent who keeps the peace. He is the master spy of Westalis and will happily prevent any kind of turmoil between Westalis and their neighboring country Ostania. Twilight has been able to do all of his tasks flawlessly. His next mission might be his most difficult one yet. In order to investigate this one politician, he must infiltrate the prestigious Eden Academy. In order for this mission to be a success, Twilight must embark on the toughest challenge of all. Twilight must start a family. Twilight (despite his handsome face) is more of a married to his work kind of fella. Even the whole thing about having a fake family seems a little too much.

So, Twilight adopts a fake persona, fake name, a woman to be his fake wife, and a kid to be his fake daughter. At this point, Twilight will be known as Loid Forger. First, he adopts a daughter from an orphanage. Anya is a six-year-old with an unbelievable power. She’s an Esper and can read peoples minds. As for the wife, he picks a ditzy City Hall worker named Yor. And yes, she has a secret as well. Yor is a secret lethal assassin. And she’s okay with posing as his wife so that people around her stop being suspicious of her being a single woman over 25. But Loid asks Yor to be his wife so that he could get Anya into Eden Academy. That school prefers the two-parent household. And of course, for Anya’s well-being!

There you have it, a spy, an assassin, and an Esper start a family and play house.

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: As I said before, Crunchyroll got first dibs on this anime early on. I think they recognized the popularity of the manga and thought this would be their big cash cow of the year before the next cash cow came six months later. They were even faster than normal releasing the dub to this. It was even leaked less than a week from the Japanese premier. The popularity of this series is downright insane. Although I will stick to the Japanese version! Nothing against the English cast, but I just prefer Atsumi Tanezaki voicing Anya. Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

JAPANESE CAST: *Twilight/Loid is played by Takuya Eguchi (known for Cheren on Pokemon BW, Takeo on Ore Monogatari, Kakeru on Fruits Basket 2019, Shuuji on Tokyo Revengers, Ryouma on Love Stage, and Julius on Re:Zero)

*Yor is played by Saori Hayami (known for Shinobu on Demon Slayer, Shouko on A Silent Voice, Yotsugi on Monogatari, Anju on 86, Yumeko on Kakegurui, Himawari on Boruto, and Sachi on SAO)

*Anya is played by Atsumi Tanezaki (known for Uo on Fruits Basket 2019, Futaba on Bunny Girl Senpai, Juno on Beastars, Emilia on Durarara, and Mujika on The Promised Neverland 2)

ENGLISH CAST: *Twilight/Loid is played by Alex Organ (known for Makishima on Psycho Pass, Arima on Tokyo Ghoul, Decim on Death Parade, Norway on Hetalia, and Doranbalt on Fairy Tail)

*Yor is played by Natalie Van Sistine

*Anya is played by Megan Shipman (known for Mare on Overlord, Keimi on One Piece, Hanamaru on Love Live Sunshine, Momo on Fruits Basket 2019, Yuzu on Citrus, and Takitsubo on Index/Railgun)

DISLIKED CHARACTER: I think everyone can come to an agreement with this one as we rise up to cheer when this guy got socked in the face!

Nobody makes Anya cry!

SHIPPING: So, is this fake family going to work? Can a spy and an assassin put up an honest front in public without giving an inch? I mean they’re both very good at their work, but even this is a stretch.

It might be too soon to be tossing around love when it comes to Yor and Loid. Respect for each other, yes. But when you get the kiss scene brought on by Yor’s brother Yuri, yeah, these two aren’t ready for real. Yor was going to slap Loid, but thankfully it was Yuri that got the blow. Unfortunately, this does happen again and this time Loid was on the receiving-end of that knock-out slap. But if we’re going to talk about obvious crushes, why don’t we talk about Damien?

Too bad Anya thinks you’re such a shit-head.

We don’t really get much in the shipping category after the first few episodes. I mean, once you propose with a grenade pin in front of an explosion, there’s no way you can outdo that. But things took a wild direction during part two when Fiona Frost came into the picture. Apparently, she was originally going to be Loid’s fake wife for the mission if she wasn’t on a long mission of her own. So, once she returned to town, she wanted to do away with Yor and become Loid’s next wife. And that’s because she LOVES him. Not Loid Forger, but Twilight, the spy. And yes, this is a notice-me-senpai woman. Loid was Fiona’s senpai! It is literally a notice-me-senpai moment!

ENDING TO PART ONE: Loid’s mission has been going along okay. He managed to find a wife and child and have that child get accepted to that prestigious school in order to make nice with the son of the elusive politician. But Loid now has a new thorn in his side that comes in the form of a jealous brother-in-law. It would be enough for Loid to deal with Yuri’s unhealthy jealousy of his sister’s marriage. As it turns out, Yuri is part of the secret police set to detain and force confessions on those considered to be a spy in the country. Worst of all, Yuri knows the existence of a spy named Twilight and has vowed to catch him. But we’ll probably deal with more of this as the series progresses as a whole.

Meanwhile, Anya is having her own problems at school. She knows getting along with Damien will lead to world peace (eventually). Problem is she finds him to be a shit-head and the face she makes around him has launched a bajillion memes. As we all know, the first day of school ended with Anya earning this school’s version of a demerit because she socked Damian in the face. Not just that but Anya’s test scores are really bad. A lot is riding on her succeeding at this school. On the plus side, Anya did gain some attention in her class’s dodgeball game against another class with the world’s biggest 6-year-old.

Seriously, what are they feeding this kid? I’m convinced this isn’t a first grader and that he’s an undercover narc.

But Anya earned notoriety when she saved a kid from drowning. Anya’s psychic ability was able to aid her with that and she was able to help the lad without seeping out the secret about being an Esper. Because of this moment, the school gave Anya a ‘Stella’, the one honor Eden bestows upon the best and brightest. And she will receive a puppy…later! We did catch a glimpse of the future furry friend that’ll become a Forger in part two. For now, it’s time for a trip to the aquarium. Mostly, this trip is just for Loid to keep up appearances in front of the neighbors so they don’t think he’s cheating on his wife or something shady. Loid was also doing spy work during this outing. Okay, that’s it for Spy x Family’s first half.

*three months later*

PART TWO: Anya gets a doggy!

Like I said prior, Anya is getting a dog as a reward for saving another kid from drowning. And just like the rest of the members of the Forger family, this dog has a special quirk as well. He has future sight or something like that. This dog was put through some experiments and this was the end result. Also, he’s a dog that’s being used by bad guys as a ‘bomb dog’. The first couple of episodes were dedicated to Anya and Bond. It was kinda thrilling with Anya escaping danger, Yor unknowingly beats up the bad guys, and Loid just being kick-ass.

After those episodes just comes the usual stuff you would expect these characters to do. Loid is on some mission that turns into something else. Yor can’t cook. Anya gets bad grades. Mr. Scruffy-head can’t get a date. Yuri is an idiot with a sister complex and apparently the hardest working stomach in history. But things do pick up when we meet Fiona Frost (a.k.a. Nightfall). There seems to be a lot of people out here with some major secrets that could contradict and conflict with others. Adding Fiona was just asking for trouble given her feelings towards Twilight.

Oh right, Twilight is Loid. Did you guys forget that?

ENDING: Nearing the end of this season, we’ve witnessed a few moments that could be considered a special moment, but were just bait-and-switches. Adding Fiona as a character brought on a lot of drama as Yor does feel intimidated by her. We even got a scene of Loid and Yor alone together to sort things out. And by sort things out, Yor got shit-faced to a point where you need subtitles for the subtitles, she was that fucking wasted. Oh, and Loid got knocked out by Yor. Not just anyone can knock out the world’s best spy. But the world’s best assassin could.

I often find myself wondering if Loid and Yor could be anything other than a fake couple. Loid is only using Yor (and Anya as well) for the sake of his long-term mission. And Yor is kinda sticking around so that she doesn’t get in trouble with the secret police because they find single women suspicious. Yor has a lot to hide too. But we often get scenes where these two characters get close to each other. Unfortunately, those scenes are followed with Yor giving Loid a big smack down. But then we get this touching scene where Loid remembers his mother due to hearing Yor sing a lullaby. I’m conflicted with these two! Maybe more will progress in the future.

Oh yeah, Loid and Fiona dressed incognito in a tennis tournament the episode prior. There’s such irony with these two posing as a fake couple here. Whatever! I’m still on Team Yor!

The final episode, we finally meet Donovan Desmond. This is the man that Loid has been waiting to get close to and investigate for the mission. The one man that could make or break the peace between Westalis and Ostania.

This guy…he looks like a lobotomy victim. He has a face that a bad guy makes before Bugs Bunny blows them up with dynamite! I stand by what was just said. 

Eden Academy is having a gala that has an attendance of the elite; famous people, successful alumni, politicians, and others. This includes someone like Donovan Desmond. He’s a powerful politician and is Damian’s father. This is Loid’s chance to speak to his target. Loid was able to come close to the Desmonds in the guise of finding a charm that belongs to Anya and formally apologize for Anya’s behavior when she and Damian got accepted to Eden. Their meeting was short, but at least Loid was able to meet the elusive politician. He’s rarely in the public eye and even his own sons barely see him. Well, just meeting him in an informal fashion isn’t going to cut it. Loid and the spies must do what they must to keep the peace. So, there’s going to be more stories from the Forgers. Guarantee it!

One week before the finale, there was a formal announcement that not only Spy x Family was going to return in 2023 with a second season, but they were also getting a movie. Well, I am beyond excited here because I loved this series. Yes, I felt a lull and hit a wall while watching the second part. I’m just going to say the stories between getting Bond and meeting Fiona was that point for me. For others, I honestly thought that people fell out of the Spy x Family anime once Bleach and Chainsaw Man came out during the fall season. Thankfully, these animes didn’t air on the same day. One thing that I would like to see more of that I felt kind of a lack of throughout the series is seeing Yor in action. I mean besides watching her in regular settings where she does something out of the ordinary. I want to see more of Yor in assassination mode in an assassin mission. I feel like I only see Yor in action during the opening and ending themes.

But that’s my small want from the series. I gotta give the kudos to the collaboration between Wit Studio and Cloverworks. The animation was amazing. I was surprised at how much I loved this anime going into it. I fell in love with nearly all of the characters. Yes, even odd-wads like Yuri and Fiona. I’m looking for all the upcoming projects Spy x Family has and will give a full recommendation for just about anybody. I know that sound kinda broad, but this anime has a little bit of everything that could satisfy many folks. It has action, comedy, and schmaltzy drama on occasion.

If you would like to watch Spy x Family, every episode is available for streaming on both Hulu and Crunchyroll.

[incalculablepower]

2022 Wrapped

ty for the tags @hinnyfied and @ashesandhackles

Post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

eticabtf - despite sort of regretting the long-ass title at this point i really like this one. it was the toughest thing i worked on, since i had a deadline and a prompt and a word count minimum to hit it came with a lot of (IMO good and healthy) stress at a time when i needed a project like that! it was kind of ambitious and weird and i'm still just so glad it landed.

in virtute et tutela - someone commented that it made them cry which is like, the best comment i've ever received. it came to me very easily but there was still an odd challenge where i had to come up with the rules of what an inner monologue of a half-cat/half-kneazle would sound like. my crookshanks doesn't understand spoken language but he's very intuitive and this is how he communicates with those patient and understanding enough (first other animals, then an animagus, and finally humans). i'm also really happy with how the title fits the story, it's a reference to a plea from a cat named virtute, the weakerthans song from the POV of a cat pleading to its depressed person. the reasons - i JUST realized this is my second fic with a weakerthans title. HBP is one of my favourite books AND adaptations because i love the goofy teen comedy vibes and i really like playing it up with this fic. i recently reread the first chapter i have uploaded with some distance and i think it's really really funny! this drabble from a TTB challenge this spring - this event really helped me work some writing muscles thanks to the prompts and the instant feedback. this is the origin of the photo of the original order of the phoenix and i like how much little details I packed into it, especially alice as a photographer, someone who immortalizes memories.

i also really like this one - i think it's the most poetic of my drabbles from that challenge and it really communicates how i feel about a post-war ron's life. and i love the jenny holzer truism i used for the title.

your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year

I would like to treat my WIPs as actual works in progress vs things i started writing and kinda gave up on 1. i would like to continue with more chapters of the reasons! i have a lot of outlines and a good idea for where i want it to go. i'm also not stressing too much since each chapter will really serve as a loosely connected one-shot. 2. i have a romione shell cottage fic i've been picking at for MONTHS! i really like the idea i have for it but it's been a bit of a slog, i would love to get it done! 3. a couple days ago i had a new year's eve fic idea and got about 500 words in before things got busy. i really wanted to have it done FOR nye, but life's been busy. i am going to try to get it out before i finish my vacation and not stress about it being "late" for the holiday. 4. i also started a TTB yule bash fic for teddy's first weasley sweater, another idea i really really like but i got sick when i was writing it and didn't want to worry about the deadline. i might pick at it from time to time for next christmas.

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

1. the fact that i do it... at all? i joined @thethreebroomsticksficfest discord server because i was getting back into reading fic and just wanted to chat about it, but then noticed most members also wrote fic and the discussion around it made it feel very accessible and supportive. 2. i've learned or relearned a lot about punctuation and grammar, which helps my fic AND a lot of other areas of my life. writing cover letters for my job search this year was the least stressful it's ever been. 3. i know this is about my writing specifically but i swear it's all connected - i've gained a greater appreciation and understanding of storytelling through reading fic, commenting on it and trying to write it. i think my overall media analysis is smarter than it was this time last year and i have a better vision of what i want to achieve when i write something. your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year 1. i would like to write some longer one-shots, in the 5k-10k range. 2. i would like to write some shippier stuff that isn't just pining and sexual tension lol and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year

i really like this one from my crookshanks fic They spent each night at the foot of her bed, two rounded pastilles curled up on top of the quilt. 

let's just call it the "kneazle" i know many people have been tagged in this already so i'm cheaping out and tagging everyone who wants to do this.

[sugalaritae]

end of the year recap - 2022 (+ a little note to everyone at the end)

i think i was tagged by a few people - @reliablemitten @taegularities @sunshinerainbowsbts - thank you for tagging me!

rules: post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular), your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year, your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year, your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year, and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

top 5 works 1. run - ot7/yoonkook/vmin i love writing this series because it's so much action and i am challenging myself with it. it's also just so much fun to have it play in my head like a movie. 2. anything for you - pjm x jhs as soon as j-hope's lolla concert ended and i saw jimin join the vlive, i just knew i needed to write something. a little ode to their friendship and the way that jimin took care of hobi. 3. on the nature of living - myg x ghost!reader, myg x pjm i think this might be one of the series that i'm the most proud of even though it's not finished yet. it's cathartic to write about death and grief, especially after the year i've had. 4. way back home - myg x reader (no gender specified) 'that that' yoongi was a cultural reset and then writing a smut without mention readers genitals really meant a lot to me. i was proud of myself. 5. starstruck series - myg x reader, kth x reader this is what started it all!! one year of writing bts and reading so many wonderful fics. i am just kind of in awe of myself tbh. honourable mention: meeting half way - kth x jjk (written with @wwilloww) becoming friends with willow and then the two of us starting a fic together was/is a dream come true.

top 4 WIPs 1. on the nature of living 2-4 honestly this series is just becoming a favourite of mine to write and i'm having a joy writing jimin through the eyes of yoongi. 2. heat waves 2-3 + epilogue? i love writing hobi. he's so much fun to write and the next few parts are going to dig deeper into the reader and hobi's psyche. i just have to get through editing and i hate it lol 3. the departure i'm keeping this info hidden until later. but it's a yoonkook fic and i'm challenging myself in new ways 4. untitled jungkook fic pigeons and their annoying coos are a big thing in this fic. the fact that it hasn't left my mind since i came up with it this spring is impressive and means it needs to be written. 3 biggest improvements 3. honestly and truly writing for myself and a few friends was a big relief and honestly what i needed to do. by not focusing on how many notes and comments fics get means that i can just write what i want to write. 2. reading more fics. i think that can be can be considered an improvement because i think it's pushed me to be a better writer. 1. my writing has just improved. i've gotten better with detail and getting into the character's minds. it's hard to explain but i just feel more comfortable in it. i'm not so tentative to write what i want to write.

2 resolutions i don't like doing any sort of resolutions but i will say that i want to keep writing and i want to keep reading. that's it. 1 favourite line "They’ll probably ignore him when his chest eventually does explode and he’s left in the middle of the street, a massive puddle of grief and sorrow. They’ll step around him, some will look at him and pity him, others won’t look." - on the nature of living

thank you all for a really great year!! to everyone who has stuck around and read my fics whether you've commented or not. it's meant a lot to me to just put my writing out there. to all of my friends that i've started talking to on discord and on here, you all mean so much to me and i honestly would have had an incredibly lonely year without you all. reading your writing, laughing, and being horny together just has made my year so much better. this year was a lot and bts and everyone i've met because of them have helped me get through the sludge in and out of my head. thank you 💖💖💖

i'm going to tag a few people and open this up to anyone who wants to: @vyduan @goodsoop @herecomessatvrn @bangtanintotheroom @thatlongspringnight @wwilloww @augustbutwinter @hesperantha

[thetoxicgamer]

Struggling Brazilian squad reportedly eyeing legend FalleN ahead of CS2 launch

The Brazilian "Godfather of Counter-Strike," Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo, is reportedly on the list of people who could take charge of FURIA's CS:GO lineup in the later half of this year, according to reports that appeared on May 29. It seems that Andrei “arT” Piovezan would be the intended target of this transfer, as FalleN’s AWP and IGLing expertise would conflict with the current leader’s skill set. While there’s no explicit transfer date, the change would likely occur during the “player break”, according to reports by Gamesarena.gg. Related: Live Counter-Strike 2023 roster tracker | CS:GO signings, rumors ahead of CS2 release Despite CS2’s planned “Summer 2023” release arriving around the same period, we might see FalleN become FURIA’s front-man before the hyped sequels’ unveiling. While FURIA has remained near the top domestically, they’ve been struggling to keep their head above water in the tier-one competitive scene for months, and even if this FalleN deal falls through, it looks like a course correction in leadership style is the team’s main objective. Imperial CS:GO player FalleN plays at the PGL Antwerp Major Challenger Stage in 2022.Photo by João Ferreira via BLAST While this is exciting news for some Brazilian fans, last year FalleN himself shared his desire to retire from CS:GO in 2023. The Brazilian veteran has been a part of some of the best South American rosters in history, but he’s nowhere near his peak 2016 form which saw him lead Luminosity and SK to back-to-back Major wins. However, his recent months have shown an uptick in performance. While the roster is primarily playing against lower-tiered Brazilian squads, there’s a handful of matches where Imperial and FalleN have gone toe-to-toe with the best that NA has to offer. Imperial placed first in the BLAST Premier Spring Showdown 2023 Americas, taking the top spot over teams like FURIA, paiN, and Team Liquid. FalleN also proved he’s still got gas in the tank, earning a 1.18 HLTV rating across the seven maps played in the event. Whether FalleN can keep up this run of form is up for debate, especially given his announcement leaning towards retirement. Fans and analysts alike have been pointing the finger at arT’s IGLing for quite some time, and it seems FURIA believes FalleN could be the solution. Read the full article

[givereadersahug]

2022 AO3 Wrapped

Saw this going around, so I thought to give it a try. I wanted to see what I accomplished this year. :)

Works Published: 121! (A few are still anon and won't be revealed till next year and I still have a few more to publish before the year is out.)

Word Count: 76,397 (As a drabble writer, this word count astonishes me.)

Hits: ---- (I'm not changing my site skin to stare at my total stats. It will not be good for me, personally.)

Bookmarks: ---- (Same as above. The only thing that's displayed on my stats page is word count, which yay! About to hit that 100k mark!)

Most Popular by Kudos: "I'm in. I'm all in." (Harry Potter, Snarry) My Snarry-a-Thon fic!

Most Hits: Colours (Harry Potter, Snarry)

Longest: "I'm in. I'm all in." (Harry Potter, Snarry) & Devotion (SK8 the Inifinity, Matchablossom) is my number 2!

Shortest: A shout-out to all my 100 words drabbles! There are 23 of them and that's way too many for me to list. lol

Most Comments: I'm in. I'm all in." (Harry Potter, Snarry) and in 2nd place - Warmth (Harry Potter, Snarry)

Fic that made me cry: Hmmm. None of the fics I wrote made me cry. Mostly cause I worried too much about editing and writing the fic than fully immersing myself into the emotions I'm evoking. If I have to choose, I choose Dragons (Harry Potter, Charlie/Severus).

Fic that made me smile: On the Precipice (SK8 the Infinity, Matchablossom). It gives me warm fuzzy feelings.

Gifts: King Severus (Harry Potter, Snarry) is a bedtime story for Coconutice22. I also wrote some ficlets based on her prompts - Coffee Cake (Harry Potter, Snarry) & Lava Cake (Harry Potter, Snarry). I wrote Microwaving Potions (Harry Potter, Snarry) after a discussion with her, Likelightinglass and DandelionConstellation. Two HP Halloween 2022 treats for DandelionConstellation - New Beginnings (Harry Potter, Snarry) & Reverence (Harry Potter, Snarry). And one for ragdoll for the same exchange - Biscuits and Icing (Harry Potter, Luna/Ginny).

Events: In chronological order - House of Snarry's Valentine's event, Snarry-a-Thon 2022, Domaystic 2022, Microfic May 2022, HP Flowers Spring Round, House of Snarry's Snarry Chain Game, Liquid Luck Never Have I Ever Challenge, Kojiro Nanjo Week 2022, House of Snarry's Harry Potter Birthday Drabble event, Snarry AUctoberfest 2022, HP Flowers Autumn Round, HP Halloween 2022, Liquid Luck Roll The Dice Challenge: Winter Edition, SK8 Shorts Week 2022, Adventdrabbles, New Year's Countdown, Secret Snarry Swap 2022, HFPC Holiday Bingo 2022.

Collaborations: Nightshirts (Harry Potter, Snarry) with the very talented and amazing Soltituss!

Coming in 2023: A few Harry Potter fests and SK8 reverse bangs in the next few months! Continue what I'm doing and hopefully write a long-ish fic (or two!)

Tagging: I feel awkward in tagging people, so if you happen to come across this post and want to participate, go ahead! I want to read about what you accomplished this year! Which fic brought you joy? Have any you are super, duper proud of? You made words happened, and that's already an accomplishment in my books! <3

[the---hermit]

28|02|2022

How are we at the end of the month already? Don't get me wrong I am really excited for spring to come around this year, but time is flying, and it's terrifying. Anyway today I started working on my written paper for the philosophy of sxience class I am working on. Today I did the first reading and highlighting of the material, so I got a general idea of the subject. Other than that I practiced Irish on duoligo, and I continued reading Gone Girl by G. Flynn, which I am absolutely loving. Now I'll have a writing session to work on the short story for this month, and then I'll also havesome cooking to do.

February productivity challenge // Day 28: What's your favourite stationery that you own?

Probably my stabilo highlighters. HIghlighting my notes is a fundamental part of my study process. They do add a great look to my notes, and they are of great quality. They are also super versatile, and come in a bunch of different colours. (I cannot believe this challenge is done already, it was super fun to do!!!)

Tranquil's study challenge 2022 // Day Thirteen: Share a page from your journal or the notes you are currently working on if you don’t journal!

Here's a couple of journal spreads and a couple of notes I am working on. In the first picture there's a journal spread I wrote a while back on Frankenstein, on of my favourite novels. I wrote about my first reading of the book, and how it impacted my life back then. The bigger notebook is my writing journal in which I plan my writing and sometimes I write first drafts. That specific page is a bit of a brain dump for what I wanted to write in February and the ideas for the short story I wrote this month ( I am challenging myself to write a short story each month this year, this month's still not perfectly done, but I'll finish it in the next couple of days!). Then I also added some notes I am taking for Irish grammar, nothing crazy I am just writing down some stuff from the duolingo tips section. And my actual univedrsity notes, that are currently all about the philosophy of science, in the specific those pages are on Kuhn's the structure of the scientific revolutions.