#carla jam

[norbezjones]

Hey Tumblr,

Would you play this game?

(We're finally in the programming phase, eeeee!)

[datura-tea]

i made a craig/carla playlist :)

[razorsadness]

I wanna be high I wanna be free I want a love that burns so bright it burns a hole inside of me

[armageddon-generation]

Empire of Death was bad and cemented several fundemental flaws in this season.

I watched this in the theatre, and the contrast between everyone's excitement before Empire, and their universal disappointment leaving the theatre was super disheartening. I'm gonna try to articulate my problems with episode, and how they're linked to fundenental structural issues of this season.

SPOILERS BELOW:

Sutekh

The moment the UNIT characters died the story was robbed of any stakes. (Also? Kate and Ibrahim?? During Pride month?? Disgusting)

Sutekh was pointless, big CGI spectacle who was barely there. Saying he's been latched onto the TARDIS since Pyramids of Mars was such an asspull. Why couldn't he have latched on during Wild Blue Yonder? wouldn't that make much more sense??

You're telling me the guy who holds all life in contempt is invested enough in learning the identity of Ruby's mum he willingly reveals himself??

And then they defeat him by dragging him through the Vortex just like before, which it's been explicitly stated *didn't work* last time? He just *lets* Ruby leash him??

The 'death of death is life' bit, and the idea of the Doctor representing life as a Ying to Sutekh's Yang, is a cool concept just jammed in there with no real buildup or depth.

The issue is bringing Sutekh back takes so much effort- a literal, clunky clipshow of Pyramids of Mars, a whole episode spent building up to the reveal of a silly anagram entirely unrekated to Sutekh's previous appearance. And it just... amounts to nothing. What a silly way to cap off a season meant to be jumping-on point for brand-new viewers.

Mel was just takingup space. Pointless.

Ruby's Mother

I don't have a problem with the *concept* of Ruby's mum being normal. I really like the idea thematically. The execution was terrible.

First of all it leaves so many unanswered questions (why the snow? Why was time changing? Why was she shadowed? Literally just for the sake of the mystery-box?) and represents the worst thing about this new era- RTD using fantasy logic to handwave any logic at all, and just do whatever he wants without properly justifying it.

Second, I *hate* how easy and simple and neat the reunion is. Ruby seems incapable of getting angry with anyone. She has never once argued with 15, or Carla, or anyone besides that one moment in 73 Yards. She has never expressed any kind of negative feeling towards her mother for abandoning her. And it's fine for her to reach that conclusion! It's just bizzare we never see Ruby struggle with her feelings beyond the shallow goal of wanting to find her.

(Also Carla? Has nothing to say?? Just welcomes that woman in with basically no comment? Carla is a 2D cutout of a person, used as a plot device and otherwise relegated to the single character trait of I Love My Daughter. The children yearn for the ilk of Jackie Tyler, Sylvia Noble, even Francine Jones.)

15 & Ruby

The emotion behind 15 & Ruby's split felt entirely unearned because we've never seen their bond develop. They never argue, never disagree, Ruby hasn't learned anything about herself or grown or changed. The closest we got to that is 73 Yards, which was undone. She was already brave and kind and musical and sure she loved her adoptive family when we met her in Church on Ruby Road.

Similarly, 15 tells us Ruby encouraged him to talk about family in a way he never has, but that was in what, two moments across the season? And they seemed random, unrelated to Ruby being with him. New viewers will assume 15 is just that open anyway- he was discussing fatherhood with a dead man's hologram- and old viewers assumed trauma-dumping was just a new trait of 15's personality, not Ruby-specific.

The problem is we're told Ruby & 15 are best friends but it isn't earned. I liked 15 crying initially but both he and Ruby do it so much (15 cries about 5 times in this one episode) it loses its impact and I'm becoming numb to it. There is no contrast, no downtime.

Season Structural Issues

I think the biggest problem is Season 1's storytelling priorities. It's much more interested in selling *the show* (look at our big budget! And guest stars! And how flexible our format is! Musical episode! The Beatles as props! Bottle episode! Indie folk-horror! Black Mirror! Gay Bridgerton!) it forgot to put effort into developing and investing us in its characters. I liked a lot of the individual stories this year but in retrospect a lot of them feel like they're wasting space that needed to go to essential character and theme setup.

These skewed priorities, combined with the cut down episode count, really impact the pacing of the season. Ruby and 15 were barely together! Even in Rogue they were seperated for most of the story!! We only loop back to a flashback of 15 meeting Carla in Rogue!

This is made worse by the baffling insistence on a 45-minute runtime. We know key sequences were cut from almost every episode, with highlights including:

The Gobin King invading Ruby's flat and her banishing him with scratchcards in The Church on Ruby Road: Her missing 'companion saves the day' moment!

Refrence to the Toymaker in The Church on Ruby Road, which was itself referenced in The Devil's Chord. 'I told you about the Toymaker when we first met' sir, objectively you did not.

The TARDIS jukebox playing the Sugarbabes' Push The Button in the opening scene of Space Babies, hastily cut around in the final edit. This is the setup of a running joke still in the episode, and part of the story's climax. The first encounter with the Bogeyman was also longer, with 15 taking particular interest in its skin

Extended scenes in Abbey Road from The Devil's Chord, including an apparently significant speaking role for Cilla Black, according to her annoyed actress.

Cut dialogue from The Devil's Chord explaining the musoical number was caused by Maestro's power lingering, and that banishing them undid everything they'd done. Fans inferred thos based on the rules established in The Giggle, but again, new fans haven't seen The Giggle and were left clueless.

An opening sequence for The Legend of Ruby Sunday where 15 & Ruby meet Susan as a nanny in 1947 America, a blue-skinned waitress, and an astronaut meeting a colony of giant, sentient ants. At the end of this we actually see 15 decide to go to UNIT for help. In the broadcast version he just sorta shows up.

Really what Empire of Death exposed to me is how emotionally hollow the season was. I enjoy the exoperimentalism, but not at the cost of character. And then in the finale Russell reverts to almost a parody of his RTD1 finales, with the nonsense logic and lack of consequences. All the worst bits of Last of the Time Lords and The Giggle put in a blender.

[lostbetweenvampiresandmusic]

Hello lovely!! I saw requests were open but if i'm mistaken just ignore me lol, but if they are, i was wondering if i could request hcs for poly!lost boys with a free spirited s/o who is always traveling and exploring (think like young donna from mamma mia yk?) thank you again lovely <333

Thank you for the request! It's a fun one, and like, I definitely knew who donna was? (Is it alright to admit I've never seen Mamma Mia? Or is that like not done?) Anyway, thanks for the fun ask, and I hope you like this!😘

-----------------------

When I say you've travelled a lot, I mean a lot. You spent summer holidays backpacking through Europe and Asia, hitting several countries and enjoying the adventure tremendously.

Holidays do come to an end, however, so once you're back in the States, you decide to explore more of the state you live in. You didn't really have a plan, and the bustrip that was supposed to take you to San Francisco ended up with you being stranded in Santa Carla.

I am convinced that you met Paul first, probably while jamming with some musicians on the boardwalk. You danced and sang along, twirling around until you suddenly slammed into someone.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" You'd laugh, "Are you alright?" Paul would just grin, dragging you along in another dance. "Sure am, babe," he'd say, "but it would be even better if I get your name."

So that's how you get to know Paul, as a carefree, fun-loving guy - and you absolutely adore him. Through him, you meet the others.

"Oh my god, are these bikes yours?" Is probably along the first things you say to them. When they ask if you ride, you happily shake your head. "Nope, but I am certain I can!" Needless to say, they make sure to leave their keys in sight.

Later on, they do teach you how to drive, but none are quite comfy with you going off on your own since driving safety is not the first thing on your mind.

They run into you at the weirdest places. One time, they found you stuck in a tree. Another time, they found you lounging on the roof of a motel - the ladder you'd used to get on the roof had fallen, and you'd decided that sunbathing and stargazing was a very nice way to spend the day instead of doing groceries and such.

Marko absolutely adores the way you handle things, how you just enjoy life and can laugh about practically anything.

I am convinced you and Dwayne will bond over telling stories of adventures. You have a lot, and so does he and in the end the two of you could talk for hours.

You and David had to get used to each other for a bit, with him being way more controlled than you - and you being way more open and free in the way you acted. But once you connected over a story, or when you stumbled and fell into his arms - followed by some corny oneliner - the two of you get really close.

You fit in perfectly, within the groups dynamic. You're not quite as chaotic as Paul and Marko can be and definitely not as mysterious as the other two - so it definitely works out well.

David takes you to hidden gems around town and genuinely loves to accompany you when you're out exploring.

You find out they're vampires due to one of the long chats with Dwayne, and you hate to admit it, but you're really disappointed that they don't turn into bats.

The next morning you find a tiny bat charm laying on your pillow.

Once you know what they are, you definitely want to experience parts of their world. Not the feeding, perhaps, but the flying? Yes, absolutely.

Marko takes you out flying the first time and you have never felt more alive.

Overtime you begin to feel a little conflicted: you really like all of them, in a rather romantic way and eventhough it is rather simple in your head (just date all of them) you're just not sure if they'd be okay with that?

But when you awkwardly bring it up one night, the boys just grin. Everyone's in, and suddenly you've gained four boyfriends.

Dynamic wise, nothing changes, except you get the occasional ask if you want to turn into a vampire as well.

If you do, I am certain you spent the first couple of months exploring the town all over again with the boys, and then begging them to come along when you went out to explore the rest of the world because a) you had the time now and b) travelling and exploring while you're a vampire is so much more fun

David and Dwayne are always on alert when they hear you (or Paul or Marko) gleefully yell something along the lines of "Let's do it!" "Who cares!" Or "Fuck it!" Because it often means one of you will get stuck somewhere. Like a tree. Or a roof. Or under the boardwalk. Or in a fight with sharks. You get the drift ;)

Before I forget, you absolutely adore Marko's pigeons, and on world animal day you definitely give them little pigeontreats.

[mooncaps]

Sounds like Lemongrab.

That should end well.

😈

Why do I feel like them leaving stuff behind is gonna be significant?

Okay, that's definitely gotta be significant, right?

Kinda figured that's where that was going.

Okay, but I still kind of feel like this episode's gonna come back around somehow. If it weren't for the vague impression I have that the show gets complicated, I'd probably assume all of these episodes were just barely linked together episodic fluff, but I guess I've come into it biased to look for deeper meanings.

Dorito spotted.

Dipper. (grabs spray bottle) No! We just had an episode about how it's wrong to belittle people for not meeting certain gender standards.

Given that I've heard Disney made this show censor a lot of stuff, I'm surprised that this was allowed.

Well, that's a reaction image waiting to happen.

The game references are fun.

Wait...did other episodes have gibberish in the credits? Lemme just...

Oh shit! That's gotta be some kind of cryptogram! I love cryptograms! Now let's see...

ZHOFRPH WR JUDYLWB IDOOV QHAW ZHHN: UHWXUQ WR EXWW LVODQG KH'V VWLOO LQ WKH YHQWV FDUOD, ZKB ZRQW BRX FDOO PH? RQZDUGV DRVKLPD! PU. FDHVDULDQ ZLOO EH RXW QHAW ZHHN. PU. DWEDVK ZLOO VXEVWLWXWH. KZKVI QZN WRKKVI HZBH: "ZFFTSDCJSTZWHZWFS!" V. KOFIRYFH GIVNYOVB MLG S.T. DVOOH ZKKILEVW HLIIB, WRKKVI, YFG BLFI DVMWB RH RM ZMLGSVI XZHGOV.

Hrmmm, this is gonna be tricky. I'm sure there's probably a wiki or something that has it solved, but I wanna try it myself.

Okay, nothing's quite lining up. Unless there's some total nonsense, made-up cartoon words, or old-timey speak in here. Or I guess if there's more than one key. There are 3 journals, so maybe it's every third episode. Maybe if I just do episodes 1, 4, 7, and 10.

ZHOFRPH WR JUDYLWB IDOOV FDUOD, ZKB ZRQW BRX FDOO PH? KZKVI QZN WRKKVI HZBH: "ZFFTSDCJSTZWHZWFS!" HLIIB, WRKKVI, YFG BLFI DVMWB RH RM ZMLGSVI XZHGOV.

Okay, there are only so many four letter words that start and end with the same letter, so HZBH could be big. A, B, C, D, no dead doesn't fit, E, F, G, ... Oh, S! Says! That's why it's got a colon after it. Now we're in business.

[sorry, dipper, but your wendy is in another castle.]

Fits the episode. Okay. And I've cracked enough to reasonably say this one is just the alphabet backwards. So that means:

[paper jam dipper says: "auughwxqhgadsaduh!"]

Trolly writers, throwing that gibberish phrase in.

The reverse-alphabet key works on 7 and 10, but not 1 and 4. So I guess every third episode isn't the method to the madness. Let's see if it fits any others...

[e. pluribus trembley] [not h.g. wells approved]

So it only fits 7, 8, 9, and 10. Are the first six all one key then? Let's see...

Okay, I'm seeing QHAW ZHHN twice. That bodes well. KH'V is hella sus. It's? He's? We'd? And all these doubled-up letters. Hrmmm...

[welcome to gravity falls] [next week: return to butt island] [he's still in the vents] [carla, why wont you call me?] [onwards aoshima!] [mr. caesarian will be out next week. mr. atbash will substitute.]

Okay, that last one's a little out there, and I'm not sure who Carla is, but the rest of the letters made it say that. Maybe it'll make sense later.

So, this is pretty fun.

[britany1997]

Paul and Fishy

(Read about Paul and Fishy’s backstory here) (This one’s pretty silly y’all)

Paul stared at the ceiling as he laid on the couch in the cave, frustrated. How many times had he seen Dwayne take his dog with him to the dog park, or Marko fly around with his parrot? He even caught David napping with his cat once!

Paul wanted to be able to do fun things with his pet, but there was only so much you could do with a goldfish. He sighed. “I could take you to the boardwalk?” Fishy blinked. “You’re right, there’re too many stands with goldfish, I wouldn’t want you to get taken.” He thought about it some more. “Ooh! I could take you for a ride on my motorcycle?” Fishy wiggled his fin “No no you’re right, motorcycles and glass bowls don’t mix, that’s an accident waiting to happen.” Paul groaned and starred at fishy. “Don’t look at me like that, I want to be able to go on adventures with you too! But I would never risk you getting hurt.” He laid back on the couch and rubbed his forehead, desperately trying to think of something.

Later that night, Paul strutted around the board walk looking for someone something to eat. As he was walking he passed a flyer that caught his eye. The Sky-view drive in was showing Finding Nemo that weekend! It was perfect! Finally something he and Fishy could do together. Now the only issue was figuring out how to get there. Paul knew he couldn’t take his bike to the drive-in, and even if he could, he knew Fishy would be way to exposed strapped to the back of his motorcycle. Paul sighed as he starred at the flyer, there was one thing he could do, but the boys wouldn’t be too happy about it. Paul inhaled sharply, his mind made up. Fishy was worth the trouble.

Friday night rolled around and Paul put his plan into action. The boys were distracted after luring a sweet looking blonde girl into the cave. Paul had told them he wasn’t hungry, he figured he could eat at the theater. While David was giving his spiel about the sunken hotel, Paul snuck out with Fishy in his bowl, a drill, and a screwdriver in his arms.

He wandered around the bushes surrounding the cave until he found it, damaged from the rain and looking much worse for wear than that last time he’d seen it, but there it was. The boy’s convertible they had lifted from a stock market trader visiting Santa Carla some years ago. Dwayne had insisted they drain the guy, something about ‘eating the rich’? The had caught him in the parking lot, and they figured why not take the car too?

They didn’t use it much anymore, preferring to take their bikes instead, but David had made it veryyy clear after, what the boys referred to as, “the great crash of ‘96,” that Paul was never allowed to even look at the car, much less drive it. Paul knew he had to act fast, so he placed fishy’s bowl in the passenger seat gently before buckling him in. Then he took the drill and drilled into the keyhole a little, looking back over his shoulder as he did so, making sure the boys hadn’t heard. He removed the drill and waited for screams to come from the cave. As soon as they did, he jammed his screwdriver into the keyhole, turning it clockwise and starting the engine. He smiled and looked over at Fishy, “Let’s roll bud!” he said before zipping off.

Paul drove slowly (for him) the entire way to the drive-in. He pulled into a spot and parked, turning off the car and switching to the radio station with the movie’s audio. He unbuckled Fishy’s bowl and placed it in his lap. “Can you see bud?” Paul asked him. Fishy let out three bubbles. “Ok great,” Paul said smiling. He relaxed into the car seat as the movie began. Finally, he was getting to do something special with his pet too.

Paul came back to the cave with a smile on his face and Fishy in tow. The boys all whipped around to see him come in, “Damn it Paul, did you take the car again?” David asked him with his hands on his hips, “you know you’re not allowed to do that any more after last time!” “Relax bud! I was driving slow the whole time! I had precious cargo!” Paul replied while holding up Fishy’s bowl. The goldfish blinked for emphasis. David sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. But don’t do it again or you’ll find yourself sleeping outside during the day.” Marko rolled his eyes at David’s dramatics. “We were just worried about you man, glad you’re ok.” Paul smiled, “I wouldn’t do anything crazy,” he said as he hugged Fishy’s bowl, “just wanted to spend some time with my favorite fish.” The boys watched him and smiled softly.

Hey,” Paul asked, “do you guys know how long goldfish live?” Before Marko or David could respond, Dwayne said “Forever Paul, goldfish are immortal like us, they live forever.” Paul smiled, “perfect” he said before walking off to his corner of the cave. “You know you’re going to be spending your eternity replacing that fish right?” David asked. Dwayne sighed, “I know,” he said, “but it’s worth the trouble to see him that happy.”

Taglist:

@altierirose @ghoulgeousimmaculate

[norbezjones]

I'm making a dating sim that takes place in the backrooms!

The demo comes out next month for the Otome Jam, and I'm so excited to share this passion project of mine with the world. I've been hyperfixated on it since October of last year lol.

You play as this lovely lady right here:

More on Carla

And here's more information on the 5 love interests!

More on Kalcal

More on Glarence

More on Uri

More on Zenobos

More on Adiel

I tag everything related to the game with #romancethebackrooms , and I've made a few posts on Twitter if you want to check that out! Most recently, our talented voice cast was announced--I'm so humbled to be working with such talented people!

Lmk your thoughts on this idea. I'll be uploading more stuff about the game on this blog!

Thanks for reading!

[datura-tea]

said he went crazy at nineteen / said he'd lost all his self esteem / and couldn't understand why he was crying / he would stare at empty chairs / think of the ghosts that once sat there / the ghosts who broke his heart / all the ghosts that broke my heart / the ghosts that broke my heart before i met you //

[fur-claws-and-eyeballs]

How do you think the Lost Boys would handle technology if they reach 2000s? Like cameras -- would they get caught sooner because of it? Or cellphones -- would they even have one? Would they even be able to use it/charge it if they did?

(Assuming that vampires in this universe specifically don't appear in mirrors or film because of silver being used in the production of both...)

I think, once the digital age is alive and well and suddenly they can appear on camera, it's going to be a love-hate relationship.

On one hand, Santa Carla has one hell of a security camera sabotage scheme going on. Every time a new camera is installed, its cord is either sliced clean through or the lens is spray-painted black, and no one is ever seen doing it! Eventually, the shopkeepers learn that outside cameras are just not viable in this town, so they leave the damaged ones up as deterrents for the tourists and only keep functioning ones pointed directly at their cashiers.

Cellphones, at least at first, are a novelty. The boys have telepathy, who needs a phone? But occasionally Paul and Marko get ahold of two phones and play around, calling each other back and forth, telling stupid jokes, or pretending to be important businessmen until the batteries run out and they toss them like trash.

When GPS gets introduced to cellphones, Max gets a little nervous about them. (He has always got the latest model, but only keeps it with him between work and home.) He worries that tracking the phones will make it easier for police to find bodies or evidence. So now the Boys are told, "No mucking around with cellphones, especially the ones you pick up off victims. In fact, destroy them immediately and toss them in the sea."

Now, I have no doubt that these rascals have Max-flavored Demand Avoidance, and suddenly cellphones are a forbidden fruit. David may insist on tossing victims' phones, but now Paul, Marko, and even Dwayne are lifting phones off people on the boardwalk.

The first time they realize they can order pizza delivery to just about anywhere is a revelation. They get a blood bag delivered, the pizza they ordered for free, any other pizza that may be in his car, and all the cash that he's received that night. Max loses his mind when he finds out.

But THEN, camera phones become widespread, and suddenly they can take photos and record videos of each other. Even David can't resist this. So there are photos of Paul jumping off cliffs, and Marko records the pigeons cooing and strutting and David is checking his hair, and there are photos of Dwayne modeling his new jacket...but they still don't have electricity, so eventually the phones die, but these they keep. Like an old archive, there's a cellphone graveyard in the cave that they can't really use, but can't bring themselves to get rid of. Maybe on occasion, they pull one or two out and find a public outlet in a diner or something to charge them. The service has long been canceled, so they can't call or text, but the photos are still there.

I remember back when I had an old Nokia phone, I had a bejeweled trial on it, but my parents didn't even pay for texts, much less games. So I just played that bejeweled trial over and over, anytime I got bored. I can see Dwayne or David fucking around on the games, even the trials when they're standing by their bikes, having a smoke, waiting for the other two to return.

The availability of porn steeply increases the local cellphone theft rates.

When MP3 players become widespread that's an entirely new revelation. Suddenly they don't need all these tapes and CDs, or this bulky CD player. It's just this neat little device that fits into their pockets. Suddenly the need to keep a device charged is stronger than their short attention spans. Sure they keep the boombox around for the cave, but the personal players are so useful. Now when David's in a mood and they can't use the stereo, they can go to their little corners and still jam. When someone is feeling broody, they can take their player and go for a walk (or a flight). This may prompt them to work out a generator setup with outlets in the cave. Or maybe they just include a stop by some public outlets in their nightly activities.

I don't think computers or laptops will really hold their interest too much. They may enjoy grabbing one at the library every now and then to look something up or add music to their players, but otherwise, that just seems like a waste of time. I think portability is the name of the game for their technology usage.

Kindles and eReaders though, I think that's going to be a hit with David and/or Dwayne. They keep books in the cave, they may even prefer to read physical books, but there's probably some difficulty keeping them from molding in the wet sea air and getting damaged from repeat readings. Plus the eReaders can fit just so many books into such a tiny space. (The image of David reading on a tablet in his wheelchair is just so vivid for me, rn.)

But also consider: some types of touch screens having difficulty picking up on their touch, lmao

[zero0ne0nexus]

New video! - Oblivion

Hey guys! Today I played a fangame with quite an interesting development history! It's called Oblivion, made by Beloth, aka Lowpics, in RPG Maker VX Ace. The game was initially made for the 2nd Dream Diary Jam in 2018.

There are three versions of this same game. In this video, I have played them all in release order. To note, versions 0.00 and 0.01 are unfortunately not available for download anymore, this is why I have included walkthroughs of them too along with one of the latest version, in order to preserve their memory.

Below the cut are my thoughts on each version.

0.00 - Ayano's version

This first version of Oblivion stars a 9-year-old girl named Ayano. She uses a computer to enter the dream world and her bed to save the game, much like .flow. She seems very hesitant to leave her room and so she refuses.

The dream worlds in this game are rather peaceful, I especially like the fairy forest-looking world with the umbrella flight event. The choice of music in the world was also very nice. (It took me a few attempts to figure out how to actually leave the umbrella event, I had to press W, a key which is never used anywhere else in the game.) There are a few worlds however that are very dark and grim, such as the hospital area where the Peanut Butter Mud ego is obtained. There are also writing on walls that can be edgy in a funny way to some, but to me (as a person with autism who tends to take everything seriously) they feel kinda sad and concerning to read.

The choice of music in the dream worlds is mostly very nice and fitting. The song used in the Overgrown School really brings out the lonely atmosphere. I think that might be my favorite area in this version, along with the Fairy Forest. My only complaint is that Cake Ruins' music is VERY LOUD. It's not like noise music, it's actually a very jolly waltz-y tune. But dang is it loud. All of the music in this version of the game is not originally made by the dev, they're from royalty free sites, but I think the soundtrack still does the job well, and I enjoyed it for what it is.

Ayano uses effects called "Egos". They are mostly food and dessert-themed, however there are a few that are not. An interesting thing that happened while recording is that I accidentally found out you can, when pressing the Q key while using the Milkyway Umbrella ego, you return to the nexus! So, it's one of two speed effects while also being a return to nexus effect. Neat!

There was also a VERY weird event I discovered that intentionally closes the game. I sorta decided to just end that section of the video there because I like to keep things spooky and cinematic, y'all know me LOL

Overall, this version of the game is (mostly) very tranquil and calming. Despite having no ending at that time, I think it was pretty solid!

0.01 - Carla's version

This version of Oblivion was made for the 4th Dream Diary Jam in 2020. The game was completely rebuilt from the ground up, initially releasing as 0.00+, then 0.00++, and finally 0.01 (before being rebuilt yet again for the 5th Dream Diary Jam in 2021.)

Ayano is no more. This time we play as a new character - Carla, a girl who also has a computer to enter the dream world and saves the game using her bed. Carla's sprites are a lot smaller than Ayano's which makes her difficult to see sometimes. She has 7 effects to collect, and also 1 ending to achieve.

Previously, the game was entirely in English, but now it's all in Japanese, save for some menu options which are in... Spanish.

MS. WORLDWIDE!

The dream worlds in this version are kinda... Eh, they're there. Not too much going on. Not even nearly as many NPC's as the last version either. The dream worlds have been entirely replaced. They're all new. Not a single world from the previous version remains.

There was also this event where Carla went to a mirror in a castle and the picture made her look a bit like Omori??? Could be entirely a coincidence as this version of the game released around six months earlier than Omori lmao.

The music is once again very pleasant to listen to. The music is all from a site called Looperman. (I would advise against using Looperman to use free music loops from as there was this one time Youtube content ID'd my Espacio video even though my video predated what song struck me. I checked what song got ID'd and it was some AI-generated song with a dumb title "Joy at the Fellow" and I was the first view LOLOLOL im still mad as hell)

The ending felt very cheap to me... and you can't even re-explore the dream world after you collected all the effects and wake up...

Overall this might be my least favorite version of the game. It has nice music but that's all it has going for it. Pretty boring.

0.02+ - Generd's version

This version is now in Spanish. Once again, the game feels like a completely different game than the previous versions. Now the game feels like a PC-98 game. The color palette is limited and there are special effects for the menu and going from room to room.

Unlike the other two versions, this one opens with a cutscene that explains the premise. The protagonist Generd arrives home one evening. He checks his computer and receives an email from a mysterious woman. She says she is coming to his house because she loves him. Generd somehow cannot delete the email. She soon arrives. Obviously taken aback by this stalker, Generd resolves to get to the bottom of this mystery, by entering a closet(?) and dreaming.

The music in this version of the game is in fact original (save for two Looperman tracks) and was composed by Enonigmus and EBroxas72. I feel they both did a great job capturing the "old computer" music feel.

The object of the game is to collect 4 effects (to achieve Ending 1) as well as 6 pages of a diary (for Ending 2).

I want to say something: the setting of this game makes absolutely no sense. The game:

takes place in 2022

in Canada

Everyone speaks Spanish. (i wouldn't know if Canada had a particularly large Spanish-speaking community like French ones)

Everyone uses old computers even though there's references to Youtube.

The train station also has Cyrillic graffiti and posters

Like something really isn't adding up in terms of setting.

I also want to point out this version of the game has many elements ripped off of Noyemi K's fangame "DuGaSHoBa!"

????????????????????????????? I'm stunned.

This is already a very long post so I'll stop here kthx bye.

[enquiringangel]

Do you think the Boys have any long-term goals? Things that requite years to learn like languages, instruments, maybe mechanics? Do you ever think they'd leave Santa Carla - or what might MAKE them leave?

Santa Carla is home, it’s like this nexus where all these dispossessed teens are drawn together and where they made a family. It’s comforting and familiar and it’s the stage where they act out their performance of eternal youth. In the movie I get the impression that they very much live in the moment. Like, almost aggressively so. It’s like they are caught in a bubble of time where the past is meaningless and the future doesn’t exist. To an extent I think they are all avoiding the deeper implications of potentially living forever.

If something—say, the events of the movie—were to come along and burst the bubble, I think there would be a lot of navel-gazing going on. Which is something I will be exploring in my David Lives AU ;-)

So Big long-term goals: no. Leaving Santa Carla? Yes possibly, if there was a drastic shake-up to their way of unlife. During the events of the movie they’re kind of stuck since I can’t see Max allowing them to go wandering.

But despite all that meta talk they would get bored if they did the same thing over and over again, so they have made an attempt to keep stuff interesting.

Languages - I feel like they would go through periods of being really into this, listening to teaching cassettes and attempting to practice on native speakers and on each other, but also fallow periods where they drop it for ages and pick it up again later. I can see Paul wanting to learn French because it’s a romance language and he thought that it would be sexy. But he got unexpectedly into it and started learning other languages from there. He’s also the most willing to accost random humans to practice speaking with them, whereas Dwayne’s collection of half-learned languages is mostly written word focused. This is in comparison to David whose linguistic skills are pretty abysmal. (There is some very rusty Gaelic knocking around in that noggin’ though.) Marko is usually Paul’s guinea pig so he picks up a fair bit from him.

Instrument-wise Paul is the most musical but he taught the others to play guitar. (As a child he was made to learn violin. There is one gathering dust in the cave somewhere.) Marko is tone deaf and cannot tell the difference between notes of music to save his life. Dwayne is passable but lacks interest to commit to it, though he taught himself to play piano. David picked up the most from Paul’s instruction and is fairly good, actually. Sometimes Paul gets him to come and jam.

For a very brief time, there was a drum set down in the cave. Very brief.

Mechanics-wise they are all interested in things that go vroom vroom but Dwayne and David are the most mechanically minded. They strip engines down together and reassemble them. Dwayne is more handy at fixing stuff but David can look at a car and know all the specs for that make and model. Sometimes he steals them to take them for test drives and rate their performance. In the cave there is a pile of tattered and soggy car magazines sandwiched between old editions of playboy and men’s ‘physique magazines’.

Marko is always knee-deep in some art project or another, which may or may not get abandoned before it is finished. He once tried to build a model of the hotel in its heyday using matchsticks.

Also Dwayne once introduced Marko to the theories of the Behaviorist B. F. Skinner, whose work in operant conditioning included training pigeons. One of the things they were taught to do was play ping-pong. Marko took a look at the wild birds hanging out in the hotel and immediately decided to try it.

[misslavenderlady]

You're In Love 🎸

Marko/Paul/TransMasc!Reader

Summary: It's a perfect night to go out and party to your favorite music. You have a feeling it'll get even better when two attractive blonds catch your eye~

Thank you @xxx-wounded-angel-xxx for the request! I appreciate your patience, and I hope you enjoy this!

WARNINGS: Nsfw/Smut/18+ Readers Only, Drinking, Flirting, Grinding, Dirty Talk, Pet names, Sex with a stranger, Oral, Fingering, Nipple play, Threesome, Vaginal Sex, Safe Sex, Aftercare

The glam metal scene was an absolute paradise to you. After years of struggling to express yourself and your identity, you finally found a safe haven in music. What drew you into this particular style of metal was how wild and fun it was. Anyone, regardless of gender, could go big with their appearances. Colorful eyeshadow, dark eyeliner, hair sprayed up as high as it would go, and the flashiest clothing you’d ever seen.

So it became a major part of your personality. You were obsessed with several different bands that showed off the glam metal look. Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Twisted Sister, Ratt, Poison, and so much more. You jammed out to the power ballads as you did your hair and makeup every morning, working hard to replicate the look of a rockstar. 

You already stood out with your bright, red hair, but adding all the flare gave you an extra special look. It made you grateful to know that so many people were loving the androgynous styles of these bands. Whenever you went out to concerts and parties with fellow glam metalheads, you blended right in. You could party all night and not have a single care in the world.

It made you feel like you could truly be yourself. Like you could be safe. 

Tonight was no different. There was a club in Santa Carla having a special Glam Metal night for fans like you. Nothing but hot music and wild dancing. Of course, you were gonna go. You dressed in your absolute favorite outfit, tugged on your boots, and let your red hair flow freely. You were looking hot, and everyone was going to see it.

Before you knew it, you were at the club and having the time of your life. The drinks were flowing while Cinderella’s Nothin’ for Nothin’ blasted at full volume throughout the club. Everyone around you was dressed up as wild and sexy as possible, giving you quite a lot of eye candy to enjoy. Still, the night was young and you had plenty of time to enjoy yourself before potentially finding someone to take home. 

While you sipped your drink, you couldn’t help but feel like someone was looking at you. A strange, tingly sensation ran down your spine, as if your body could tell it was being watched. Curious, you looked over your shoulder on one side, then the other. 

Nothing. 

Just a bunch of people dancing and singing along with the music. You shook your head, brushing off the weird feeling. As you took in the last sip, a new song came on. 

Ratt’s You’re In Love was starting, and you felt your heart race in your chest. You LOVED this song! With a quick toss of some bills on the bar, you sprinted back to the dance floor. There was no way in hell you were going to miss the chance to dance to this song. 

You take the midnight subway train

You're callin' all the shots

You're struck by lightning

You're in love

Your red locks flowed as you tossed your head back, the music practically rushing through your veins. This night was going amazingly. All your worries and fears were long behind you, and all that was on your mind was dancing your heart out. 

Then it hit you again. That sensation of eyes on you. For a moment, you hesitated in looking around, as it was nothing the first time. But your curiosity got the better of you, so you took a peak around to see if things were different. Turns out, that was the correct thing to do, because you found there were not one, but two pairs of eyes looking your way.

A pair of blonds were gazing at you from across the room. A lanky one with wild hair and a suit coat covered with pins and jewelry, and a shorter one with curls for days and the most detailed jacket you’d ever seen in your life. They were leaning against the wall, side by side as they watched you carefully. 

What really intrigued you was how they smiled. There was a look of hunger in their eyes as if the mere sight of you made them ravenous. Considering how unbelievably gorgeous they were, that wasn’t a problem with you. With your eyes now locked on them, you smiled back, adding a flirty wave for good measure.

You take the evening one on one

You're only livin' to have fun

You want to use me, take me home tonight

I'll make you wish that you were mine

The music was still going, and it was fueling your energy to dance some more. With a toss of your hair, you moved your hips, adding a sultry twist to your motions. You lived for moments like this. Just you and the music. 

It would seem that the boys were interested in joining you in such a fun moment. The two of them moved from their spot, slipping into the crowd and making their way towards you. The reason you knew it was you they were after was that they hadn’t stopped staring at you the entire time they strutted. It made your heart flutter. 

“Hey there, handsome~” the taller one purred.

“Care to dance~?” the curly-haired one asked. 

Of course, you said yes. They both smiled wolfishly as they got in nice and close for a dance. Seeing them like this, you could tell that one had blue eyes and the other had hazel. They glimmered under the lights of the club. 

You're struck by lightning

You're in love

It's not worth fighting

You're in love

They whispered their names in your ear. Paul and Marko. You could definitely picture yourself screaming those names in ecstasy. When they asked for yours, they both had a look that told you they found it to be quite attractive. There was just something about the boys that got you feeling wild.

Paul pulled you close to his muscular chest in the front while Marko sandwiched you in closer in the back. Their skin had a slight chill, but it was pure bliss on your heated body. Every moment they had you pinned in, the hotter you felt. 

They moaned with desire as they started to grind against you. With the music still blasting, you swayed your hips back and forth, teasing them both with your body. Shivers ran up and down your spine when you felt their arousal start to bump up against you. It gave you the most depraved thoughts imaginable. 

Well turn around

Remember me

I'm the one

Who's out and aimed to please

“God, you’re really sexy, you know that?” Paul said. “I fuckin’ love redheads~”

“And I love blonds~” you flirted. That certainly put a smile on both their faces.

“Tell us something, baby,” Marko whispered in your ear. “Does that red hair go all the way down~?”

Your cheeks burned from such a question. They were quite a bold duo, and you were eating up all the attention they fed you. There was no doubt in your mind that you wanted them. 

"How about we all go back to my place and I show you~"

They had you out of the club before the song could even finish. You had a hand wrapped around each of their arms as you ran out together. Giggles and playful nudges were traded as the three of you headed back to your home. It was all such a rush, and you had never been more excited about anything in your life. 

The moment you got your front door unlocked, the boys pounced on you. Paul got to you first, wrapping an arm around your waist and tugging you in for a deep kiss. Your eyes fluttered shut and your fingers tangled in his long hair while your tongue slipped against his own. He was quite vocal, moaning into your mouth. 

“Paul, you dog, lemme get some sugar from the babe!” Marko growled, taking your hand and pulling you into his arms instead. He was absolutely ravenous for you, nibbling your lip and reaching behind to paw at your ass. They both kissed you in a way that made your heart race.

You only broke the kiss to take the two of them to where your bedroom was. Just a few kisses and touches and you were already hot and bothered. You didn’t just want them, you needed them. It was clear they felt the same way.

In no time at all, the three of you completely decorated the floor with your discarded outfits and accessories. Jackets, shirts, jewelry, pants, and shoes were tossed about without a care. Paul was the one to lift you onto the bed, your bare chests pressed against one another. His skin was still cool to the touch, and it made you shiver as your nipples perked from the sensation.

“Sensitive little thing, arentcha~?” he teased. You didn’t even get the chance to answer before his long fingers ran down your body. Without warning, he squeezed at your nipples, earning a shriek from you. He was certainly right about your body being sensitive. “Lemme play with other parts of you~”

While one hand was used to toy with your nipple some more, Paul reached the other down to start fingering you. He had you whimpering and sighing as he stroked you. You surely would have lost control if Marko hadn’t come up behind you and wrapped his arm around your body. His lips found their way to your neck, nibbling and kissing without care. 

“Yeah, that’s it. You take it like a good boy, don’t you~?”

Holy shit, you could have cum right then and there. You were pretty submissive when it came to sexual encounters, and being praised and called a “good boy” was a major turn-on for you. Marko must have caught that because he snickered against the nape of your neck.

“Ooooh does baby boy like that? Being called a good boy~?”

“Y-Yes!” you sighed, barely able to speak because of Paul’s magic fingers. 

The two of them were absolutely relentless with your body. While one was rubbing up against your sweet spot, the other was whispering depraved things in your ear in between bites along your throat. You were putty in their hands, and they knew that very well. They were eager for more of you.

“Gotta get in between your legs. I just need to fuck you~” Paul moaned out. You nodded eagerly while he broke free from you for a second to grab a condom. 

“You wanna show me what that mouth can do while he’s doing that, babe~?” Marko asked, pulling you closer. You would have begged to do that if he asked you to. Your body was just aching to get fucked. 

The three of you moved together, getting positioned how you all wanted. Marko flipped you over so you were on your hands and knees while Paul slipped the condom on. Your mouth watered as the curly-haired boy slipped his underwear down and freed his cock. It practically smacked you in the face, he was so hard. 

“Open up for me~” he ordered, smirking down at you. With your mouth opened up, he tapped the tip of his cock against your tongue. You just met the guy, and you could already tell he was big on teasing. Eager to please, you smiled flirtatiously at him before wrapping your lips around him.

At the same time, Paul slipped his cock into your aching hole, slowly filling and stretching you out. They both sighed in pleasure, amazed by how your body felt. 

“Fuuuuck me, you’re tight as hell, baby~” Paul groaned out. He was starting slow with you, his hips grinding against you. You let out a whimper, which added to Marko’s pleasure. 

“And what a fuckin’ mouth, goddamn~” Marko praised. Inch by inch, you took him into your mouth. You knew the warmth must have felt heavenly on his chilled skin. With how amazing they felt, you would happily keep them warm all night long. 

The two boys worked beautifully together. They were matched in their pace, even though they were inside two different holes. While Paul’s hands wrapped around your hips, Marko’s fingers were fisted in your red hair. With how good they felt, they wanted nothing more than to hold on tight and never let you go. 

Your pleasure was just as intense. The fucked like GODS. If you didn’t know any better, it was like love at first sight. That song you all danced to together was still echoing in your head as you took the boys.

You make your livin' lovin' hot

You spin me like a top

You take the evening one on one 

You're only livin' to have fun

You're struck by lightning

You're in love

Over and over they penetrated you, Paul hitting your deepest sweet spot and Marko pushing himself down your throat. You were stuffed to the brim, yet you still wanted more. 

“Good boyyyy…..ooh fuck….that’s a good fuckin’ boy~” Paul praised you, picking up the speed of his thrusting. 

“He’s right, baby. You’re such a good boy for the two of us~” Marko moaned sweetly. 

Good boy.

Fuck, just that one nickname was pushing you closer and closer to the edge. Your moaning around Marko’s dick was growing louder while you clenched tighter around Paul. It was all happening so fast. 

“Oh fuck, that’s it, baby. FUCK, that’s it~!” Marko praised, fucking your face even faster now.

“Gonna cum on my dick, sugar? Shit, I’m gonna cum so fuckin’ hard for you~” Paul growled, animal-like in tone.

They were pushing you to your very limit, aching to get you to climax with them. It didn’t take much considering they had rocked your world since the moment you laid eyes on them. With just a few more thrusts, you were hit with an intense sensation of pleasure. It was almost like being struck by lightning, with pure electricity flowing through your body. 

While you whimpered and moaned through your orgasm, the boys followed you closely. Paul pushed himself as deep in as he could go, filling the condom inside you. Marko held your head down on his cock, thick shots of cum pouring onto your tongue and down your throat. They were completely spent, and it was all because of you. 

It was a bit of a blur afterwards. They both pulled out of you, leaving you feeling rather warm and fuzzy from the pleasure. Marko laid back on the bed, bringing you close for some cuddling while Paul took care of tossing the used condom. The two of you shared a kiss, so tender in comparison to the rough fucking you just experienced. 

“My turn, handsome~” Paul purred, slipping in next to you so he could steal you for another kiss. Marko growled softly, but ultimately shared you. It made you smile knowing they both liked you so much. 

While the three of you snuggled, you found yourself humming the tune of the song again. Now you would think of him whenever that song came on.

“Maybe next time you wanna have fun, you can come by our place,” Paul whispered, fingers running through your red hair. 

“Yeah! We got a delicious bottle of the red stuff you’d really love,” Marko said with a smirk. 

You nodded, thoroughly enjoying such an idea. This could be the start of something really special. You, Paul and Marko.

It's not worth fighting

You're in love

[easthigh]

MEG AND MILO'S EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT THE NEW ZOMBIES: THE RE-ANIMATED SERIES | New series coming to Disney Channel 21 July, 2023

"ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series Shorts" is an animated short-form series that continues the adventures of fan favorites Zed, Addison and the Seabrook crew from the hit "ZOMBIES" franchise. The shorts, which keep the spirit and jam-packed music of the movies, find the friends encountering new monsters—a carnivorous plant monster, horrifying mega-cricket and even evil clones—while dealing with school and new experiences like a never-ending summer time-loop.

Reprising their roles are Ariel Martin, Chandler Kinney and Pearce Joza as werewolves Wynter, Willa and Wyatt; Carla Jeffery and Trevor Tordjman as cheerleaders Bree and Bucky; Jonathan Langdon as Coach; James Godfrey and Kylee Russell as zombies Bonzo and Eliza; and Terry Hu as outer space alien A-Spen. (via Disney Channel on YouTube)

[kulturegroupie]

“I partied with Jimmy Page and other famous bands”

Carla Lynne Kluss: It was 1994 and my girlfriends took me to the Coverdale/Page concert at The Osaka Stadium in Japan. It was the second from the last tour date. After meeting the boys that night, we girls went home to our tiny apartments and basked in the fact that YES we had partied with Jimmy F#%*ing Page!

The next day I received a call from Jimmy himself inviting me and my friends to the last show in Nagoya with my very own suite next to his in The Nagoya Hilton.

My girlfriends and I took the Bullet Train to Nagoya and went to the stadium to watch the very last show of the Japan Coverdale/Page Tour. Then we went to the Nagoya Hilton and were met by Jimmy Page and his attendants who showed us to my room (yes, it was reserved in my name). It was an amazing ensuite next to his. Laura, Emma and myself, the three musketeers, and Jimmy. It was too cool for words.

After we dropped our things in the room, we went back to Jimmy's and we had a few drinks and laughs. He had roomservice bring up a large cardboard box full of mix and alcohol to make the drinks he had remembered us drinking the night before. Let me tell you he got it right. There was Gin and Tonic, Peach Schnapps, Vodka, orange juice, rum and coke and Jagermeister, all in the biggest bottles he could find. Smiles all around. He had remembered perfectly. He was quite the gentleman too. He would have nothing to do with us making any drinks and proceeded to make them all. After a short while he sat in his chair in the corner of the room with his humidifier/mister going on behind his head and asked us if we wanted to hear some music. We said okay and he put on a private cassete of him and David Coverdale jamming some songs that hadn't yet been recorded. He was so cute because he was worried that it wasn't music we would've liked.

Lara L. Bolton: we had so much fun, both nights!!! Thank you Jimmy, I'll never forget when he called the next day and asked us to come to Nagoya, couldn't believe he was calling me, what a great Birthday

Carla Lynne Kluss: Without Lara, this ticket wouldn't have been possible. She went to the show the first night, met the sound engineer and scored tickets for the following night. Way to work that one, girl. What a great time we had.

Lara L. Bolton: Geesh I remember getting home after some late night partying with Jimmy Page only to discover that my place had been robbed, at that exact moment Jimmy called (I leaned over to my girlfriend Emma and said "its Jimmy Flipping Page on my phone") me and asked if I would like to come to Nagoya with a few friends...did I???? YES - we went and continued the blast for days!!! to be 23 again...lol

[bookclub4m]

Episode 196 - Battle of the Books 2024: One Book One Podcast

This episode we’re giving our book pitches for our Battle of the Books 2023! Each of us has picked one title that we think we should all read and discuss and you get to vote for which one it is! Will we read Trust Kids!: Stories on Youth Autonomy and Confronting Adult Supremacy edited by carla joy bergman, The Seep by Chana Porter, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher, or Inheritance: a Pick-the-path Experience by Daniel Arnold, Darrell Dennis, and Medina Hahn? You decide! 

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray 🦇 | Jam Edwards

What Book Should We Read?

Trust Kids!: Stories on Youth Autonomy and Confronting Adult Supremacy edited by carla joy bergman

The Seep by Chana Porter

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher

Inheritance: a Pick-the-path Experience by Daniel Arnold, Darrell Dennis, and Medina Hahn

Our Long Lists

Jam

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis

Anna

Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew

Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price

Meghan

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera

Matthew

Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez

Podcast Episodes

Episode 058 - The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

Episode 079 - Which Book Should We Read?

Episode 083 - The Fifth Season

Episode 103 - Battle of the Books 2020

Episode 107 - Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

Episode 130 - Battle of the Books 2021

Episode 134 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Episode 154 - Book pitches

Episode 159 - Hurts So Good: The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose by Leigh Cowart

Episode 179 - Battle of the Books 2023

Episode 183 - One Book One Podcast: Upright Women Wanted

Links, Articles, and Things

One City One Book (Wikipedia)

Canada Reads (Wikipedia)

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

INHERITANCE - a "pick-the-path" teaser (YouTube)

Inheritance: a pick-the-path experience - trailer (YouTube)

Inheritance - interview with the playwrights (YouTube)

22 Nature/Outdoor Non-Fiction by BIPOC Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land by Noé Álvarez

Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper

Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden by Camille T. Dungy

Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors by Carolyn Finney

Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science by Jessica Hernandez

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man's Love Affair with Nature by J. Drew Lanham

The Urban Birder by David Lindo

Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy in the Outdoors by Rue Mapp

Wild Girls: How the Outdoors Shaped the Women Who Challenged a Nation by Tiya Miles

The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors by James Edward Mills

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, illustrated by Fumi Nakamura

Heartbeat of the Earth: A Handbook on Connecting Children to Nature through Indigenous Teachings by Launa Purcell

Trace: Memory, History, Race and the American Landscape by Lauret Savoy

A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars by Erin Sharkey

A Short History of the Blockade: Giant Beavers, Diplomacy and Regeneration in Nishnaabewin by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Dispossessing the Wilderness: Indian Removal and the Making of the National Parks by Mark David Spence

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui

Wild Life: Finding My Purpose in an Untamed World by Rae Wynn-Grant

An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong

Give us feedback!

Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read!

Vote for which we should read!

Check out our Tumblr, follow us on Instagram, join our Facebook Group or Discord Server, or send us an email!

Join us again on July 2nd we’ll be discussing the genre of Law/Legal Non-Fiction!

Then on Tuesday, August 6th we’ll be talking about the romance genres of Yaoi and Danmei!