#but this one really is the most bookends vibes

[panharmonium]

Man, these past few days...so many thoughts. About my life then, my life now. What I missed. Thoughts about what I'll never have. And what I want to have.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

The Billions Showrunners Go To See Bway Bmc like lgw "the problem has always been me" and they look at each other approvingly and nod like now he's getting it :) and then the squip's deactivated and everyone's embracing the realities of being a person and rejecting the idea there can be, should be, and is a set of standards to meet to get everything you want and preclude yourself from being mistreated and they're like nooo what a powerful tragedy :(

[you-remind-me-of-the-babe]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers (except me because obvs I have done it). Spread the self-love ❤

Aw, thank you for thinking of me. I loved reading your picks! You’re right, Ashton, self love can be challenging but I am going to give it a go.

1) Depth of Reason (71k, M)

Probably no surprise here, I’ve called it my favorite before. I put a lot into this fic. It handles a lot of complex issues and takes a different and unique look at the World of Mages while also feeling entirely plausible within that world. I also really, really love this version of Simon. I put a lot into him and at the start it may look like a story about Baz’s journey but it’s really about Simon’s journey of questioning the beliefs he has and questioning the things he’s taken for granted.

It’s also probably no surprise that this fic is a little bit of a love letter to one of my fave fics Restoration Ecology by the lovely @captain-aralias. It’s obvious how that story inspired mine (Simon POV, older Snowbaz get together, Simon works for the Coven, he goes through this journey of looking within himself, etc.)

2) How to Avoid a Scandal (43k, T)

This fic has a lot going for it and was for to write for several reasons: 1) This was a CO Reverse Bang fic, so it was inspired by art made by @xi-vz and thus got me to write something I may not have come up with in my own. 2) @xi-vz kept making art for it, and in true reverse bang fashion, it kept challenging me to write the plot in a way that incorporated what the art portrayed. Truly such a fun way to find inspiration. 3) since this was a Hollywood AU, I wrote script excerpts for the tv show the boys were acting in to bookend each chapter and to tie into/nod to what was going on in the greater story while also playing with the idea of a WoM television show I’d made up. This was kind of a nod to the Snowbaz excerpts in Fangirl and these were just generally so fun to write. 4) friends to lovers, my beloved.

Also!!! The incredible @shrekgogurt told me she was inspired by the script bookends in this fic, which led her to adding the flashback bookends to I Knew A Boy, I Knew A Man and like (!!!) can we all agree those fucking flashbacks are AMAZING and totally add so much to that fic?! I’m so happy this was able to inspire such genius.

3) Rose-Colored Glasses (7k, T)

I don’t always get the chance to reread fics once they are published but I reread this one recently and while part of me latched on to things I’d try to write better if I were writing this years later and with more experience under my belt, I still nonetheless think this fic pretty good. For one, while it wasn’t my first published fic, it was my first most widely read fic. That helped me make a lot of connections in the fandom and probably established an audience that wanted to read more of my writing. Additionally, I think this sort of established my brand. I’ve written a lot of friends to lovers and this is the touchstone of me writing that trope. It’s got a sweetness to it that permeates a lot of my writing. Also, my pfp is still the beautiful, tender, fun art from that fic that @mostlymaudlin made and so y’all get to be reminded of it all the time 😂 Also have to give a shout out to @ivelovedhimthroughworse who made a lovely Podfic of this. ♥️

4) The Rule of Three (Doesn’t Apply to You) (9k, T)

This fic was a gift fic to the lovely @facewithoutheart whose prompt requested a funny Snowbaz get together with low/no angst. It was also part of a holiday exchange and I wanted it to have at least some Christmas-y vibes without being other the top, since that’s not quite Christina’s thing. I remember feeling very intimidated by the task of trying to be funny for one of the funniest writers in this fandom. Gulp. But also, while I’ve written some fun/funny things, I appreciated the impetus to really go for it in this fic. I think it’s a fun, sweet story and quite memorable, at least to me.

5) A Prickly Disposition (1.9k, T)

This is a short fic but I’m really proud of it. I’ve really had to work at brevity and I am still surprised I could write a get together fic in under 2k. (And I wrote it in one sitting, which still feels crazy because it came out so good without a ton of hair pulling.) This fic feels longer than it is, which feels like a special kind of magic. Plus my dear friend @fatalfangirl made a Podfic of this which just is such a great listen I cannot recommend it enough.

[silverskye13]

I'm wondering what kind of thought process you have for choosing which character get which brackets for their thinking? cause I think the ones you chose fit rly well, especially the {} for wels and [] for helsknight, for some reason they feel very correct

Mostly just vibes, tbh!

Tanguish got (parenthesis) because it's what is grammatically correct [you probably notice I put my personal thoughts in brackets. It was really hard to break that while writing the fic, and if I go awhile between chapters, I will fall back into bad habits and put all thoughts in brackets again, whoops.] His inner thoughts in parenthesis are primarily observations tied to his emotions. He doesn't really think thoughts, he feels thoughts.

Examples:

(The hermits never know what they’re doing, but this isn’t something Tanguish knows. Sometimes he wonders about it, but he hasn’t quite figured it out yet.)

(But he wasn't lying, and he wasn’t a knight, and this shouldn’t matter, it really shouldn’t.)

When I decided I wanted to have other POVs in the fic, I kind of had to case what parenthesis I had left at my disposal. Unless I wanna get silly with it, for the most part, all that's remaining is [], {}, <>, ||, and maybe /\ if I wanna play around a little.

Helsknight has very rigid and straightforward inner thoughts. I wanted to keep most of his internal monologue to tactical information.

Examples:

[Enchanted netherite, because of course it was. He could recognize enough of the symbols to know it was an efficient workman's tool, but sharpness felled people just as well as trees.]

[Control the situation. Put distance between Tanguish and the danger. Keep the Demon busy long enough for escape.]

For that, the brackets make the most sense. He's thinking rigid truths and commands. It also feels close to his personality? I guess? A bit hard to explain, but to me, every action he takes is framed in something. He has rigid codes that he measures himself by, like he's constantly bookend-ed. He breaks those bookends when he's angry, and it's a physical wall that brings him pain when he breaks it. He needs [solid, rigid] visuals for that bookend-ing. Brackets were best.

Welsknight then, I wanted to be visually similar to Helsknight, in which case {} would work well, and their distinctive shapes made me think of something,,, I dunno,,, fancier is a bad word. But the curly brackets are a little needlessly complicated. That complication has a use in coding, but on a standard keyboard, for writing purposes, its unnecessary. I like what it implies about how everything with Wels in the story is gilded, covered in unnatural perfection and holiness. Wels's [mostly unseen] issues in the fic are that he has a problem with ideals. Helsknight is the gritty, grimdark reality of what being a perfect knight is, with all its internal battling for perfection, and all its self-sacrificial, borderline suicidal heroism. Welsknight, however, is the projected ideal of what a knight should be, the glitz, glamour and chivalry. He is light that is blinding, but ultimately harmful, ungrounded. His is the idea of a crusade, not because it is right or just, but because thats what knights are supposed to do, and this is the nearest evil to hand. Something superfluously curly works nicely for his thoughts.

Tango gets the <> for his thoughts, both because I like how pointed and analytical it is [carrots are used for coding and tags in html], how well it meshes with him as a game developer and programmer, and also because it looks a lot like his problem of lancing through things. He is a little spear of a guy. He sees a thing he wants -- or wants to avoid -- and he leaps for it. He ignores Tanguish's warnings, because they're uncomfortable, and there is a different reality he would rather deal with right now, thank you. Sharp little thoughts for Tango.

[Jazzhands!] So, yeah!

[perfectlypanda]

Chance Encounters at the Wonderlust by Marijayne

I've been wanting to learn bookbinding for a while, so I finally took the plunge by binding one of my favorite Zutara stories! I followed the video series for a rounded, case bound book by DAS Bookbinding on youtube. I also took inspiration from @omfgreylo's fanfic book binds for things like including a page with the AO3 details and a QR code that leads to where the story is posted.

Large portions of the story take place at the Wonderlust hotel, which I imagined as having a bit of a classy art deco vibe, so that's what I leaned into a bit with cover, bookend pages, and font choices. Zuko first meets Katara sitting on a blue and gold sofa, which informed the choice of colors. I'm only just now realizing I chose different fonts for the cover and the title page. I thought I had used the same one. Oops haha.

This project went way smoother than I expected. I had to improvise in parts because I didn't have specialized equipment like a book press, but otherwise everything went well! The part that was the most challenging was adding the design to the cover, but that's my fault for using iron on vinyl meant for stretchy fabric (it was what we happened to have on hand already). If I had used a normal iron on vinyl, I think it would have given me less trouble.

I'm really pleased that with how this turned out, and I already have a list of other Zutara stories I'd like to bind and add to my bookshelf (just personal copies, not for commission or anything like that). Thank you again to @marijayne-writing for letting me bind your story!

[thatsparrow]

watched twister (1996) for the first time (thoughts)

wasn't expecting the opening credits to feel as ominous as they did, very horror-adjacent (when the tornado lands, there's this growling sound effect that feels very monstrous. from what I remember, this is really the only time that happens, which could be a cool, like—given that this is the tornado that killed her dad, to jo, it was a monster)

between toby getting (briefly) locked out of the storm shelter in the beginning and bill paxton having to carry aunt meg's dog out of the house before it collapses, this movie puts animals in danger much more than I anticipated (I guess that one cow didn't have such a good time, either)

still in the opening, but when her dad got yoinked, all those nighttime shots of the lightning and tornado felt very supernatural, ufo-ish (this big transcendent thing in the sky, abducting her father, so large you can only see bits and pieces of it) which does play into the mystery/unknowability aspect

we cut to the present, and there's this jaunty, western-style music playing, which I also didn't expect! I think that was one of my main takeaways—that I thought this movie was more a straight-up natural disaster action movie, when it's really more of an adventure story (and a love story, which bookends the whole thing.) but like, if you think of the tornadoes as some rare treasure, the storm signs (and bill's ability to read them) as the map, chasing against rivals after the same goal, all the beats are there. (not to say it isn't also a natural disaster movie, but it is interesting watching how/when the movie shifts between tornadoes as an object of pursuit, stirring excitement, the majesty of nature, and when they're a threat, a point of fear, dangerous in their unpredictability and impassivity)

we see helen hunt, and my first thought was, "why would he ever divorce helen hunt"

(more under the break)

but also I wasn't actually ever clear on why he was divorcing helen hunt? or more, why they had separated in the first place. the closest I could figure was that conversation when he says something to jo about her not wanting a house, and maybe that it was him wanting to settle down and she wanted a life on the road (see: his current job as a weatherman now that he's with melissa) but also, does he really want to settle down? the whole movie is us seeing how he's clearly happiest and most alive when he's chasing (and with helen hunt), but he can't or won't let himself accept that until melissa ends the relationship for him

didn't expect carey elwes to be here, doing his absolute best effort at a southern accent

i love human barometer bill paxton. "he's better at reading storms than anyone else" "why" "don't worry about it" (genuinely though, it's such a fun detail, and I'm glad they include it in twisters, too)

jo's storm chasing team is bigger than I thought it would be (granted, I had no concept of anyone else being in this movie other than helen hunt, bill paxton, and philip seymour hoffman) and I love that sequence of all the vibes of the different cars as they take off, the music they put on, the interiors—we are running the gamut of personalities here, but they are all equally excited and motivated by storm chasing (then compared to the deeply corporate and uniform energy of jonas's team)

"have you lost your nerve?" "tighten your seatbelt" we all know their chemistry is good, but their chemistry is SO good ("let's get you wired" LET'S GO)

melissa is interesting, like — she's the audience surrogate, she's the excuse to explain things about storm chasing and tornadoes that everyone else would already know (but the audience likely doesn't), she's insightful and compassionate when she's talking to her clients (are we meant to take the reproductive therapy or something as a joke job?), and she does clearly love bill, and he loves her, too. but she's so out of her element, she complements this entirely different side of him, and now that he's in this place where he's most himself, she's completely at sea. she's understandably afraid and overwhelmed. she's watching her fiance fall back in love (or, realize he was always still in love) with his ex, who's accomplished and capable in all the ways she isn't. and there's some friction between them, like melissa telling jo not to try to win bill back, and some jockeying from jo at the diner counter, but then you also have jo checking on melissa after the first tornado hits. I like that her story ends with her deciding to leave bill, but then adding the line about not being that sad about it, her recognizing that they weren't really what the other needed (it is weird though that she's suddenly gone from the group and no one remarks on it)

very into bill starting the movie all buttoned-up, then gradually shedding those layers, getting less kempt, his shiny new truck converted into their chase vehicle (later when the other chasers refer to bill as "the extreme," the push-pull between who he is in his life before the movie starts, and who he clearly is at heart)

it is wild that a divorce is the undercurrent of this whole thing (but wild in a fun way! like it's fun how much this is a love story that also has tornadoes. bill paxton is here to get the divorce papers signed. the movie ends with them kissing. rebuilding relationships via natural disasters)

that shot of the flying cow happens so much earlier than I expected

just between us, it took me way too long to realize jo was the little girl from the beginning ("how long?" don't worry about it)

jo as ahab, her trying to look into the tornado and bill turning her away, the obsessive need to understand, pushing forward beyond what's reasonable

the cars! cars as their primary instruments, reflective of their personalities, this is a western and their cars are their horses, but also cars won't protect them when a tornado hits, and in fact add to the danger, they're at the drive-in when the surprise tornado comes, they hide out in the floor of the garage, cars as homes, cars getting trashed, I've lost the point but you see it

there's something about the disconnect between the threat messages, both "they had no warning" when a tornado hits unexpectedly, vs. an f-5 that you can see and follow the trail of, but it's still going to destroy whatever is in its path (also after wakita gets hit and jo's aunt meg tells her that jo needs to stop it—like the data they collect is vital, but also them getting dorothy to fly won't have any immediate consequences on the tornado itself)

I do love all the "bill's back" "I'm not back" from the beginning, him saying he's only going to stay a day, and then he's immediately so back

spoilers but I did not expect carey elwes and his driver to die. this movie has a pretty low onscreen body count, and that one was a surprise

that near-kiss in the cornfield! so good!!

the whole sequence of them sprinting from the tornado toward the barn, the fence posts getting pulled up just behind them, the horses running—so, so good

but also what's the deal with the murder barn? like they run into the barn and it looks like a murder barn and then they run out because everything in the murder barn would murder them when the tornado hits, and then we never address it again. was this just to keep them running from the tornado a little longer?

they're a battle couple but for storm chasers, and it slaps

the movie ends with them kissing! this is their love story!!

all in all, I had a hell of a time, a blast from start to finish

[lee-sanghyeok]

What were your thoughts on the album track sampler? I’m mostly surprised that dangerous sounds so different than the other songs, I thought there might be another like it. I’m very intrigued by nice guy, the teaser sounds like a different vibe than I was expecting. Also skit stood out a lot but I don’t think that one’s a full song unfortunately. Of course can’t wait to hear the whole album tho, if all sounds v promising so far

Hi, anon! I was surprised as well with how diverse the album is sonically. It's their most experimental yet, though the slight disjointed feeling might be because the tracks in the sampler weren't in order of the track list... so I edited the sampler according to the track list.

And now, it does start to make sense. In a sense, 'Dangerous' and 'Gonna be a rock' almost feels like one continuous story (or a duology) of how quickly the mood can swing between adorably rebellious moments with friends and lonesome melancholic moments. 'Gonna be a rock' also seems to serve as a palate cleanser after the explosive opener.

Then there's a full break with 'SKIT', which seems to be a disco-inspired instrumental interlude. Possibly with the boys talking as well, but the music seems to take the lead. 'SKIT' allows for a full genre change as it bookends 'Gonna be a rock' and their title track 'Nice Guy'

'Nice Guy' still has that disco-funk influence (focus on the synths!) and seems to be an appropriate title track, though we'll have to wait until Sep 9th to really know if it lives up to that.

With 'Nice Guy' as the peak, they start bringing us down again with an introspective '20' ("When I was younger, I was foolish"). The sound feels the most in line with what we've come to expect of BOYNEXTDOOR.

And then finally, their sweetest most loveliest song to date, 'Call Me', which flows seamlessly from '20'. The snippet already brings a smile to my face. It's sort of a foil to 'Dear. My Darling', wherein the singer writes a letter saying goodbye and wanting closure. This time, the singer reaches out through a phone call to tell the listener to come closer, to speak to them whenever they need to.

Obviously, we'll have to listen to the full EP to have a complete opinion, but I'm really jazzed about this. It's charming and personable, which is everything I like about BOYNEXTDOOR.

[imaginespazzi]

Mommy you kept us fed yesterday!!!! 

I die at anything involving their first little baby feelings for each other. It’s truly the only bit of lore/timeline we can’t piece together from evidence. 

ICEYYYY! And KK crumbs. I’m so happy you had Ice as a Wings player, but also sad for ice that she’s gonna be alone in Texas now😂 I hope she gets a new man on the Mavs or something to keep her occupied/happy. I feel like Ice needs to get laid 😂

OLIVIA! Ok I knew she was going to be some form of media person! I am just going to assume it’s canon that she looks like Malika Andrews and that I was right about her pussy made of legos 

But for real I think the press conference aftermath was my favourite part. Sooo many clues/undertones and insight. Of course Paige kept her new gf a secret to spare Azzi even after they broke up messily/had some kind of failed proposal. She will never not be a simp for her princess even WHILE she’s got a new gf. Olivia must have been down bad to not go running for the hills from the get go 😂😂😂

Stephie pooooo! She loves Paige so much it makes me lactate. 

I loved seeing Azzi get on edge at the mention of Olivia’s behaviour at the press conference. Those two absolutely fucking hate each other- you’re a genius for how you involved Olivia… cause I’m sure in the past and future Azzi has had/will have to play nice at pressers when they play Dallas. Imagine having to cordially answer questions your exes new wife is asking you? Dagger

The end scene - I can’t. I love how you bookended the chapter with FaceTiming. Mommy Paige makes me melt. 

Rhetorical statements to subliminally influence you: 

At first I thought Paige getting married would be a rash impulsive decision based off finding out Azzi is pregnant …. I’m now thinking it’s a switcheroo and Azzi getting pregnant is the result of an impulsive/drunk one night stand after Paige tells her about Olivia. In some twisted way Paige is the catalyst for Stephie coming into existence isn’t that beautiful 😂😂😭😭

At some point I’m wondering if Stephie is going to switch up her name for Paige. Miss Buecks is kind of formal - is she gonna switch it up to Paigey at some point or just switch right to MOMMY cause why delay the inevitable 🙃🙃🙃🙃

Now kisssssss Paige and Azzi. Very least a boob caress. Ass grab. We’re Horny over here Nivi! 

Love you 🤱🤱🤱🤱

This mommy thing is gonna stick huh? 😭

Lowkey us not knowing a lot of lore is what makes it more fun to write cause I'm just going off of vibes, no accuracy needed

LMFAO maybe I'll put in a throwaway line about Ice's hot as fuck man who's giving her all she needs

I lowkey died when you made the Malika Andrews comment because I already knew Olivia was gonna be a reporter. There actually was a hint of sorts about it in the last chapter but I don't really think anybody got that.

SKSKSKS not makes you lactate, bro where do you come up with these?

Hate is a strong word but let's just say Azzi and Olivia have not had the most pleasant of interactions in the past and they won't be having friendly greetings in the future either.

Mommy Paige definitely does things to me

You might be the first person who's actually on the same wavelength as me in terms of timeline!

I'm like lowkey really attached to her calling Paige Miss Buecks but it will eventually switch, I'm just not sure to what.

BOOB CARESS and ASS GRAB always so horny lmao

[odettecarotte]

'As far as Nelson is concerned, the issue is one of expectation and conventionality. “For people who don’t necessarily read what [her friend the artist and poet] Wayne Koestenbaum calls ‘philosophically smeared literature about the body’ – which is what I generally perceive myself as having been involved with for the past 30-plus years – this may come as a shock or a revelation, or I may seem brave. But this wasn’t something new to me.”

As she’s keen to remind me, there’s a whole canon of this work out there, and they’re the writers and artists who’ve shaped her thinking. Like Love is bookended by interviews with two of the most important: the aforementioned Koestenbaum, and the poet Eileen Myles. But it’s also a subject on which Nelson touches in an essay about the work of the French writer Hervé Guibert, a pioneer of auto­fiction who wrote about the ravages of Aids. “People read him,” she says, “and they say, ‘Wow! You really wrote to shock the bourgeoisie!’ No – he’s telling you about a culture that’s his life. You think it’s this other thing because that’s the only way you can see it.”'

--Lucy Scholes interview with Maggie Nelson

I'm rereading The Argonauts in preparation for moving in with the love of my life.

Looking up reviews of the book, I'm disappointed to see people with septum rings say that Nelson is trying to shock the readers by starting her book with a scene of anal sex. This isn't a cheap attention grab; it's clearly Nelson's way of making sense of the world.

To me, her descriptions of sex, shit, blood and colostrum are matter of fact.

Love the phrase "philosophically smeared literature about the body." I'm very taken with Northrop Frye's notion of "anatomical fiction" and this is part of that lineage.

Pics of me wearing various extravagant outfits for the fun of it

One of my FAVORITE parts of Femme culture is playing dress up. I love that our gatherings are places where we can wear our most silly, risky, extravagant outfits, safe in the expectation that we'll be seen and appreciated but not harassed. I want the ability to wear a carefully constructed, aesthetically BOMB slutty outfit and have queers coo "your tits look amazing!" and perhaps also notice how my choice of perfume enhances the vibe. And I want to appreciate and ask questions about what they're wearing in turn.

Wearing clothing is a social exercise! This is my desired relation.

My clothing has a lot of meaning to me. Unfortunately strangers who are straight men erase the complexity into "see boobs, must dominate so other men will know I have power." Instead of appreciating, they immediately take ACTION, a stupid wolf whistle, the same action they'd do for any creature with curves.

I want my body to be a matter of fact, that other people can engage with, not a singular call to action.

There's something similar to me in Maggie's self-exposé. IMHO she's writing to and for a queer community so we can all better know our full selves. There is so much deep and complex social and philosophical meaning to what people do with our bodies. We should be opening these actions up, and asking more questions. It disappoints me when readers ignore the complexity and defensively assert that they're being manipulated into giving the author "attention."

[toxicnotebook]

Rating home library ideas from home decorating websites

Okay, here’s the thing: when I was designing a wallpaper for home libraries, I had to look at a lot- and I mean a LOT- of home decorating sites.There were quite a few interesting home libraries, both good and bad. And a few that were downright evil.

I set aside some of the ones I found noteworthy, and now I finally have time to write this post. We’ll start with a classic:

It’s cozy, there’s a comfy patterned chair, it’s using a small space in a smart way, it has a nice lamp and a small succulent. The modern reading nook summed up in one image, and it’s actually achievable for most homes. 7/10

This is, perhaps, a bit too cozy. Leaning a bit on the claustrophobic side if I’m being honest. But it makes good use of a very awkward space, and I do love me some fairy lights.

The top shelf above the window is a bit too high up for easy access though. 6/10

Oh this is just lovely. Does give off a used bookstore vibe, but that’s a plus for me! 8/10

Why does feel more claustrophobic than the one in the skinny ass hallway. It feels like the books are holding their breath to fit in that bookcase. Hate it. Nice color though! 4/10

In contrast, this moderate bookcase feels far larger and airier than it actually is! I do love the decor spots, although I hope the shelves are modular so one could, in theory, add more shelves for more books. Like I just wanna pop another shelf above the glass ball and jam some paperbacks there. But that might be a me problem. 8/10

Girl. This is just mostly air, not airy. Why even bother installing a custom mounted metal shelving unit when you have barely anything to put on it? What an absolute waste of space and money.

Also stacking your books in those small aesthetic piles will make it a bitch to find any specific book, good luck with that. 3/10

Fuck me, the multiple little pile of books on a shelf is a fucking trend. Like WHY would you do this on functional shelves like those? Books piled on a table makes sense. Books placed horizontally on a shelf they are too tall for makes sense. This? This makes no sense. You’re just making it harder to find & take the books off the shelves, AND you’re wasting space. Arrrrrhfhfghgh. 2/10

Ahhhhhh. Much better. Cottagecore girlies, this one’s for you! 9/10

So I live in an area VERY prone to earthquakes, and everything about this image sets off my anxiety. Floating shelves in general are iffy for earthquakes, but the large ones are especially prone to just...falling off the wall when things get moderately shaky.

Add in the large, heavy books on EVERY shelf, the absolute height of the unit, the fact the shelves are polished metal, AND all the books are right on the edge of the shelves....yeah. No thanks. 2/10 don’t wanna be brained by books

WHAT DID I JUST SAY ABOUT EARTHQUAKE SAFETY. The old bookshelf wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t holding up pounds of books with just some bolts embedded in sheet rock and studs! AND GET SOME DIVIDERS. OR BOOKENDS. 1/10

Or something like this, perhaps! Large, roomy, and the spaces are generous enough that it can accommodate taller books. Still don’t like those little piles, but here it’s not as bothersome. This feels like a library that’s well-loved. 9/10 slightly too tall for me though

I hope you don’t have kids or pets, because all your books are coming down when this shelf gets hit with a moderate bump. 3/10 gives waiting room vibes

Good use of an awkward space, a nice chair, and while they did use floating shelves, these ones aren’t overloaded or crazy high on the wall. Wish the top shelf only had paperbacks, though. 5/10

This is just stupid. 2/10 points for whimsy

I’m a short bitch, so I love me an extravagant home library with a built in ladder. The perfect combo of maximum space use and ease of access! 10/10

Unless, of course, the ladder looks like it’s made of balsa wood or is otherwise completely USELESS. 0/10

What a perfect little nook. 10/10

Man, I really wanna love this, but the odd-sized shelf above the built in sofa knock a few points off for me. Maybe if the staging stylist had put in mass market paperbacks instead of regular books it would make more sense. Great view though! 7/10

YES. HELL YES. I love me a staircase library! Perfect combo of class, coziness, and space useage! 11/10

AAAAA THIS ONE IS EVEN BETTER- wait why are the books like that

wait

wait

THIS? THIS IS A FUCKING TREND??? YOU CAN’T STAND ANYTHING BREAKING YOUR PRECIOUS NEUTRAL COLOR SCHEME SO YOU TURN YOUR BOOKS AROUND? DO YOU SIMPLY NOT WANT TO FIND ANY TITLE EVER AGAIN? DO YOUR SENSES COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AT ANY HINT OF SATURATION? GET A FUCKING E-READER IF YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE IDEA OF BOOK SPINES!

Anyways. -2/10

Ahhh. Much better. Good use of an old phone nook, and you could add those raw wood shelves yourself. And look! You can have a neutral palette AND a home library without making it impossible to find a book! Who would have thought. 9/10

These types of shelves look cool, but are just hard to use in any useful way. Your books are going to be constantly flopping over. 3/10

Oh this is just prime coziness. Can you imagine reading in one of those squishy chairs on a rainy day? I’m starting to relax just from thinking about it. 10/10 someone get me a hot cocoa

I know these types of built-in shelves are popular, but man it would be such a pain in the ass to get any of the books from the top shelves. It just feels like these types of libraries are there for aesthetic purposes, not everyday use. 5/10 they do look cool at least

Well. At least there’s a ladder. 3/10 TOO TALL TOO TALL

This appeals to my Goth sensibilities. 9/10 gimme that chandelier

Those giant words feel like a threat. Is this library about to fight me? 3/10 hate the vibes

This REALLY appeals to my Goth sensibilities. 10/10 RAVENS!!

My opinion on this rests entirely on whether or not there are books behind the painting, because if I had to take down a giant ass portrait every time I wanted to read idk Witches Abroad I would be. Hmm. Cranky! Schrodinger’s books/10

Another excellent use of a weird space, and you could add those shelves yourself! 8/10

This is...extremely off-putting, but I’m not sure why 3/10 kinda getting fire hazard vibes tbh

If I walk into your home and I see this, I immediately know you don’t actually read those books. No book reader is gonna jam their books into a FIREPLACE- hope you closed it up, by the way, otherwise good luck when it rains- in a Tetris-like configuration with no way to see the titles. Every time you try to take a book out you’ll have to shove a bunch of books around and hope they don’t fall out in a giant pile you’ll have to carefully put back in your aesthetic little configuration of nonsense. Home library my ass. Be honest to yourself and call it what it is- an art installation on the cheap. 0/10

Oh I adore this. First off, perfect use of a weird alcove space. Second, the cushy pillows and warm lights just ooze cozy comfort. I can easily see myself flopping over the pillows with a thick book and hot tea. 12/10

Sooo, if I want to take out a book I’ll have to worry about knocking over my entire collection if I go a little too quickly or take out more than one? PASS. 1/10 point for the rainbow I guess

MAN, this just hits my maximalist sensibilities in the right places. The light fixtures, the absolute maximum use of space but still keeping everything within reach, and the bright yellow/deep teal color scheme. There are piles of books on the floor, but since I had my own floor pile during the bookstore days I can’t judge. Absolute perfection. 14/10 maybe put a rail on that stair shaped bookcase, you know someone’s gonna try it

NO

NO

NO

HAVE YOU NO OTHER THOUGHTS IN YOUR BRAIN OTHER THAN YOUR ROMANTIC AESTHETICS? HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF PRACTICALITY? EVERY TIME YOU BATHE, YOUR BOOKS WILL COLLECT MOISTURE AND TRAP IT. THEY WILL NEVER TRULY DRY IN THAT LITTLE ISOLATED CUBBY HOLE OF A TUB. EACH DIP, EACH INDULGENT SOAK WILL NURTURE A BREEDING GROUND FOR SOME OF THE WORST THINGS YOU CAN BREATHE IN. AND WHEN YOU ARE HACKING OUT YOUR SPORE FILLED LUNGS, YOU WILL HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF. Or maybe your designer. In that case, -100/10 FIRE YOUR INTERIOR DESIGNER

Sources:

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/home-lifestyle/decorating-ideas/g32701104/home-library-ideas/

https://onekindesign.com/2013/08/02/50-jaw-dropping-home-library-design-ideas/

https://www.thespruce.com/home-library-design-ideas-4129190

https://www.mydomaine.com/home-library-ideas-5086793

https://www.homesandgardens.com/interior-design/small-home-library-ideas

https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/home-library-office/g696/designer-libraries/

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/home-libraries-slideshow

[sfsolace]

Makinata Mondays: A Hakumei & Mikochi read-along

This is a weekly series where i read through my favorite manga and share my thoughts along with some screenshots.

Chapter 5: Workday

Plot summary: We follow Hakumei on a day at her job as a repairwoman. After (almost) taking a nasty fall while repairing a windmill, she calls it a day and returns home.

Its so cute that the news hopper immediately picks up on the vibe and asks if they're fighting. I'm gonna touch on this more later, but this is one of those moments where you really feel like they are a couple.

Also interesting to note that Hakumei has a "killer stare" when she thinks about work. It's very relatable to me, since I've been told i have an intense look when I'm lost in thought or worried.

Her heavy-duty work clothes are great and most of the chapter is her working inside the wind mill.

To her left is her boss Iwashidani/Iwashi, a weasel with a smoking habit and a soft spot for Hakumei. He might not look like it most of the time, but he puts a lot of trust in Hakumei and her skills.

It's exciting watching Hakumei do her job and i'm a big fan of Iwashi; but what sticks out for me the most in this chapter is this melancholic side of Hakumei we see at the end.

After her fall, she seems quite shaken and the torrential rain certainly isn't helping. It's rendered very intricately, with the fine white mist where it hits the characters, thin black lines streaking down from the sky and thick drops hanging off the two. The rain feels almost oppressive, the scene completely drenched.

After this moment, we don't see Hakumei's eyes until she's home again. For the entire way home, she ruminating on how to do better next time; until Mikochi snaps her out of it with a bath and some food.

I'm glad this chapter ends on a sweeter note, because watching Hakumei hang her head all the way home is really heartbreaking.

It's a nice detail that we see the bus stop in the beginning of the chapter, her commutes to and from work bookend the chapter in a way, they provide a certain symmetry.

Let's hope next week is a bit more cheery!

[purecommemasolitude]

finished the play script! some changes + some accompanying thoughts

steve straight-up doesn't exist in this version and it did take me until after the court scene to realize. sorry king

sandy does though! she appears onstage after pony gets jumped and in an added scene of tulsa while pony & johnny are off. not much is added to her character in terms of facts other than she's got a real rough home life, but the way her relationship with soda's written is sweet. they do make one notable difference about her though, specifically:

sandy doesn't get pregnant or cheat in this version?? rather, she can't take her home life anymore, and goes to florida because of that. she shoots down darry's offer to stay with the curtises because she "can't stay here" and then soda's offer of marriage for the same reason + because they're both sixteen

two-bit and dally are older than darry, but it only comes up in the character description and not the play text

a lot of ponyboy's internal narration is converted into dialogue and sometimes it is. very strange. ponyboy's a quiet kid who keeps a lot of his thoughts to himself and now here he is blathering mean thoughts about darry all over the place that people are not doing nearly enough to counteract ‼

speaking of which ponyboy seems a lot less understanding of darry's plight in this verison. he only has one line saying darry's life is rough and several others dismissing darry's troubles

(also soda has to explain to pony who paul holden is and why he matters, which i assume is for the audience's benefit, but still contributes to darry and pony's relationship being much more distant here)

bob & randy are now also the socs who jump pony at the beginning, which makes sense

rather than go to buck's, dally just happens to be in the area and see the murder -- which makes sense to streamline the story and avoid unnecessary transitions, but does make his relationship with the other two less strong

as previously mentioned there's a scene about the tulsa gang while pony & johnny are gone, which is the scene where sandy tells soda about how she's leaving.

two-bit and pony have their exchange about how darry's stricter than his parents were and then they cut it off literally right before two-bit says darry would be a soc without the gang which is upsetting to Me as a darry enjoyer

it starts with ponyboy calling mr syme which is a fine lead-in i guess but i vastly prefer the bookend line and the reveal that ponyboy's been writing the whole thing at the end

pony & johnny do nothing about their hair in this version which makes sense because that's a difficult transition onstage but does make their plan way worse lmao

the tone of ponyboy's post-sickness plight is wayy different. it's a lot less catatonic state and a lot more easy breezy i'll have to get a job as soon as i graduate so why not just drop out now elemayo

darry knows about sandy's letter and ponyboy doesn't which kind of. counteracts the whole point about how both of them have been overlooking him (ponyboy knows she's gone to florida but thinks they're writing back and forth and darry shows him the unopened letter)

and also there's not nearly as climactic of a fight that causes soda's breakdown. they don't even try to get him involved in the argument

honestly the whole vibe between the brothers rings weird in several places to me. save me the musical. the musical save me

the end shift post-soda breakdown is not even about the brothers but about ponyboy deciding to commit to writing his composition (and school, as is implied) and it's very tied up in a pretty, resolved bow, which feels weird also

other than these (and a few other minor things) the script sticks really closely to the novel, including ripping most of the dialogue word-for-word, so unlike something more textually transformative like the musical it's a lot harder to highlight good stuff because most of the good stuff is because of se hinton and not the playwright 😭but it was genuinely a fun read other than weird pony choices and the strange curtis vibe and i'd go watch a production for sure

link below for those interested!

[markantonys]

Maybe Nenya is gonna heal Adar, but his children will turn away from him? I really hope he doesn't die 😭

i was just thinking about this theory, you read my mind! it would be so cool to see adar healed back to his pre-corrupted fair elf form. show us Yassified Adar! but then if his children don't recognize him or think he's betrayed them and chosen to be an elf again...........😭😭😭

adar is 100% going to lose the orcs' loyalty at some point and in some way. but when and how?

on the one hand, sauron seems like he'll be too busy in ep8 to have time to get the entire orc race under his sway and there hasn't yet been any setup for him being able to do that since he hasn't made any contact with any orcs this season to start manipulating, so imo it would feel rushed for the orcs to fall under sauron's control already next week (unless sauron has some quick but effective dastardly scheme up his sleeve, which is always possible). especially since the trailer showed we'll be catching up with some of the non-eregion storylines too; idk if sauron will have time for much next week besides having his big confrontation with galadriel and getting his hands on the nine. and i've heard from source material experts that he might need to go to numenor to do some scheming next season (pls don't give me any more spoilers beyond whatever i say myself, i've already received more spoilers than i wanted lmao), so if that were to happen, it might not make sense for him to collect the orcs at the end of s2 and then leave them unsupervised for a whole season while he's dicking around in numenor. so i could see "sauron gaining control of the orcs" being a slower-burn storyline that won't come to fruition until a later season.

but there HAS been a ton of setup for the orcs being disillusioned with adar and turning on him, so i would be surprised if that doesn't happen next week (unless that is ALSO going to be a slower-burn storyline). so perhaps we get a scenario of the orcs turning on adar, but being leaderless for most of s3 and thus primed for sauron to swoop in and snatch them? or maybe glug and a faction defect from adar next week, but others remain with him, but there's a crack in the family now and the increasing fracture is a storyline in s3 that ends with adar losing all the remaining orcs? either way, 2x07 had very strong "pride comes before a fall" vibes for adar, so i can't shake the sense that he'll suffer a BIG fall in the finale.

but i do feel that having him end s2 betrayed and alone but alive is a viable possibility. the showrunners seem to like his character, and he's been a fan-favorite, so surely they'd like to keep him around longer if they can! and it's good to have an orc-aligned main character since they would otherwise be the only middle earth faction not represented among the main cast of characters, so in that sense adar occupies a very unique space in the narrative that it would be a shame to lose so soon. plus, the recast; in most scenarios, recasting is a last resort when the character absolutely cannot be written out of the show after the original actor leaves, so the fact that they recast adar instead of writing him out like bronwyn gives me a smidge of hope that they have plans for him beyond season 2 (although there are plenty of other unrelated reasons why they might have recast adar but not bronwyn, notably that it's probably easier to recast a character so heavy on makeup & prosthetics since it wouldn't be as jarring or noticeable to the audience, and so it definitely doesn't preclude s2 being the end of his story).

but we also can't ignore that choosing to have adar leading the orcs to turn on and massacre sauron be the very first scene of the season sets up VERY heavy foreshadowing for adar to suffer that fate himself in the season finale as a neat bookend. so i am frightened!!!!

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Baby Boomer Classics: Surfin' Sixties 1985 Surf Rock / Surf Pop / Instrumental Surf

Folks, we've finally done it! We've reached the end of the California-based JCI label's Baby Boomer Classics series! And to close this whole thing out, we've got some sweet tunes from one of the best musical phenomena that the 60s ever had to offer: those good ol' surfin' vibes, which presently seem to go well with the absolutely brutal heat that much of the US is having to endure right now, and also serve as JCI's fond remembrance of all this stuff that was emanating from their own idyllically depicted home state 🏄🌞.

Now, essentially there were two different sounds that ended up comprising surf music altogether. You had your instrumental stuff that was pioneered by people like Dick Dale, and came with this wet sound and thick and twangy guitar tone; and then you had your vocal pop stuff, which had those uniquely patented and super dreamy Beach Boys group harmonies. And the two of these sounds combined ended up forming a whole California myth, centered around endlessly youthful, carefree, beach blonde summer fun.

And while this short crop of a dozen surf classics contains neither Dick Dale nor The Beach Boys on it—probably because the licensing costs proved to be too expensive—this still serves as a pretty good surf comp. The only thing is that with a lot of these things, if you've heard one, you've pretty much heard most of them, because you'll definitely find the bulk of these tracks on plenty of other general surf comps too.

But be that as it may, as the title suggests, we do have a bunch of surf classics on here, both of the instrumental rock and vocal pop variety. Duo Jan & Dean, who weren't always surf musicians themselves, but ended up becoming close with the Beach Boys and then became the country's second foremost surf pop act as a result, bookend this album with a pair of their biggest hits: "Ride the Wild Surf" to open, and then their signature, Brian Wilson co-penned and missed opportunity, "Surf City," to close. And we also, of course, have the iconic "Wipe Out" from The Surfaris on the instrumental side of things, and then for something a bit more unique and progressive on that same front, we have the plaintive "Lonely Surfer" from constant Phil Spector arranger Jack Nitzsche, which tries to capture the sonic essence of a towering tidal wave by adding a 'Wall of Sound' production style by way of dramatic strings.

So, not much of a unique surf comp here by any means, but because I really do love any opportunity I get to listen to this old stuff, this is by far one of my favorite dispatches from the Baby Boomer Classics series as a whole. I have absolutely *no* coordination or balance to be able to stand on a surfboard, and I also despise sand in my shoe and a hot, beating sun, but goddamn do I still fucking adore these vibes here 😍.

And that's it! No more Baby Boomer Classics from me for a very long time! Overall, this was a great budget comp series that never allowed itself to give into the temptation of deceitfully filling out their releases with dreadful re-recordings, which is what a lot of labels like JCI succumbed to. Every song they ever selected for one of these comps used its master recording, and that should be applauded. And with the whole series taken together, what you end up having is a good foundation of a bunch of quality music from the 50s through 70s, making for a quick and dirty way for an eclectic listener to build what beloved music critic Robert Christgau has referred to as a 'basic record library.'

And a new series like this one is on the way (crowd boos), but not quite yet (crowd cheers), but it's going to be a lot longer than this one (crowd boos), but when I'm done ramming through it you'll never have to hear from me about it ever again and I can then go on to explore other stuff! (crowd goes into delirium)

Highlights:

Jan & Dean - "Ride the Wild Surf" The Sunrays - "I Live for the Sun" The Marketts - "Out of Limits" The Rivieras - "California Sun" The Surfaris - "Wipe Out" Ronny & the Daytonas - "G.T.O." The Surfaris - "Surfer Joe" The Routers - "Let's Go (Pony)" Jack Nitzsche - "The Lonely Surfer" Jan & Dean - "Surf City"

[myshredda]

i keep trying to think what makes this fandom so different from others because this environment is so unusually pleasant and patient with bothering to understand each other. im sure a huge part of it is the format of tumblr itself with its revival and all of the friction and oldfasioned sensibilities that allow for long paragraphs that are EXPECTED to be read all the way through unlike other platforms haha. but really its more then that because i look at the odd "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" work of emotional VENT that was the original webseries built by an art collective of all things and to see the tv show keep that spirit so well so vibrantly a whole 10 years later- and age up with the original fans with deep cuts about adult experiences... but really i think about what isnt there that lets this be one of the rare lasting fandoms with things to STILL talk and speculate over even though the season is over and the bookend is so nice that its story itself is probably done too- if it is i wouldnt mind haha. it feels so rare to see something this tight knit with its execution and still leave so much fodder on the table for things like aus that still have a feeling of authenticity to those who are detailed oriented to take on the challenge. like ive never had a work of media feel more like a writing prompt or art class then a piece of entertainment ahahaha. not to mention how deeply this speaks to neurodivergent people in the rare way that CELEBRATES diversity and gives for really nuanced advice that shows the staff have been there themselves in these topics so they can speak to experiences at a intimacy im not used to something at this scale. im mutch more used to the weird phenomenon of fetishizeing mental illness in a way that can just enable people to be worse especially if it means they can call themselves "artists" if they talk about their pain. this really feels like a community and i just needed to come and gush about it ehehehe~

back to the asks hi vex!

Yeah I definately agree that this is the most non-toxic & creative fandom I've been in in a hot minute! I think it may have something to do with how loosey goosey the actual plot of the youtube + series 4 series is! Like anything can be considered 'canon' so there's not a lot of people stressed about keeping characterization rock solid or character design rock solid (re: red being a big creature with a tail + patches/duck having glasses/yellow being a funky little guy) so there's a level of artistic freedom that's not normally present in a fandom space!

yeah literally this meme is the vibe

[wellntruly]

M*A*S*H - Viewguide, S5

Are you interested in the long-running anti-war situation tragicomedy M*A*S*H (1972-1983), but there are simply so many asterisks and so many episodes?

Well I can’t help you with the asterisks, but nor can I help myself: I started watching all 11 seasons of M*A*S*H, and bringing back for you my viewing selections, chosen for The Qualities.

— — —

This season overall I'd say feels kind of, mild? Less low lows and less high highs. Just middley. I nearly included one episode almost wholly for the appeal of being maybe 75% set at night (something I would do), and secondly for the appeal of Hawkeye sleepwalking, when he's not waking from nightmares. But it's very I'll say "Season 5" in that despite this, it's just, I don't know somehow milder than I might want, especially when this set-up naturally recalls the much odder and eerier 'Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde' from Season 2, with (and possibly even because of) its spikier swings between the antic and traumatic.

But it happened that a lot of the stronger stuff here lent itself to putting together something of a more focused character collection. So welcome to our Special Issue!, highlighting the previously maybe somewhat under-served Major Margaret Houlihan, and Captain BJ Hunnicutt:

M*A*S*H - Season 5 Recommended sequence

5x03 ‘Margaret’s Engagement’ - So fun to me that Margaret & Frank transitioning from “secret” lovers to “secret” exes is somehow the exact same mood while having the opposite content. Ending comes out of nowhere and on a pretty weak joke, but when it's just Hawkeye & BJ lounging on each other on Margaret’s bed as she hops around showing them her goofy little engagement ring, that’s the Margaret & The Boys ‘Silly Mood’ vibes I've been missing, baby. Loretta Swit is back!

5x06 ’The Nurses’ - This one made me cry??? It was written and directed by women. It’s about women having complex relationships with each other. Bechdel Test smashed, only took us four seasons! 

5x08 ‘Dear Sigmund’ - It's the context here that really has me like, haha totally. This is the first episode they’ve let Alan Alda write all himself in three calendar seasons, and he's like great, okay: can I just get down nothing but a bunch of character meta and headcanons for everyone and put that up as TV? Yeah Victor Hugo that sounds wild, please do.

5x09 ‘Mulcahy’s War’ - Father Mulcahy goes out to the front to experience the horrors (more), but amazingly the real reason I'm including this one is that Gary Burghoff’s distressed little straight man hilarity here made me laugh so, so much, and then have a staggering realization: the character of Radar O'Reilly is absolutely the progenitor of Guillermo de la Cruz.

5x10 ‘The Korean Surgeon’ - Would be worth it for Hawkeye & BJ talking to Radar in the mess tent ALONE (Gary Emmy-winning year). But also I love their kind weary surgeon friend from ~the other side~

5x15 ‘The Most Unforgettable Characters’ - At 10 minutes in I'd thought, alright this is probably just another middle sort of one, and then at 10 minutes and 30 seconds, BJ (BJ, baby??!) spontaneously proposes that he and Hawkeye spend the rest of the episode play-acting that they're fighting to entertain Frank for his birthday, inspiring Barbara Kruger four years later to go, y'know what, I'm gonna have to comment on this.

5x19 ‘Hanky Panky’ - You tell me “BJ episode where he cheats on his wife,” and I’m going to say, “hm well that’s not the kind of character development I think I want,” but I would be wrong about that! A) love her, she's great in this, B) there is one particular revelation BJ shares here that is just, exquisite information. I will say no more at this juncture (Watch Notes: Coming soon!), but in light of oh, a lot: oh my god.

5x25 ‘Margaret’s Marriage’ - Let’s bookend this! One thing I love about long episodic seasons, is that after Margaret somehow ever more hilariously saying the name ‘Lieutenant Colonel Donald Penobscott’ for 22 episodes, the man finally appearing felt like forbidden Beckett. 

And also now say bye-bye, Frank [chorus: bye-bye, Frank!]

Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • To be continued

#M*A*S*H hours