#col has grown so much since

[seiwas]

idk if sera (@seravphs) will even see this cos she hasn’t been active lately, but if u see this sera i miss u 🥲🤧😭

[hawkinsschoolcounselor]

Prediction for the start of season 5

I've been going crazy trying to figure out just how they'll transition into season 5. It certainly seems like "life goes on" in Hawkins despite everything that happened at the end of season 4. While it does seem like there's a military presence in town, there are clues that quite a bit of time has passed.

Aside from dates left on papers on set and whatnot, which could potentially be faked to throw people off, we see character differences that indicate time. El's hair has grown back. It's hard to tell just how long it is now, but it looks to be at least as long as it was in season 3, if not longer. We've seen little of Hopper, but we've been able to see set photos of David with a long beard. Then there's Holly, who seems older even taking into account the casting change.

This tells me we're looking at an approximate 8 months to one year time skip. While we might see some immediate aftermath from after the ending of season 4, the bulk of season 5 seems to be set in late Fall/early Winter of 1987. This isn't taking into account a possible rumored second time skip considering they're only halfway through filming.

So, how do we go from the end of the world to almost a year later? Well, there wasn't much that could be done in the position our heroes are in. Here's what I think happens after that final scene in the field.

Shortly after the "earthquake," an Army Corps of Engineers detachment arrives to help rebuild, overseen by Lt. Col. Sullivan. They proceed to block off affected areas for "safety concerns" under the pretense of having to seal up the fissures to allow for later rebuilding. In reality, they are setting up research stations and entry points while also preventing anyone else from getting in...or anything getting out.

Blocked off from being able to go after the weakened Vecna, and now faced with the concern of Sullivan possibly finding El, the heroes have to regroup. They both need to be able to hide El and have a safe base of operations. Agent Stinson arranges to set El and Hopper in the old WSQK radio station under the guise of the station being under new ownership.

While researching, I found out that many old radio stations had emergency shelters built by the government during the Cold War in case of a nuclear attack. Like the Dept of Energy Lab before it, the radio station would serve as a legitimate front for getting equipment and other resources they may need for what they're really up to. The shelter would also provide a place to hide their real activity and keep El safe. It may also even potentially provide access to the areas the military blocked off if the shelters contain escape tunnels.

We would essentially find out that the time since the end of season 4 were spent with the heroes trying to find a way into the Upside Down to get Henry while he's weak. However, it's just not possible with the military presence. The mission turns to trying to monitor both the military and the Upside Down threat until a window presents itself.

What might be the event that provides this window? I have some ideas.

The military breaches a Gate, which allows for Upside Down creatures to get out.

El has a breakthrough in her search for Max, providing them a critical clue.

Henry comes back to full strength, leading to Will getting Harry Potter-like visions of his plans.

Problems I have with this idea:

El is once again living in hiding, just as she did in season 2. I can't imagine she's able to get any kind of education unless Owens' people can set her up with tutoring.

The Byers being in town would certainly tip off Sullivan, and it doesn't look like they're lying low. I suppose they could feign moving back to Hawkins because they think she's dead.

What is up with Owens, and would his people even have the ability to do anything after the losses sustained from Sullivan's actions?

Why the hell would anyone even stay in Hawkins? This isn't the first disaster the town has dealt with in the past few years. I suppose it would cause property values to plummet to levels that could prompt a rich family to buy up land in preparation for owning everything after rebuilding. There was a Turnbow Land Development & Realty ad seen on set.

Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

[trsrina]

—> GET TO KNOW ME

thanks for tagging me @hannikz <33

when is ur bday? 11/11

favourite colour? honestly can’t pick but blue & yellow

any pets? no but i used to have three turtles

height? 161cm but ive probably grown a few centimetres since i last measured

how many pairs of shoes do u own? i have three pairs that don’t fit anymore but i still keep them for some reason 😰 and my three pairs of plain white sneakers and a pair of black loafers for school (don’t ask me why i have so many) and three pairs of shoes i actually wear and a pair that’s still in the shoe box not worn at all

favourite song(s)? island by youha, you’re on your own kid, daylight, death by a thousand cuts by taylor swift, the perfect pair by beabadoobee, farewell neverland and our summer by txt, shooting star by xg and a lot more i forgot about

favourite movie? i love coco, barbie and the 12 dancing princesses, clueless and Aladdin the live action

ideal partner? giggles minatozaki sana but she technically she doesn’t know yet but like she technically kinda my wife already not delulu!!! also yang jungwon my side chick 🫶 ahem also alhaitham and xiao (without the angsty stuff) and ningguang sugar mommy 😳

do u want children? no 💀 i don’t ever plan of getting married at all rlly and 90% of children are annoying af

have u gotten in trouble with the law? ofc not

what colour socks r u wearing? navy with cat patterns

favourite music genre? I like anything rlly but mainly pop and i like bossa nova

how many pillows do u sleep with? one

what position do u sleep in? sideways usually facing the wall

smth u hate when sleeping? light and sounds im the type that has to sleep in complete darkness and silence

breakfast? usually just any kind of bread occasionally choco cakes with milk/choco milk/milk tea mixed with coffee

have u tried archery? no and i’d probably suck i can’t even aim on roblox 😭

favourite fruit? apples 🫶

r u a good liar? i can’t lie for my life well maybe sometimes if it’s for smith rlly serious

mbti? intp-t 😎

innie or outie? going out if it’s with ppl i enjoy being with

leftie or rightie? rightieee

favourite food? very unhealthy but chicken nuggets and beef 😰

favourite foreign food? i have an unhealthy obsession with shrimp tempura 🍤 and i love love love shabu shabu

r u clean or messy? usually clean but messy when im in a bad mood

favourite phrase? oh my god ig

how long do u take to get ready? approximately 15 mins if excluding my skincare routine and brushing my teeth and the time it takes for me to get out of bed but like including that it’s an hour im usually someone who’d be like 20 minutes early so no rush

do u talk to yourself? a concerning amount the psych ward is calling for their missing patient

do u sing to yourself? yes a lot

r u good at singing? not at all 💀

biggest fear? clowns, drowning, ghosts if real, serial killers, exams, my primary school class teachers (im telling u i was at the verge of tears every time they talked to me literal trauma), my science teacher last year, death and yeah pretty much most things

r u a gossip? definitely yes i gossip a lot

long or short hair? short hair like long hair is pretty but it seems rlly annoying

favourite subject? english cause im good at it

introvert or extrovert? introvert with strangers and ppl im not so close with but i suddenly become an extrovert with friends like I wouldn’t be shy at all and would approach random ppl if i wanted to

what makes u nervous? everything i have really bad anxiety like the lift is slow? im gonna be late even if i was 20 minutes early. haven’t done my assignments yet? the deadline is next month but still

who’s ur first real crush? my 1st grade classmate we used to be friends for a while and then he’s now an ass so we don’t rlly talk anymore

how many piercings? two, one on each earlobe

how many tattoos? none ofc but i would love to have some when im older

how fast can u run? average speed? but i have great stamina like i could run 15 laps max at a moderate speed

what colour is ur hair? very dark brown in the dark but a chocolate light brown under light idk i had multiple ppl ask me if i dyed my hair before tho i didn’t my mom says it’s bc of malnutrition

what colour are ur eyes? very dark brown almost black

what makes u angry? lots of things i have anger issues

do u like ur name? i used to hate it when i was younger bc it’s regularly used as a masculine name and i thought it was bad but now ive learnt to embrace it and it’s unique so great 👍 but I still not enjoy trying to explain it to ppl 😕

would u like a boy or girl if u had a child? girl

what are ur strengths? being early and flee the facility on roblox im like rlly good at that game

what are ur weaknesses? mention one thing about a father figure and im done for

what is the colour of ur bedspread? i have no idea what that is but i googled and i still don’t rlly understand but i think i have none sry my brain doesn’t work

what colour is ur bedroom? well i have this really really light blue wall colour basically white at first glance and brown wood furniture

tagging (no pressure!!) @seungiepup @wonillaa @aerisfy @winteringdream @badmuni @yeniiverse @yenqa @hypesahi @jwonsociety

[pulling-you-in]

There is something about this war that doesn’t add up. Crimea as I understand was part of the Soviet Union and was the largest producer of grown goods for the country. When Ukraine cut the river to that area with a damn they built it screwed Russia. Diplomacy failed since no one wants to ever help Russia. Russia doesn’t want to turn to China for anything but what can they do? They need help from somewhere.

Vladimir Putin was a Lt. Col in the SVR. Allegedly his father was Stalin’s cook. That is a job I would not want. Hell all of the Russian general’s clapped for 11 minutes after Stalin said something that he thought was funny. No one wanted to be the first to stop clapping.

We all know our beloved country is not a saint. Look at how much money the President of Ukraine has and Zalensky. He purchased a home for his parents that cost s 8.5 million. He wasn’t even elected by the people. He was chosen. We organized a coup because the Ukrainian President didn’t want to play our game. We tossed the next one because his brithches got too big. There is a lot of inbetween here.

At the beginning of the war Putin sent a message to the US saying “you’re welcome” because he burned the 48 illegal chemical facilities we “secretly” had there. It was the old “we love prisons but not in my backyard” so we worked until we found someone who would play ball and let us have them there.

This is just a snippet of what is going on. Global warming? Rising seas? These are the same people who have multiple houses on ocean front property. They fly private planes everywhere and we are told we may eventually have a carbon passport.

I won’t even go into more detail about the plane that hit the Pentagon. All the cameras on that side were turned off. People said they saw a missile and there was zero plane degree. Don’t forget that Donald Rumsfeld had just told the public that three trillion dollars were missing from our military defense accounted. Where the “plane” hit the Pentagon just happened to be where the computers that track that kind of information was kept.

I can go on but I like living the life I have and like all people I have some skeletons in my closet and vices. I’d like to stay right where I’m at. If others would like to comment feel free.

Government was never supposed be this big. There are more intriguing stories on who the major players were who helped to make that happen. It goes back to who took over the Bank of England from “Crazy King George.” New policies were implemented to reap as much money as the new owners could from the new territory. That was the catalyst that caused some of the American colonists to fight back.

The world needs the United States to survive but survive and thrive at it was intended.

watch tumblr delete this

[2o3dinge]

Hi got to say I love keeping up with the blog from time to time, like the previous ask I also agree with the whole FL situation and how it fizzled out, most of it's there in the lyrics, I'm not a huge fan of the recent record but the connections are so significant like I can't believe he's still referencing a beautiful lie in two of those songs, we know the importance of that album where it was made, who was in his presence, a modern myth, etc 'how beautiful a myth (ahem lie) it was' .But I've been breaking down those songs on the new album, get up kid 'you had to be there, had to see it' as in you would never believe what happened between us on that set cause you weren't there 'you won't believe it' cause who could? 'god broke my heart' reminded me of honest to god (nice col reference) i will break your heart and then seasons is like just so in your face 'you're the one Colin...' yeah he probably was but you refused to grow up and kept him dangling for a lifetime, honestly he's become so insufferable since around 2015 (interstingly), and 'you slipped a couple of times' clearly a reference to someones struggles with sobriety,think C had a bit of a relapse in 2018, which happened to coincide with Js album America, thats basically just a sloppy rehash of a beautiful lie with its references to was it a dream? Another battle in Babylon (please 😂)and live like a dream was just a blatant remake of a modern myth (last night to say goodbye/tonights the last to say goodbye)what got me was the correlation or denial to acceptance between up in the air (is this the end I feel?) hail to the Victor (its not the end my friend)and never not love you (it was the end but my love what beautiful lie)oh and 'I'll never not die inside each time I hear your name' meaning he hears their name alot and it kills him so clearly quite famous is the ex, and looking lost, searching for what you found, meaning you found yourself and I'm still searching for myself, personally I think they agreed on space I'd say Colin is doing quite brilliantly and Jared, not so much maybe, don't know it's so tragic the whole thing when you dissect it, I remember how J kind of derailed a lot in 2015/2016 his posts were very sad and he talked of his cold broken heart in Dec of 2015 he was acting up big time, according to onlookers at coachella he appeared high as a kite , in Jan 2016 I remembered reading an interview with C where the interviewer asked him when the last time he cried was he said last week (so he was crying around the time J was bitching about his broken hear 💔)and C's answer felt genuine and he's a total sensitive soul, after reading Emma's book about their breakup which he initialized, she mentioned he kept wiping his tears away 😢 , there was one interview he did for the Lobster , early 2016 where he looked so sad and he talked about why we stay with people longer than we should and how much you can compromise yourself and get nothing in return, that was clearly personal experience he was speaking from and also J started spontaneously rock climbing around that time and 'reached the border...now I'm climbing up the walls'... sounds like a convenient fit. Lyrically the one link I found really interesting was how in up in the air he says 'I wouldn't trade an eye for your lies, your lust for my life' and then in the new album he says 'living the life I live, I couldn't hold you down' a complete u-turn, I took that to mean yeah you're not about the life I live anymore, I can't keep you interested in me cause you have real responsibilities and have grown. Sorry for the lengthy rant but every now and then I go down the rabbit hole with these two, so many twists and turns it's so intriguing 😂

Ooh sorry I haven't been on here for some time. Thank you for that ask! It's long, could've used a few paragraphs ;), but I love to read long rants about FL. It's gotten so rare. This strange rabbit hole has been following me for 13 years now (whut?!) I still feel the pull.

2015/2016 was when I needed a timeout from them... C was parading his much younger on-and-off amour around for several years without ever getting somewhere. But J was really starting to get on my nerves. This acting out, midlife crisis. With this barely-legal gf by his side, I don't know, he looked like an idiot. This really took off in summer 2014, but he knew her longer. Yuck. But you know, the way he treated her really put me off. Everything about it was a little loathsome.

So she won the lottery and good for her, but he? He's still tripping somehow, all mememe, and his conservative billionaire consort is insufferable, and I fear they don't have a good influence on each other. Or maybe they are good for each other, because they match their freaks as money hungry self-involved middle-aged bimbos/nerds. Gosh, I'm ranting without knowing where it comes from, but knowing he's constantly spending time with that man and his self-important thoughts, but never rekindled his connection with C is unfathomable to me. That guy has nothing on C, never had, never will! But he's the perfect mirror for J. I seriously doubt J's judgment.

I used to give him the benefit of doubt back then, but nowadays, I don't know, there's hardly anything authentic about him anymore. He's perfected his public persona and that's probably a wise thing to do, when you're always just one step away from pr disaster because of questionable behavior in your past, but I don't find him relatable or interesting at all anymore. He's bland and self-involved and moody, still craving attention, not even fighting it any longer. He's at peace with being like that? And I could see why C probably hasn't much in common with him at this point, what is there that would still connect them? I want to believe there's still some common ground...

Not the greatest fan of the last album either, mediocre, overproduced result for an album that was in the making for so long and allegedly had hundreds of songs written for it. All this hyperbole all the time. But yeah, the beautiful lie is still present. You mentioning Live like a dream is good ... this song is pure, unfiltered FL. I love it. The feelings expressed in his songs are conflicted, especially when one sees it over this 20 year period since Alexander: is it the end or not?, rejecting lies but living them yourself - all that makes it so realistic and plausible.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“WORK OF THE PEN COMMISSION,” Clipping from “Kingston"Standard" 1-11-1920. ---- Commission Has Ten Distinct Subjects To Discuss --- Likely Commission Will Start Work At Dorchester ---- The Royal Commission, appointed by the Department of Justice to draft a new set of regulations for penitentiaries in the Dominion, has already commenced its work, and has ten distinct subjects to discuss and consider in its work. The commission, composed of Col. O. M, Biggar as chairman, and W. F. Nickle, K.C., and P. M. Draper, as members, in addition to the draft of subjects made by the Department, will indicate if possible the exact terms in which penitentiary regulations should be framed and the terms of any amendments In the provisions of the statutes which it may consider desirable.

The announcement from the Department of Justice, appointing the commission, states that the following subjects will be considered:

(1) - The general prison routine with reference to the deterrence from crime of (a) ex-convicts; (b) unconvicted persons and also with reference to the reformation of the convicts 

(2) The differential treatment of classes of convicts and especially of first offenders and of well conducted convicts.

(3) - The arrangements for the labor of convicts including hours of labor, the industries adapted for prison development, both from the economic and reformatory points of view, the necessary plant, the destination of prison products, the payment of convicts for their labor and generally the administration of prison industries.

(4) - The numbers of the staff and their hours of duty.

(5) - The facilities for the self education of convicts and the provision of formal educational Instruction. 

(6) - Diet and its variation, both generally and by reference to particular kinds of labor and for punishment.

(7) - Prison offences and disciplinary punishments. 

(8) - Visits to and letters to and from convicts,

(9) The remission of sentences and release on parole.

(10) - Reports and inspections, and to make a special report as to the state and management of the Penitentiaries in regard to the matters hereinabove recited.’

While the commission has started its work in Ottawa is not yet definitely settled where the real work of visiting the institutions will commence, but it is thought that the commission will commence at Dorchester Penitentiary and work west.

Tobacco for Convicts It is rather difficult to say why there has not long since been some modification of the restriction against the use of tobacco by the convicts in the penitentiaries of Canada. As It is now under the present system which forbids any tobacco whatever to convicts there has grown up a shocking system of trafficking in the weed which has been harmful not alone to those who have indulged in the practise but decidedly prejudicial to the discipline within the institutions. Indeed so great has been this trafficking that in some departments of the institution at Portsmouth it is declared the convicts have come to feel they have the right to refuse to work unless given it - and this despite the illegality of Its use.

It seems to us that it would be better to legalise the use of tobacco. and let the convicts have it regularly, taking it way from them an a punishment in event of their misbehavior or bad conduct. Thus illegal trafficking would cease. and at least of the unrest in the institution be removed. Not only that. but we believe that the convicts would in consequence be much more tractable and more agreeable to reason and discipline. As it is now those of tobacco users find their nerves all on edge when they are deprived of their tobacco, and are therefore more at war with themselves and with society than ever. They feel that their incarceration is in itself accentuating it by depriving them of tobacco which becomes to them as necessary as tea or coffee to many other people. Thus the rebellious spirit in their hearts in aggravated and they become more difficult than ever to handle.

All this could be overcome and the Illegal trafficking be avoided by a decision on the part of the Penitentiary authorities to give convicts the tobacco they apparently need, with the understanding, however, that the supply of any individual convict should be withdrawn in the event of his getting out of hand in any form or other.

Most penologists are in favor of tobacco for convicts and we cannot see why Ottawa should not subscribe to this view and end the agony and heartburning.

Not alone the convict writers of invisible letters but the officials who have been trafficking in them - as apparently they have been - should be given short shrift. The sale of law. or the defeat of justice cannot be tolerated.

It is well to remember that the trouble in the penitentiary just now is not so much because of any hard- ship imposed upon the convicts or any lack of sympathy with their unfortunate position as because of the fact that certain officials within the institution having been found to be law breakers themselves, now resent the discovery and are endeavoring to make it harder than ever for the trusted officials to carry on. Right thinking people will support the honest officials, not the other kind.

[hobbitsnapes]

YOU GUYS ARE DATING

Corpse x MGK!sister reader

(Found this image on Pinterest so all credit goes to artist, if you know who it is please comment below so I can credit them)

A/N: this was requested by @heyitssab

Tree is tall of sex in this, but it’s more in a joking matter, plus corpse has stated he doesn’t mind as long as you are not a minor or send or tag him. I’m literally 2 years younger than him, and have no intentions of ever tagging him or sending him any of my work XD

Summary: how many idiots does it take to tell the brother and friend they’re dating? Apparently takes 2 very forgetful people, who kept their relationship secret without knowing it.

It had just been by chance, a small chance that he had been scrolling through his tags. liking and reposting art, when he saw a tag from someone he followed. He wrecked his brain for when he had followed her, coming up empty. She was cute, no denying the beauty she had as she laughed in the video. It was a clip from a stream that he didn’t know she had, as he couldn’t even remember her name, wearing his merch as it fit her snug. It fit her perfectly in fact, the large hood covering her face, hiding the flush to her face from her rather large chuckles that left her body. He couldn’t help but like the photo, and he couldn’t help but to press message either.

It was first only small likes to posts, an Occasional message, and a view on their livestreams, but that all changed when he spoke of the song he was working on with her older brother.

It all started that night, when both lay in their beds as they talked, laughed, and felt their hearts flutter each time they heard one another speak.

Her phone rang violently in her bag, nearly making her drop the to go bag all over the ground as she walked. “Hello?” She asked, as she held both bags with her hands as her shoulder gripped the phone as if it’d fall down a cliff. “Hey bug!” He exclaimed, making her chuckle as she heard the booming sound of his voice. She had always detested the nickname, as he gave it to her as kids due to her horrendous fear of the creatures. But, it brought more joy to her, as it reminded her of their youth. Having been adults for years, it was fun to hear such a childish name that’s stuck.

“Hey mopey.” She chuckled, as that was the name she gave him when he was in his emo phase that he never outgrew.

Both talked as she walked towards the elevator, mainly about how his day had gone as she silently listened.

She had always been this way, always the shyer of the two, the one to listen to others first before she said a word. He had teased her for it most of their childhood and teen life, but he had grown to love it, as he could let loose or rant to her about anything, and he knew she’d be there just to listen to him.

“So what’re you doing right now?” He asked, as she got into the elevator. “Just grabbed some dinner a few minutes before you called and nearly made me shit.” A smile painted on her face at his boisterous laughter.

“Are you at home?” He asked, as he heard the sound of the elevator beeping in the background. “No, I’m spending the night with my boyfriend.”

She had mentioned about a month prior that she was seeing someone, the joy it brought him to hear the excitement and joy in her tone as she gushed about their first date.

If this was 7 or 8 years prior, he would be bombarding her with questions about the man, who he was, where he lived, where he could meet him to find his intentions with his baby sister. But, in the last few years, he found himself feeling calmer whenever she’d mentioned her love life. He knew she was smart, and would never date a man who treated her poorly. The few breakups she had, they always ended amicably, her head still high as she told him. So, he never asked her any questions about the man, as he could tell from the few times she mentioned him, he could feel the love this man had for her, and Vice versa.

The strong barreling of her phone alerted them awake, both groaning out as she reached for her phone without lifting her head from his shoulder. “Hello?” She mumbled, voice slurred as the saliva was thick in her mouth, barely awake as she fought to listen in on who dares to wake them up.

“Hey!” He exclaimed, making her equally exhausted lover groan. She shifted off of him, laying on her back as he turned away from her, as to hopefully shut his eyes and fall back asleep. She was used to her brother's large voice, as it hardly phased her after growing up with him. “Colson, why are you calling me this ungodly hour?” “Oh come on, it’s not that early.” “Col its-“ She pulled her phone from her ear, eyes shutting violently as the bright light blinded her “5 o’clock in the morning. So again, I’m going to ask you, why did you call me at the asscrack of dawn?” “You don’t remember?” He asked, making her irritation grow. “No, that’s why I’m asking.” She says, as she rubbed her sleep crusted eyes. “You were coming up today to hang out with casie, remember?” Her hand stopped rubbing her face, as she felt her heart stop momentarily. “Wait, you mean today? I thought I was coming Friday?” “No, both of you settled on today, remember I told you that’s perfect because I have a day off?” She felt her heart pain as she heard the sadness in his tone, knowing he’s expecting her to bail. “Yeah sorry, I thought you meant Friday so I mixed it up, let me get ready and I’ll be out the door okay? Love you” she said, as she hung up the line.

Before she could even move, she felt his arm wrap around her body. A tired groan leaving his lips. “Nooo stayyyy.” He groaned, pulling her body to his. She smiled as she looked down at him, wrapping her arm on his chest and the other behind his neck. “I wish I could live, but I can’t.” Planting a soft kiss against his lips. “Stay in bed for a few more hours, please?” Her heart pulled at his tone, hearing just how tired he was. “I can’t, casies wanted me to come up for weeks now. And it takes a good 3 hours to get there. I wanna spend as much time as I can with them before it gets dark so I can get back safely.” He groaned at this, wrapping his arms around her. “Yeah but it’s only 5, it wouldn’t be safe to drive since we went to bed like, 2 hours ago.” “Yeah, and whos fault was that mister?” She teased, “hmm, sorry but I just couldn’t keep my hands to myself after not seeing you for a few days.” He mused, pulling her body closer to his, planting his lips against hers. A small hum left her lips as he pulled her thigh over his, grabbing the flesh harshly as their lips cascaded together. “Mm, no no no, you’re not gonna convince me to stay here just to go another round.” She said, as she got off from his warm body, throwing his large hoodie over her bare body. “Oh come on babe, are you sure about that?” He said, making her turn around to him. A small gasp left her lips as her eyes took in his milky white complexion. His honey brown eyes looking back at her with a small smile etched onto his face. His hair a tousled mess that resembled a bird's nest, some pieces falling onto his face. “Honey, I’ve been wanting to see my family for weeks now, I see you almost everyday and practically live here. I’ll be back tomorrow so I can grab more clothes from my place okay?” She placed a kiss to his lips, both holding one another in their arms. “I don’t know why you don’t just say fuck that place and just move in.” He mumbled, making her chuckle and heart warm. “Don't you think it’s a little soon though? I mean we’ve only been together a few months love.” “Yeah, but you’ve practically lived here since we got together, you literally just go there to get more clothes that you end up leaving here.” She looked into his eyes as she thought about his words. “Hm, I’ll think about it today okay?” She mused, planting a kiss to his lips. A soft okay leaving him as she got up.

“And babe, remember if you live here, we can have all the sex we want and not have to worry about driving to get one another.” He exclaimed, laughing at the loud honey she screamed from the bathroom.

She couldn’t help but laugh out as she watched, as her niece tried her hardest to braid her fathers grown out hair. It was near impossible not to, as pieces would fall out, resulting in her pulling them harsher, nearly pulling his eyelids back due to the tension from his temples. “Okay okay you’re gonna fuckin scalp me.” He chuckled , as all three bursted out in large laughter.

“So how’s school going this year?” She asked her, as she delicately painted her nails. Both of the girls had found themselves on the floor in front of the nice coffee table, as colson sat and chatted with them. “It’s going really well.” “Oh yeah? Make any new friends?” She teased. “I mean, kinda.” She couldn’t help but hear the wavering in her tone, spotting the faint blush dusting her skin. “Ohh, so there’s a someone eh?” She teased to her, making the preteen hide her face as to conceal the flush. “His names Garrett, and we both take social studies together. He always sits next to me at lunch, and we’ll draw on my notebook.” She gushed, making her smile. “Soo, do you think he likes you?” “I mean, that’s what everyone keeps saying.” “Yeah well don’t worry about it to much cas, you’re not dating anyone for many more years. You’re still a kid.” Her das said, making the young girls face fall.

Y/N knew he was only saying this to protect her, as he said the same thing to her growing up. “Hey, don’t be bummed out about it. He is right, you both are only 12 and should focus on school. But don’t worry, he’ll come around. He was just like that with me up until my current boyfriend.” She whispered, making the young girl chuckle.

“Speaking of which, how are you guys doing?” He asked, as she hadn’t mentioned hun to her in a while. He didn’t think it’d hurt to ask. “Great actually, we’re thinking of moving in together actually.” “That’s great! I’m really happy that y’all met.” “Yeah, I am too.” She hummed, a flush dusting her cheeks.

Both men laughed as they chatted on the phone, talking about anything that would come to mind. What was once only a collaboration for a song, turned into an amazing friendship that caused both of them to call at late hours just to shoot the shit.

A yawn left his lips, as he listened to colson ramble on about another song he was making. “Woah, you tired man?” Colson asked, shocked to hear the sound. “Yeah sorry, was up most of the night last night.” He mumbled, rubbing his eyes. “Were you feeling alright?” He asked, worry laced in his tone. He knew all about his friends illnesses, even once being on the other end of the phone during a bad spell one day.” “Oh yeah yeah yeah, was just, up with the misses last night.” He chuckled, a flush blooming on his cheeks. “Ohhh yeah? And how was it?” This shocked him, nearly feeling his heart stop. Like, does he usually know about his sisters sex life? He didn’t think much of it, as he knew just how close both were. “It was absolutely fucking amazing. Like I thought we’d be done for the night, fully tapped out but after like 5 minutes she’d be right back on me for another round.” He chuckled, his flush even worse than before. “Ayyyeee good for you corpse, glad to hear that puss is bussin.” He laughed at this, throwing his head back. “Yeah, it’s bussin bussin.”

Both men talk as they read from their phones, eyes wide in absolute awe of the love they received from the song. They had just dropped it a few days prior, not expecting the cry of joy from both fan bases.

He didn’t even look up from it when she walked in, until she bent down to plant a kiss to his forehead. “Sorry I had completely forgot about the tea I made you an hour ago, but I put it back on the stove to heat it up so if it’s twisting funky just tell me okay?” Before he could even thank her, both their heads whipped towards the loudness from the other line. “Y/N? Is that you? What in the hell are you doing there with corpse!” He didn’t sound angry, more shocked than anything, both of them looking at the phone in confusion. “I, I love here? Remember I told you like a month ago I was moving in with him?” “WHAT!” Both jumped at the loud scream. “Wait so you guys are dating!?” Both we’re even more perplexed, until it dawned on both of them. Their eyes wide as they turned their heads to one another slowly. “Wait you didn’t tell him?” “No? He’s one of your best friends so I thought you did!” “He’s your brother! So I thought you did!” Both whisper, until all three lay silent. That was until, the large cry of laughter that leaves the two, leaving colson even more confused. He wasn’t mad, not at all actually. More shocked and confused than anything. Until he started thinking, it does make sense, all the times they spoke about one another without him knowing, all the times they mentioned-“OH GOD!” He yelled, gagging violently, making them stop their laughing fit. “What's wrong? Why are you yelling?” She asks “like a month ago corpse was talking about how he was tired cause he was up all night having sex AND I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU! OH GOD WAS THAT WHY YOU WERE LIMPING THAT DAY WITH CAS AND I!” Both laugh even harder, as they listen to his ever growing gags.

“So yeah,. That’s literally how we had no idea we were keeping the relationship secret from her brother.” He laughed, as he red the comments and listened to his friends' laughter. She sat beside him, head laying on his shoulder as he told the story. She couldn’t help but to look back up into his eyes, as he glanced down at her, planting a soft kiss to her lips. “Keep it pg guys.” Colson said from the other line, making them chuckle.

[thatpennybenjamin]

@vegaprose ‘Tis that time of the season! Colleen’s missing Jackie at the moment. She often wonders if he didn’t send her Jasper and Cian as a way to make up for leaving her so suddenly.  I’d like to think that Jackie’s passing was the catalyst for Colleen’s songwriting career. He knew she had the talent all along, she just needed to be guided to it. 

“So...how’s it going on dating front, Ma?”

Colleen had looked forward to these phone calls home since she had moved into the city. She loved everything about the city except that sometimes late at night all she wanted to hear was the waves off the harbor. Jackie jokingly called her his misplaced mermaid.

“Oh, not too bad. Got a date lined up with a friend of Harvey’s. Prison guard, I think.”

The tell tale sound of Ma’s pack of Misty’s running short signaled to Col that it was time to wrap it up. 

“Alright, well, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Love you.”

“Love you Colly. You and Jackie still on for Labor Day right?”

“Hell yes! He loves you too, Ma.”

There was a second where the air hung heavy. The Before, as Col thought of it afterwards. Death had visited their doorstep. The clock, a gift from her mother, had stopped, it knew. But her heart didn’t. It simply stuttered in her chest as she slipped into survival mode. Night had descended upon her soul and her only light wasn’t here to guide her towards the shoreline. 

“Colly?”

Her mother. Helene. Harvey. Joe. They were all looking at her oddly. The smell of hothouse lilies and carnations almost made her sick. The dark wood of the church pews acted as blinders for her. Clawing and gasping for air as she drowned on dry land. Seeing him. There. So still in that huge wooden box with the tree of life etched into the lid. She never knew him to wear a suit let alone have his hair that short. She had slipped him a fifth of the good stuff the night before when she had snuck in and spent one last night alone with him, Praying like he had to every saint she knew of and praying to Stevie to please keep him safe up there. Helene and and Ma had found her at about 7AM when Father Ratajczyk had called them. She held his hand still and only let go when the priest promised her that Jackie had been granted absolution and was now with his best friend and his grandfather. His words had comforted her soul enough for her to let sleep and the whisky claim her. 

This time it had been different. They had called her name the same way he had. She had broken into a sprint away from the funeral procession. Dodged two taxis and just kept running. She hadn’t run since high school and she had never had this much speed to back her then. Her mind blanked for a second, allowing her simply feel her body. A blip and the second was over, her mind was on fire and her heart ached enough to worry her that it might shatter right there. She had finally stopped and everything took on a washed out tone. The world was too bright.  ‘Let it out, babe.’ hearing his voice in her head was all it took for her to let go. An absurdly bright blue streak of early spring sky was smeared with the flight of blackbird wings. A shattered heart calling into the void that transcended time and space. 

“Col!”

Gentle hands and the smell of summer flowers and sugar. Helene. 

“Colly baby can you hear me?”

Estée Lauder and Misty menthols. Ma. 

“Nghhh..”

“That’s a damn good sign. Don’t think I’ve seen someone faint like that.”

She didn’t utter a word for the better part of two months. Partially because she had been instructed to after the severe strain she had put her vocal chords under. Her career with the Met Opera now a long gone dream. Now she was focused on other things. Staying at her mother’s place upstate she waited for exactly the right moment. The eldest Flannery brother had come to visit her. She had fought back. The back garden hasn’t grown this well in decades. She’s prayed for forgiveness and she’s unsure if she’ll ever get it but knowing that Jackie’s free has helped her. Sometimes she can still feel him around her. Maybe he’s still guiding her? 

“Just sing the stupid song, Colleen.”

She muttered to herself as she adjusted the headset. Hel’s face was the only one she could see. She gave her a watery smile. 

And with my eyes closed I'm leaving it all behind I will run away if you call my name And I, I'll keep running if you come my way

She closed her eyes for a second and she felt him. She felt that moment of being back in the apartment and everything failing and engulfing her. 

‘Sing it out and listen.’

Jumped back in a daze I saw the faces slowly slowly slip away Let me hide your eyes, it's too bright And now I'm slipping through the white Bringing me into cold dark night And with my eyes closed I see the door open wide

She had heard a specific pattern, almost like an echoing heartbeat. Two, then one. Opening her eyes she gave a quick blink and managed to finish it through. She had called in a favor to Jack Donovan to lay down the drum track for her. He was waiting on her to meet him so they could record it in his private studio. She had consulted the cards, the saints, and now she had consulted Jackie. 

‘Get your passport, babe.’

“Hey, Hey...wanna go to Dublin with me?”

Giving her best friend a slightly cracked grin as the pieces of herself started to realign once more. 

[aion-rsa]

The Suicide Squad Review: The Most James Gunn Superhero Movie Ever

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It feels like we’ve been here before. A C-list DC Comics villain has been brought to life by a major Hollywood talent—Idris Elba as Bloodsport in this case—only to be saddled in a seemingly generic scene with the character’s adolescent daughter. When we saw a variation of this cliché in the first Suicide Squad movie, it stood in for barebones character development; a familiar story beat which allowed Will Smith’s Deadshot to prove he really just wants to make his little girl proud. But that was then, and this is now. This is James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.

Hence when Elba’s incarcerated baddie takes a look at his daughter through prison plexiglass, and she reveals that she too has gotten pinched and is now awaiting a court date for nicking a smartwatch, he has only one question: Why did she get caught for swiping something so stupid? “A year in juvie will do her good,” he sniffs later. “She’s always been a little ditzy like her mother.”

Welcome to Gunn’s familiar yet wickedly singular take on a valuable piece of Warner Bros. intellectual property. In a sign of the strange times that studio executives find themselves in, Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is a hard tonal reset on a film that grossed nearly $750 million five years ago. To be clear, it’s also a sequel to David Ayer’s 2016 movie despite what talent has said to the press in recent months, with passing references to both the previous picture as well as Margot Robbie’s solo stint as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey. And yet, even with its setting in the DC Extended Universe, The Suicide Squad is on a planet created by, ruled over, and ultimately tormented through the prism of Gunn’s singular sensibility. Not since Super has the filmmaker’s vision been so unchecked or subversive, making for a whole movie that’s a lot like Gunn’s humor: dark, crude, and paradoxically heartfelt.

That Warner Bros. would surrender one of their biggest franchises to that kind of voice is a minor miracle.

The setup of Gunn’s vision for The Suicide Squad is narratively simple enough. Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller is still pursuing the seriously awful idea of taking convicted supervillains and putting bombs in their necks before ordering them to go save the world or die trying. But unlike the chaotic mishmash from five years ago, Gunn doesn’t want his antiheroes to look cool while doing it… at least most of the time.

Waller’s victims still include familiar faces like Robbie’s bubbly Harley Quinn and point man Col. Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman). There’s also a slew of new meat for the grinder, chief among them being Elba’s stoic Bloodsport (a hitman who can turn any object into a weapon); John Cena’s Peacemaker (Captain America if he watched Fox News all day); Daniela Melchior’s Ratcatcher II (a young woman who can control rats); and David Dastmalchian’s Polka-Dot Man (a sad sack who can control… polka-dots?). Sylvester Stallone also voices a walking talking Great White Shark, which is as adorable as it sounds.

The team is sent to the fictional island nation of Corto Maltese to destroy evidence of something called “Project Starfish.” Madness and a whole lot of killing ensues.

At its essence, Gunn’s story is what the Suicide Squad concept has always leant itself toward: a men and women on a mission adventure. Indeed, Gunn homages the narrative structure of numerous “infiltrate and escape” ‘60s blockbusters, with The Dirty Dozen (1967) and Where Eagles Dare (1968) being the biggest touchstones. One could even squint and see Elba’s cynic with a heart of gold in Bloodsport and Cena’s patriotic-to-a-fault Peacemaker as dueling riffs on the same Lee Marvin archetype.

But for all those narrative allusions, Gunn’s not going for something particularly high-minded or even middle brow. He’s happy to crawl through as much mud and gross bits as the shark, and to have his pen gleefully unshackled from the constraints of Disney. More so than his Guardians of the Galaxy flicks, The Suicide Squad feels apiece with his early work, including for indie shock horror studio, Troma Entertainment, and perhaps more aptly his first Hollywood movie, the gruesomely mean-spirited Slither. Like that comedy-chiller about invasive aliens and body horror, there’s something faintly perverse and even juvenile to the set pieces in The Suicide Squad, especially near the beginning.

I suspect many audiences will love how hard The Suicide Squad goes in the opening 15 minutes or so, albeit more than a few will find it abrasive, gratuitous, and a tad immature. Which it is. Fortunately, Gunn is able to thread the needle between his excesses, balancing the primal joy of watching a Great White Man-Shark rip a dude in half with the emotional authenticity he’s long been underrated for. It’s what made his Guardians movies the strangely most sarcastic yet sincere films in the Marvel oeuvre, and it’s what keeps The Suicide Squad from being just an exercise in style.

While Robbie has fine-tuned Harley to perfection in this third outing—thereby raising the question of how much further she can take this character barring a possible Poison Ivy movie—and Elba makes for a rock solid charismatic anchor, it is relative unknowns Melchior and Dastmalchian who shine brightest. The actors are tellingly saddled with the most pitiful sounding superpowers ever committed to screen—rat mind control and the ability to throw colorful polka-dots—but Gunn’s affinity for outcasts and losers elevates them to the folks we most want to spend time with. There’s real pathos here, and in Melchior’s case, grace in this otherwise loopy cacophony. Ratcatcher II begins as an amusing riff on “millennial jokes” in a superhero movie while Polka-Dot Man is aptly nicknamed “Norman Bates,” and yet both nearly walk away with the whole movie.

Of course, with as much zaniness as there is in this flick (I haven’t even gotten to the giant starfish!), it’s hard for any single element to really overshadow the others for long. The movie is so overstuffed with ideas and gags, it’s downright overwhelming at times. For some that will be a detriment, but that Gunn is able to keep all the balls in the air, and manages to make most of these misfits engaging, and even endearing, is its greatest asset.

For too long, superhero movies have grown toothless, innocuous, and sandblasted clean of any strong sense of identity. Many are fine in a blandly inoffensive way that allows them to vanish from memory quicker than they entered. With its weirdness and warm-heartedness, The Suicide Squad is distinctly the outcome of a singular filmmaker given free rein over one of these fiscal calendar linchpins. I’m not sure if that makes for good business, but it makes for mighty fine cinema, polka-dots and all.

The Suicide Squad opens in theaters and on HBO Max on Friday, Aug. 6.

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[cicada-bones]

The Warrior and the Embers

Chapter 2: Hunting

Masterlist / Ao3 / Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Rowan soared out, over the turrets and bridges, and towards that faint pulse of dark power he could still sense within the palace.

He shifted and landed lightly on the pads of his feet in a small interior courtyard with a central fountain, then turned quickly down the hall to his left and pushed open a plain stone door that sat halfway down the passage. Inside, he was greeted by a bare space that held only an immaculate bed, a cold fireplace, and a wooden desk at which sat a tall, dark, brooding figure facing away from him, studying a worn piece of paper.

“Whitethorn,” Lorcan said without turning to look at him. “What in rutting hell do you want.”

It had been nearly a year since Rowan had seen the male, and yet there was no greeting, no warmth from him. Not that Rowan expected anything else.

In earlier years, when he had first encountered Lorcan, Rowan had pitied the male. Had wondered what had happened, what had been taken from him as a child on the streets of Doranelle, for him to be this way.

Now…he no longer needed to.

Rowan and Lorcan were the same. Two sides of one coin, black granite and solid ice. Perfect killing tools. A match made in hell.

Exactly where Lorcan got his magic – straight from the fiery pits of hell. Blessed by Hellas, god of death, Lorcan’s power was that of will – of death and thought and destruction. Perhaps that was why he was so attracted to a queen who collected the wills of others as if they were her own.

When Rowan did not reply, Lorcan turned around, revealing features hewn from granite and piercing onyx eyes. “What.”

Rowan hesitated slightly, unsure how to ask the questions he harbored. Lorcan would not take well to questioning their queen. “I assume you know why I was called back from the east.”

“I didn’t even know you were in the east. But yes, I know why you were called to Doranelle. What of it.” The words were blank and empty, and Lorcan’s features barely moved from their cruel cast as they escaped his mouth.

Rowan’s voice was hardly any warmer. “Why.”

Lorcan finally seemed to actually see Rowan. “Gavriel is in the north, Vaughan off with another garrison on the other side of the world. Fenrys is already in Varese, and Connall is upstairs somewhere doing gods know what, and isn’t allowed to leave.” Lorcan’s voice was hard.

“I have been called to the fleet, heading south along the coast and then east through the southern inlets, to send aid to the Erriagti people. I’m set to leave in the next few days, but I should be back before the end of the season. I do not have time for other errands, and you are the next in line.”

Rowan pursed his lips slightly. “There’s still something different about this one. It feels almost as though Maeve is…hiding something.”

Lorcan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What are you insinuating.”

He sighed. “Nothing specifically. This just feels – off.”

“I assumed it was a roundabout method of punishing Fenrys. He’s been pulling at the leash even more than usual lately.”

That explanation didn’t sit well with Rowan, for some reason. “She didn’t reveal anything to you indicating why she wants the girl so badly?”

“I’m sure you remember tell of her power.”

Rowan’s silence was answer enough.

“Well then, there’s your answer.”

Rowan clenched his jaw. “She really seeks to recruit?”

“So it seems.”

“A fire gift for the Queen of the Rivers.” Rowan’s statement was wry, almost skeptical.

Lorcan narrowed his eyes again. “And why would you say that?”

“Maeve built this city of stone and water. She fears fire.” Rowan was almost surprised at his daring for voicing these thoughts aloud. “Why would she covet it so?”

Lorcan’s words were merciless. “Perhaps, all those millennia ago, if our queen had acquired Brannon, we would not watch over a kingdom but instead an empire.”

“So she seeks to conquer.”

“I do not know, Rowan. And frankly I don’t understand where this sudden desire to question our queen’s motives is coming from.”

Rowan didn’t know either.

So he moved on. “What do you know of the girl? I was in the north, fighting in that useless excuse for a war, but you were here when she came to light.”

Lorcan sighed. “She’s demi-Fae. As far as I remember she had shifting abilities – human and Fae forms. Rare, but not unheard of. We don’t know how well trained she is in her powers.”

“So they could be formidable.”

“They could be. Another reason for Maeve sending you.”

Rowan turned his head and narrowed his eyes slightly, considering. Magic had been absent from the western continent for nearly a decade, meaning that the princess wouldn’t have been able to train her powers in her homeland. But her master, Arobynn Hamel, could easily have sent her to a foreign nation to do so.

“And what about as the assassin.”

“Not much had been known about Celaena Sardothien, other than that she was a col-blooded killer. Ruthless and arrogant. Rumors were rampant, and if our queen could divine fact from fiction, she isn’t sharing.”

“But obviously proficient?” Rowan pushed.

“At least against mortals.”

“But she isn’t fully mortal.”

“No she is not. And we do not know if the assassin’s guild trained her in her Fae form.”

As Fae, the princess’ speed and strength would rival even theirs. But only if she had been trained to use it. Rowan’s blood thrilled. “This could be quite the fight.”

Lorcan’s answering smile was brutal. “I’ve never known you to shy from a challenge, Whitethorn. Don’t disappoint me now.”

Rowan’s grin was small and cold as he responded. “And what about you? What are you going to face in the southeast?”

“A royal has turned, and the people have revolted against him, burning wherever they go. Maeve sends aid to the foolish king, setting the price of winning his kingdom back for him that he must lay much of his authority at her feet.” Lorcan grimaced. “At least its more interesting than an errand run to Varese.”

“We’ll see.” Rowan goaded, even though he knew Lorcan was probably right. The princess would likely be as much a pain in his ass as Fenrys was. All royals were the same – spoiled, selfish, and entirely useless. Especially the powerful ones.

Lorcan just huffed a laugh. “Sure. We’ll see.”

“Who knows. Maybe the princess will be so completely useless that Maeve disposes of her the moment they meet at Mistward, and I’ll be able to join you in the southeast.”

Lorcan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Mistward? The western outpost?”

Rowan nodded.

“Maeve is leaving Doranelle?”

“Yes.”

Lorcan’s lips tightened as he turned his head to face the wall. Their queen did not leave her city lightly. Rowan hadn’t been wrong, something had shifted. This meeting was more than just a formality.

Lorcan turned back to face him, and they reached an understanding.

The male’s eyes were dark. “Regardless, your mission remains the same. Go, collect the princess, and leave the future to the oracles.”

Rowan just nodded, and left.

···

The dawn sun stretched its comforting hand out to brush Rowan’s feathers. He hadn’t bothered to transform back into his Fae form to sleep, choosing instead to perch on a convenient branch until morning.

The trip would normally take him three days. Now, with Fenrys waiting for him in Varese already, he’d hoped to half that. So he’d flown through the previous day, pushing his body to its limit. But he hadn’t had even a moment to rest while in Doranelle, meaning he couldn’t move as quickly as he wished. No matter how it irked him, he’d had to sleep last night.

Rowan opened his eyes quickly, jerked from sleep by the sudden warmth while his nightmares slowly faded, the familiar images leeching from behind his eyelids. He sat on the oaken bough, waiting for the screams to dissipate. Lyria.

Rowan sighed into Mala’s embrace. The sun goddess had always favored him, and now she seemed to smile lightly upon his skin, a promise of some kind. Tomorrow, he would reach Varese, and begin the hunt.

Rowan let out a screech of anticipation. He could be walking into the fight of his life, and his blood thrilled to the challenge.

Aelin Galathynius very well could be a considerable threat, one trained in both Fae combat and fire magic. Whose power at nine years of age had people across the world worried about their borders and their futures.

Even in Doranelle they had feared that the princess would one day take her magic beyond Terrasen's borders and across the sea to the city of water and stone. Where she might be powerful enough to pose a threat. But then the world had twisted, and Terrasen fell, like so many other kingdoms in the west this past decade, and Terrasen’s heir was no more. Or so he had thought.

Now the princess was nearing her second decade. She was still young, but a child no more. And her power will only have grown with the passing years. Then, somehow she had come into the service of Adarlan’s King, the man who had overthrown her country, who had murdered her family. And she was in Wendlyn to kill for him.

The princess of Terrasen had abandoned her nation and become a killer. Had become Adarlan’s assassin, Celaena Sardothien.

Even on the other side of the world, rumors of that girl had reached him. She would disappear for a time, and then violently resurface, carnage and destruction in her wake. Rowan had never paid much attention to the stories, rejecting them as fanciful tales. But now he wished he’d paid them more heed.

The girl was obviously proficient in combat. Just the fact that he had heard of her, had noted her existence, attested to that. Even if her strength as a mortal couldn’t hold a candle to any well-trained Fae. But would he be facing her as a mortal?

As it always did before a test, his blood spiked with adrenaline. But this time, the eagerness was tinged with something else. A thought he couldn’t contain. Particularly as the date, the dreaded anniversary, loomed over him like a guillotine blade.

Perhaps today he would see her again.

Rowan violently battered at the hope that yawned its tiny head with the unwelcome thought, a futile attempt to strike away the agony that followed surely after. Lyria.

He shook himself, shuttering the pain away behind walls of ice, and took off into the light of the rising sun.

As Rowan flew, he calculated.

His quarry was a princess of Terrasen, descendant of Brannon and gifted with his fire magic. Once Rowan was in close proximity to her, he would probably be able to sense her power just as he did with any magic wielder. But from a distance, he wasn’t familiar enough with her to sense a gods-damned thing.

Her scent could possibly mark her as Terrasen royalty, but she had spent so many years as another person, in foreign nation, that he couldn’t rely on it alone to track her down. Her scent might not have any traces of Terrasen left.

She would most likely have an Adarlanian accent, or perhaps a Terrasen one. But then again, she had been trained as a spy and assassin, she could be adept at disguising her accent, as well as her distinctive appearance.

But the spy’s information had been predicated upon the princess’s golden hair and turquoise-and-gold eyes; meaning Rowan could be assured that at least within the last week the princess had retained those features.

He couldn’t easily ask around after her either. With the name Aelin Galathynius, or Celaena Sardothien for that matter, she wouldn’t provide any names that would be recognizable at bars or inns. He had to rely on description alone.

There was also the chance that she had found sanctuary with her relatives, the Ashryvers, and he would have to spirit her away under the noses of royal guards.

This was proving to be even more of a challenge than he had originally supposed. From a distance, he would be forced to use that which she could not easily change about herself. Namely, her eyes, her age, and the feeling of her power.

···

The day waxed into night, the miles dissolving beneath his wings. Then the sun rose once more, bringing with it the promise of contest.

Where to look for a princess in the city of Varese? Rowan mused.

The city’s sprawl came into view beneath the clouds, a hilly expanse of red terracotta tiles and white stucco walls. The sun had fully risen now, and was baking the city streets and its many colors into a white-bright haze. In the evenings, the streets would glow golden, falling into lovely streaks of yellow and orange. But during the day, the capital scorched and blistered under Mala’s heavy gaze.

The vegetation that survived the sun’s glare was hardy and tough, but still a dark and vibrant green, contrasting well with warm tones of the capital. Outside the city walls, the evergreens gathered into a thick forest that spread towards the distant mountains and the city of rivers hidden among them.

The buildings were all piled on top of each other, climbing onto each other’s shoulders and resting on each other’s backs, a pile of limbs. It was haphazard and chaotic, a mess of noise and color and scent.

A perfect hiding place.

He swooped down low, heading past the centrally located palace and towards the northwest section of the city, making sure to avoid the gazes of keen-eyed castle guards. Varese was a city of magic, housing a substantial Fae population in addition to the many Fae nomads that regularly came through the city. The palace guards would know how to recognize a Fae in animal form, and he had no desire to be spotted and stopped.

The northwestern part of Varese was the oldest part of the city, and underneath all of the carelessly stacked additions you can still find the original ancient courtyard that the capital city was built around. It now housed a small market that teemed with magical trinkets, potions, fortune tellers, spells and tools, as well as gifted street performers and defected mercenaries that now traded their powers for a few coins.

This district held the highest concentration of Fae, and unsurprisingly, it was the area of the city Rowan was most familiar with.

He remained in hawk form, soaring high above the market stalls and avoiding any watchful eyes. In his Fae body, his presence would be noted wherever he went. He was too powerful, too recognizable, and far too memorable.

Rowan swooped down a familiar alley and towards a secluded doorway. Without hesitation, he soared through the open curtain and transformed, moving to sit on a plain wooden chair. The space was painfully small and almost entirely bare, the consequence of so much time traveling.

The apartment was one of many spread throughout Wendlyn, all inconspicuous, tiny, and sparse. Kept by Maeve’s blood-sworn warriors as outposts, ready to be used whenever needed.

Rowan could feel a familiar presence in the only room adjoining the main space.

Good, he was here.

Rowan let out a grunt of annoyance. There was no way that his presence hadn’t already been sensed. He was being ignored. But before he could break down the door and pull the male out by his teeth, it opened and Fenrys lurched out, a wild look in his eye and a short dagger in his hands.

Rowan snorted, his eyebrows raising. Or maybe not.

“Pleasant sleep?” Rowan asked, his voice laced with derision.

Fenrys only grunted, and sat in the only other available chair. The male was disheveled; there were heavy bags under his dark eyes, his golden curls were matted, and his bronze skin was ashen. Rowan had obviously just woken him after a late night.

Rowan’s jaw tightened. At least the male was where he was supposed to be – even if he hadn’t actually achieved anything other than debauchery in the days since his arrival.

But Fenrys just frowned back at his icy glare. “Took you long enough.” His words were muddled with sleep and leftover drink.

Rowan’s eyes narrowed still further. Barely anyone in the world would dare to speak to him like that. Unluckily for Rowan, Fenrys was one of those very few. “Have you done anything other than drink yourself to death since you got here?”

“No. And I promise, I did it just to annoy you.”

Rowan blinked, while his muscles tensed.

“Now now Rowan don’t get your knickers in a twist. I’m not that stupid.” Fenrys’ grin was wicked, his eyes bright enough to set the apartment on fire.

Rowan just sighed, leashing his anger and dredging up that well of patience hidden beneath it. It wasn’t particularly deep. This time of year, early spring, was always the hardest for Rowan. He wished he could just leave, could fly into the waiting winds and rage at the waning sun. Instead he was trapped here with this male and his infuriating mouth.

Fenrys spoke up. “I’ve been here nearly a week now. I wasn’t expecting you so soon – you must have hauled ass from Doranelle.”

Rowan just grunted.

“I’ve spent the past three days and nights almost entirely in the palace. Galan Ashryver, the crown prince, is honorable – he will be a benevolent ruler. He spends most of his days in council, or with his army. Adarlanian forces venture closer every day – threatening outright war. And he’s become a blockade runner.”

Fenrys grinned at that, his eyes warm with respect for the young prince. Rowan nodded, waiting for him to continue.

“The people love him for it. Maeve will probably have a hard time with him in the coming years – he’s intractable. Stubborn. And righteous to a fault. The king however is different story – you’re familiar with him, I’m sure.”

Rowan grimaced.

Fenrys cursed. “Bastard. Can’t shine his shoes without checking in with at least three advisors, and even then, he’d probably still avoid going through with it. Her majesty has wrapped him utterly around her finger. There is no way that he is knowingly hiding Aelin Galathynius under Maeve’s nose, absolutely none. And with the princess’s eyes and age…she’d probably be discovered within days if she tried to infiltrate the court.”

Rowan agreed with the assessment. “But?”

“But there’s a chance that Galan Ashryver is hiding her. A small one, but still a chance.”

Rowan nodded again.

“His patterns are very regular – and much of the time he is in company. He only rarely has time alone, and even more rarely is he out of the palace grounds. Their security is fairly tight – enough so that even Adarlan’s Assassin couldn’t easily slip through.”

“The princess was ordered to assassinate the Ashryvers – ”

“Yes,” Fenrys interrupted, causing Rowan’s frown to deepen, “and that is why my focus these past few days has been on the palace, and not on tracking the girl down.”

“And?” Rowan spoke through his teeth.

“Nothing.”

“No threats, no attacks, no one scouting them out?”

“Absolutely nothing. I’ve mentioned the possibility of a threat to his guards, and they are planning on upping his security. Not that the assassin is likely to get a shot at him before we track her down.”

“Not that that is going to prove an easy task.”

Fenrys’ eyes glinted. “You doubt our ability to overpower a teenage princess?”

Rowan scowled. “I am cautious when that teenage princess has a power great enough to attract the attention of our queen, and of nations across the world.”

“Oh Rowan, what a worrier you are turning into in your old age.”

Rowan’s anger pulled on its leash. He sighed. “That wasn’t what I meant anyways. The girl has every reason to stay out of sight, and as an assassin, she must have been trained to disguise her appearance. She could prove very difficult to track down.”

Fenrys frowned, and nodded.

Rowan shifted in his seat. “What did Maeve tell you before you left?”

Fenrys cocked his head, his eyes dancing once again. “What? Are you thinking I may have received more information than you, oh-great-immortal-warrior?

“Just tell me.”

The male relented. “Only the princess’ description, her purpose in Varese, and her identity as both Celaena and Aelin.” Fenrys’ eyes darkened slightly. “Maeve also said that she was sending for you, and you were to collect the girl and ferry her back. I was ordered to stay away from her, which I’m sure was intended as a punishment. Instead I have to stay in Varese to ensure that the Ashryver prince doesn’t get any ideas about attacking Adarlan before Maeve decides it’s necessary.”

“From what you said, that might also prove a challenge.”

Fenrys nodded. “You know how these royals are – still upset about Maeve ignoring Terrasen’s call for aid all those years ago. Slow to trust. Just got back from a long night of ingratiating.”

“If that’s what you call it.” He eyed the undergarments strewn through the apartment.

Fenrys grinned wickedly. “Nothing wrong with enjoying a few nights of freedom.”

Rowan’s lips tightened slightly. No matter how infuriating the male was, Rowan still sympathized with Fenrys. He bore the brunt of Maeve’s attentions, shielding his twin from her. Fenrys was still young by Fae standards, but the twin wolves had still served Maeve for nearly a century. And all that time, Fenrys protected his brother from Maeve.

Fenrys hadn’t sworn to Maeve out of devotion, or desire for power, or even out of desperation as Rowan had. He had sworn out of his love for his brother, and his need to protect him.

Maybe as a result of that, out of all of them Fenrys chafed the most under Maeve’s rule. He never betrayed her, never undermined her, but he was the only one of Maeve's blood-sworn who perhaps truly regretted taking the blood oath.

But it didn’t matter – now that it was done, he would serve for the rest of his life or die in dishonor. There were no other options.

Rowan shook himself from those pointless thoughts. “How long will you be here?”

“Her majesty bade me stay till the end of the month.”

“Good.” Rowan paused. “Well you'd better not have any other plans for your day – we’re going hunting.”

Rowan waited for a rebuttal, but none came. Fenrys was just nodding his agreement, a wicked light gleaming in his eyes. “Getting worn-out, old man? Need some assistance on your little chase?”

Rowan growled as the words cut through him. He pushed the fury away through sheer force of will, snarling, “You know why I asked.”

Fenrys grinned wide. “What, the ancient, all-powerful warrior needs my help interrogating barmaids?”

“You’re less conspicuous than I am.”

“Friendlier, you mean.”

“A bigger pain in the ass.”

“Better at flirting with the barmaids though.” Fenrys laughed outright, ducking to avoid Rowan’s swipe at his left cheekbone. “Don’t worry Rowan, I’ll ask around for your missing princess.”

Rowan closed his eyes briefly, strangling the fury that threatened to break through his icy walls.

“Aww I’ve got you all hot and bothered now – care for cool drink little birdie?”

Rowan’s nostrils flared warningly. If he could manage to avoid slaughtering Fenrys, this male would put him in the ground one day.

Fenrys just laughed again, letting go for the time being. “I’ll start by checking the tabernas in the old parts of the city, see if anyone’s spotted someone that fits her description. Maybe she’s more comfortable around other Fae. Then I’ll check the slums. Easiest place to hide in a city of this size.”

Rowan nodded.

“You?”

“I’ll scout from above.”

“I knew you’d be useful someday.”

···

The day passed slowly, dully.

The rhythms of the capital had not changed since Rowan had last visited, and were unlikely to change for centuries to come. It was peaceful, and the city guards were calm, collected, and reliable. There were no threats to be uncovered, no spies lining the rooftops or assassins in the shadows. Nor was there any scent, any hint, of wildfire.

The fight he had anticipated, had almost longed for, did not materialize.

Still, Rowan catalogued every unusual figure that passed below, marking every person that could conceivably fit the princess’s description, and many others besides. Even so, there were not many.

When dark fell and the streets began to empty, Rowan returned to the apartment to meet with Fenrys.

He stewed in silence, forced to wait for the male to reappear. The walls of the apartment were close, confining. He was claustrophobic in the tiny space. Even so, the anxiety was less to do with the apartment and more to do with the thoughts trapped inside his head. He couldn’t get away from them, had no escape. The date loomed over him, a clock running out in his head, an anvil waiting to drop.

Even after all these centuries, his grief was still the weight of the world on his back.

The burden of his anguish and his guilt, his endless shame, had not lessened by one single drop. He could still feel the rough wood of the shovel between his fingers, still taste the copper of her blood on his lips. Could still sense the heat of the mountain home burning before his eyes.

And the images rent him through just as thoroughly as they had that first day.

He longed to move, to escape, to allow the wind and moonlight to coat his body in ice until he no longer had to breathe – no longer had to think. Until his very bones were made of ice. But he couldn’t, so he sat and waited. Not for his brother to walk through the door, bearing news of the princess they sought, but for the foe who would finally best him, and send him back to his love.

It was late into the night when Fenrys finally reappeared.

The moon was full, and a soft white light illuminated the space through the open window. Pale blue curtains ruffled as the front door clicked open and shut.

Fenrys moved through the room efficiently, grabbing a dirty bottle of some amber liquid and collapsing into the chair opposite Rowan. He took a long draught, then handed the bottle over to Rowan, who drank without hesitation.

“So I asked around.”

“Hmm.”

“And I’m not sure how reliable the information I managed to get is.”

Rowan grunted.

“It’s not that people were unwilling to talk – its more that the description we have to give is so sketchy. In Varese, Ashryver eyes are common enough, even when paired with golden hair and aristocratic features.”

“Bastards.”

“Yep. It seems that over the years the Ashryvers have managed to spread their line pretty far throughout the city.”

“So, nothing.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Rowan waited.

“I managed to find a few possibilities. All new to the city, all young women, traveling alone, matching the description. One is staying in a wayhouse in a southern section of the city, arrived three nights ago. I visited her earlier this evening.”

“And?”

“Beautiful. Great taste in furniture. But unless your princess is planning on marrying a merchant’s son and eloping to Fenharrow anytime soon, she’s not your girl.”

Rowan raised his eyebrows.

“I take it no dice.”

“Just keep talking.”

“Another was just passing through, heading for a ship to the southern continent. I managed to catch her before she left. Not her. Great flirt though.”

Rowan frowned at the cocky male.

“There were a few others, all shaky matches, not really worth checking up on unless we get desperate. And the last one was a bit of a mystery. Apparently, there’s been a young woman showing up each night in tabernas around the western edge of the city to gamble. Always keeps her face covered.”

“Hmm.”

“Yeah. I ended up talking to a few guards and barkeeps, and last night a city guard finally got a good look. She’s young – at the latest in her mid-twenties, with light hair and the right eyes. Stood out to him – she’s quite pretty apparently, but the man didn’t want to pursue any of his bosses’ cousins.”

Rowan frowned.

“She’s a shit gambler though, plays dice all night and ends up robbing back what she loses. Started a few big fights the past couple nights. The guards are looking for her, but she doesn’t seem to have an address in the city, and she isn’t renting a room anywhere. She’s a ghost.”

Rowan’s lips twitched.

"Doesn’t sound much like royalty – but since she’s successfully hidden from Adarlan’s soldiers on her own all these years, I wouldn’t put anything past her.”

“Any leads?”

“Nope. Whoever she is, she’s good at hiding her tracks. But I can give you the names and locations of the bars she’s been spotted at the past few nights.”

Rowan nodded as Fenrys relayed the information, then asked, “Would you purchase a couple of horses for me in the market tomorrow? Whether or not this girl is the princess, once I do find her I don’t want to let her out of my sight. I’m going to need a way out of the city, and I would prefer it not to be on my feet.”

Fenrys frowned, but agreed, and Rowan nodded his thanks.

Then the male’s eyes seemed to shift, and he hesitated for a moment, considering something. His lips pursed, brow furrowed. Worried. Rowan found himself automatically tensing in response.

Fenrys shook his head as he said, “Why this girl Rowan? I was in Doranelle, with nothing to do. The girl is powerful, yes, but she is young. And mortal. Any of us could probably take her. But Maeve still took you from another assignment and asked you to collect her.”

Rowan turned to look out the window.

“And now she’s going to leave Doranelle to meet with her. Leave Doranelle. I don’t think she’s done that this century. Why?”

“I don’t know.” Rowan’s voice was hard.

Fenrys frowned and nodded, parsing his real meaning from the non-answer.

Something had shifted.

Change was on the horizon. Aelin Galathynius had reappeared, the lost princess found. And their queen was intent on acquiring her. War was stirring in the west, coming ever closer to their shores. Adarlan was poised to attack, had even schemed to murder royalty, a risky and underhanded ploy. The chess pieces were moving.

The two males said a quiet farewell, Fenrys still lost in thought.

Rowan took off into the darkness, the wind tearing at his feathers.

···

Masterlist / Ao3 / Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

[ultrahpfan5blog]

The Tomorrow War - A surprisingly enjoyable sci-fi action thriller

In all honesty, I had no expectations for this movie. Given the way it was dumped on Amazon, next to no promotion, and subpar trailers, I expected this to be a disaster that the makers and production were trying to hide away. When the reviews came out, I was surprised the the reviews were mixed but not the disaster that I expected it to be. So, as part of my fairly free Sunday, I put this on out of curiosity. And fair play to this film, because I would say this is a pretty entertaining movie.

Now is this a great movie? No. It has some tonal inconsistencies where it veers between being a cheesy post apocalyptic action movie on the tone of Independence day or the more serious approach of an Edge of Tomorrow. I would say, overall, tonally its definitely aiming to be more like Edge of Tomorrow than Independence Day. I would say it largely achieves it. And it even manages to be emotionally resonant in parts. Its also a movie where clearly money has been spent on it. The films action sequences, SFX, and especially the creature design are all very strong. The alien creatures are genuinely scary and its a good thing the trailers didn't reveal anything because their appearances always creates tension. I don't try to break my head over time travel. There are always plot holes in movies and tv shows dealing with time travel. Its pointless to get too worked up over it in my opinion.

The film's first and second acts are when the film is at its best. The first act does a neat job setting up the world. The way the world reacts to a future war, the way the draftees are selected, and even the way the time travel is explained is pretty unique. The second act is the film at its best when the Pratt's Dan Forrester travels to the future and meets his grown up daughter in Strahovski's Col Forrester. That relationship is the meat of the movie and its actually very effective. BTW, her identity is not a spoiler and I'm glad the movie doesn't treat it as a big twist since pretty much everyone guessed it from the trailers. The third act is where the film falters a bit. There is a specific moment at the end of the second act, where the film peaks, both emotionally and story wise, but then there is another 30 mins which comes after that which feels like a different movie. People who have watched the movie will know what I'm talking about. And its not that this portion is bad. It just feels a bit disconnected and doesn't quite capture the tense and thrilling nature of the second act. And its also where the film veers away from the father-daughter relationship to the father son relationship between Simmons and Pratt which doesn't really have much set up apart from one scene in the first act. So its not quite as emotionally resonant. It does become a bit more standard alien action movie, although it does it well enough.

The performances are good, but there are only two characters who get any sort of depth. Pratt's Dan Forrester being the obvious one. He delivered a fairly subdued performance. The film makes good use of his everyman earnestness with the occasional dose of humor to center the movie. Pratt resists the urge to go big and there are a few emotional scenes which he nails. This performance closer to his performance in Passengers, problematic elements of the character aside, than in Guardians or JW. Yvonne gets the meatiest role I've seen from her in movies and she nails it. I've been a fan of her since Chuck and also in The Handmaid's Tale. The scenes between her and Pratt are excellent and the highlight of the movie. JK Simmons lends his usual amount of gravitas in an underdeveloped role but leaves a mark regardless. He looked ripped as hell. Betty Gilpin is underused as well. Sam Richardson and Edward Hodge have the only others roles with any sort of distinction. Sam Richardson is essentially the comic relief and his humor does stick out at times as tonally inconsistent with the rest of the movie. Hodge is reasonably good.

In the end, this movie surprised me. This isn't an Edge of Tomorrow level movie, but it is an entertaining two hours and 10 mins without credits. I didn't feel the film dragged. In terms of non franchise sci-fic action, this is definitely better than most. Its Chris McKay's first foray into live action and he does a commendable job. Its definitely a far cry from The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed, but he shows a fair amount of confidence given a film of this scale and budget. If Nightwing ever gets made by him, I will definitely be interested. Overall, a 7/10.

[fmdjaein]

restructuring task #1: changes (+5 tracker points) 

assuming your muse has changed in some way, be it internally or as a result of a change of the external factors around them, how is your muse different? these can be as small as an opinion on a song they hadn’t released previously or as big as a major change in their background. // wc: 575

jaein’s the muse of mine that has gone through the most changes in order to fit her into a new position. 

first of all, she’s been aged down a year because of the age range of ultraviolet which also means her siblings have all been aged down a year too. ultimately, this doesn’t change much about herself as she’s still the eldest of four children and from a conservative city, but it is a minor change that’s occurred. her father is not a regular office worker anymore but is instead a non-commissioned officer in the ROK army. her mother’s occupation remains the same but what this brings on is an even more conservative environment for jaein to have grown up in. she’s also a lot more athletic now because of her father’s emphasis on being physically healthy. she’ll take jogs at night in order to get her mind off of things or go biking around the han river if she needs some time to herself. she’s also learned taekwondo starting at a young age and even dipped her feet into archery due to her father’s wishes. the latter never stuck past junior high, but she did get a black belt in taekwondo and is still quite good at it. 

the family change also means that instead of wanting to become an idol to prove her parents wrong, jaein instead goes off to college in seoul in order to almost escape her parents. the idol thing just comes along because she joins a busking and dancing club once she starts college. while the past version of jaein was feeling helpless because she feels like she can never prove anything to her parents, this version of jaein will insist that she doesn’t need to prove anything to her parents even though her heart argues otherwise. a lot of her problems become more unconscious and internal as she argues with herself that she’s completely fine with not getting attention from her parents but really, she’s still desiring that.

her position has also changed from being a lead dancer and lead vocal to just a lead vocal. taking a look at her real-life counterparts, i’d say that her overall skill level has probably decreased a tad bit as well. she’s the only member in ultraviolet to not have a main position in anything which makes her now a member who sort of blends into the group well enough to not stick out like a sore thumb but also not good enough to really stand out as a star. she’s more of a regular member and the general public might even think that she’s not really fit to be in a group like ultraviolet. instead, they’d probably see that she fits a group like candy or even some of equinox’s brighter releases like happiness or red flavor. 

with the position change and a slight image shift, she won’t be individually pushed as much as she was back when she was with lucid. while she’s still the leader of the group, ultraviolet as a whole has a much different group image and relevancy level since debut so they don’t need her to be a group spokesperson (said changes will also be implemented once past claimed points claims get figured out). however, she still has a public idol image similar to jaein 1.0. she’s expected to be bubbly and enthusiastic and is closer to being a sort of ideal girlfriend image now.

what does your muse think of their company and their group? // wc: 281

she’ll say that the best thing gold star media ever did was debut platinum. that’s a joke. sort of. they are her favorite musical canon group within famed though because she loves easy listening music which a lot of platinum’s music consists of (special shout out to songs like sweet girl, empty, and beautiful pain). other than that, however, she actually doesn’t have a lot of thoughts about her company. at the end of the day, they’re her employer and she just follows whatever they ask her to do. so far, she doesn’t think their treatment of the group has been very bad, and she just hopes it stays decent up until the end of their contract. 

ultraviolet doesn’t exactly put out any music that she enjoys. the closest they’ve come is probably as if it’s your last and stay but the heavier, girl crush songs just aren’t her style. she enjoys easy listening music which is like the farthest thing to use when describing her group’s image and sound. the overwhelming amount of success they’ve found both domestically and internationally since their debut is something that jaein’s still trying to get used to. she’s never really been the center of attention and though she’s arguably the least focused on member out of the four, just the overall attention that ultraviolet gets feels like a lot to her. having grown up with her parents telling her that she has to lead by example, it’s become a habit for her as the leader to feel that pressure all on her own (something that hasn’t changed about her though the intensity level is simply lowered because she’s not as important of a member).

is your muse on their first contract or their second? if they’ve renewed, what were their feelings around that at the time and what were their hopes for their second contract? if they haven’t renewed, what are their current thoughts on the end of their eventual first contract? // wc: 293

jaein is currently on her first contract with gold star since she debuted only two years ago. though those two years have felt very long because of the success that came with the group starting from their debut. there’s still quite a lot of time left until ultraviolet will even have to start thinking about contract renewals, but this idol life just doesn’t seem to be it for jaein. it’s not like she ever dreamed of becoming an idol. when she got approached by a casting manager during one of her busking sessions, she didn’t even want to go to the audition. it was mostly the members of the busking club that convinced her to try it out because “there’s no harm in trying” and “you’ll regret not doing it later in your life”. the last thing she even expected was to become a trainee. she never went out to find the idol life; it sort of came to her instead. 

however, she thinks by the time that contract renewals do come around for ultraviolet, she’ll most likely not resign. she’s not like some of the other girls where this life is all or nothing. she has a college degree so realistically, she thinks she can live a life once she retires. two years in and she’s already so overwhelmed and exhausted with everything that comes from ultraviolet promotions alone that she can’t imagine doing this for any years beyond the seven that she’s signed up for so far. there will undeniably be a lot of guilt if her not resigning is the cause of a disbandment, and she know fans will be upset (if they’re still relevant to that time, of course), but she simply doesn’t think she can do it anymore.

what are your muse’s goals and motivations? // wc: 266

to get through her career with as little trouble as possible. trouble could come in a lot of forms such as scandals or bad rumors or really bad sasaeng fans, but she sort of just wants a smooth sailing career. that might be hard seeing that ultraviolet is quite literally hot at the moment with their popularity and a bunch of things come along with popularity, but she hopes that she gets to remain sort of hidden in comparison to the other members so she doesn’t have to deal with it as much. at the end of the day, her final goal is probably to retire in peace and go off and live a life where nobody knows where she is. i’ve always hc-ed that she ends up being one of those idols who absolutely disappear once their group disbands and then shows up years later at a member’s wedding, and that’s the only time people hear of them.

her internal motivation in regards to her career come mostly from her virtue of being a responsible person. she doesn’t like letting people down when they’re depending on her, and she hates being a burden to anybody which is why she’s so obedient when it comes to her career. she really doesn’t argue nor does she rebel (could be said it’s a habit of growing up under a father who’s a military man). that doesn’t mean she’s a debby downer or anything because she does know how to live life and have fun, but she also knows how to be a professional when she has to be.

what is one conflict, internal or external, that your muse is currently dealing with, has recently dealt with, or will need to deal with in the future? // tw: misogyny, wc: 255 

her biggest conflict is definitely still her family. as much as jaein wants to deny that they have influence on her (she claims that she’s been out of their reaches since she started college in seoul), that doesn’t make the years she spent growing up beneath them disappear. her habits and thoughts and burdens that she continues to feel all come from the grasp her family has on her. she’s always been raised to be responsible and caring for those around her as she has to lead by example, and that still remains true even if she isn’t living with her family. the leader position she got definitely doesn’t help any of that disappear. similar to jaein 1.0, she has a good relationship with her younger sister since jaeeun’s gone through similar things as the other female sibling. however, she’s still a little awkward when it comes to her younger brothers as they’ve been spoiled out of their minds. she tries not to blame them but the resentment remains. 

there’s a lot of denying and hiding of feelings when it comes to jaein and her family. she tries to escape it, but she’s the epitome of old habits die hard because she’s still living like she lived back in daegu with the way she acts. she’s learned to have some fun and actually live life as someone other than the ryu’s eldest daughter ever since she entered college, but the habits are still there. the thoughts that keep her awake at night are still there.

if your muse has established career claims, what are their thoughts on their career so far? if they do not, how do they feel about not having individual activities yet? what would they like to do in the future, if anything? if they don’t have ambitions for individual activities, explain why. // wc: 252

currently, the only established career claims jaein has are in modeling and music. she only has one ost for record of youth that was given to her almost suddenly. even as a lead vocalist, she’s not the world’s most skilled singer, but she enjoyed the opportunity. she’s not expecting to become some known ost singer or anything, however, and she doesn’t think gold star is leaning on that either when it comes to jaein. 

her modeling claims include a year brand ambassador claim and a single magazine cover. since all of ultraviolet are pretty girls and their group itself has name value, modeling is a pretty straightforward career choice for jaein. with her image, she gets a lot of offers for beauty products mostly such as skincare or makeup. there’s a sort of clean and bubbly image tied in with jaein that becomes evident in her brand offers and shoots as well. she gets to do the whole badass, girl cruch concept with her group members but when she’s all on her own, she gets things that don’t look like they’re in line with ultraviolet’s concept. 

jaein doesn’t need individual activities. she’s pretty satisfied with what she’s been given so far, and she’s okay with being the member that’s sort of left behind when it comes to a group as big as ultraviolet because that still means she’s getting something. she understands she’s not the most eye-catching member so it makes sense that she doesn’t get as many opportunities as her members.

[tortured-swiftie]

@revouries sorry it took so long but here is my full list of song recs! Ps - it is loooooong

So I’m still very surprised anyone is even interested in this but its a really cool thing to share! This playlist has taken me close to a decade to create and I’ve been asked to share it with you all! Fair warning - heavy spoilers, and a lot is based on ship angst, don’t come for me. Also I have only read TDA twice and its been maybe a year since I did so I don’t remember everything perfectly. I had a lot more time with TMI because I read them for years and years. TID & TLH don’t really have soundtracks for me, because of the time period these modern songs really feel wrong when I read those series.

TMI :

Battle in Hotel Dumort in CoB -

- I’m So Sorry - Imagine Dragons

The pace of this song, the sinister notes, the danger it invokes just brings this scene alive. But also, this is the first time Clary feels like a Shadowhunter. She fights and its not terrible. She feels powerful instead of like a liability. Shes able to hold her own while talking to a clan of vampires. Its badass and fits the song.

Seelie Court kiss scene in CoA -

- The Violet Hour - The Civil Wars

Its such a beautifully haunting song, its sweet on the one hand but something wrong lies underneath it. It is so so perfect, because Clace is getting what they’ve wanted, but by hurting those around them. They get to give in for once, without the guilt attached, they have someone to blame for all this. But it ends on this very uneasy note, because it isnt right. So much of it is not right and Clace are not satisfied because it wasn’t a real kiss or real declaration of love

Jace and Clary after the meeting with the Seelie Queen in the Institute in CoA -

- Black Flies - Ben Howard

This is a very Jace song for me. Its quiet, peaceful, but the words are hurtful and honest. “No man is an island” fits him so perfectly at this time in his life where he feels abandoned by Valentine, abandoned by Mayrse, abandoned by literally everyone so he wants to make it worse by committing to Clary. She is so unsure of him because of the repercussions it would cause and he wants her in this moment because of the repercussions. He wants to isolate himself so he cant be hurt by those he loves.

Jace meets Valentine on the boat CoA -

- Silence Worth Breaking - Brooke Annibale

This is where Valentine really shows off how manipulative he is, and as a reader you start to believe how easy it would be to get around to his way of thinking. imo this is the best villain CC has written, because you find yourself agreeing with him sometimes and he makes it difficult to argue from a different perspective. The first time I read this scene I was convinced he was going to go with Valentine. The song is foreboding, it is anxious, and makes you think something bad is around the corner, which at this point in the book you feel like something bad is bound to happen

Simon is about to die on the back of Luke’s truck end of CoA-

- Wait - M83

This just perfectly conveys the grief and fear and guilt Clary feels when she thinks Simon is about to die. She brought him into this life, he turned into a vampire because of her, he was tortured by Valentine because of her and just as they saved him he is going to die. Its the loss of innocence and childhood for Clary. Simon is the last piece of it stripped away from her. First her mum, then her belief system in her whole world, then Luke, and now Simon. She is stripped all the way down to the bone of her identity and this scene is quick, but intense for this reason for me.

Clary and Jace meet up for lunch at the end of CoA -

- Distance - Christina Perri

This is such a sad song, and the sweetness of Christina Perri’s voice pairs beautifully in this scene with a feeling of a bittersweet kind of resigned acceptance. Clary had wanted so bad for Jace to let her go, she had convinced herself that her feelings weren’t that strong. And now here she is accepting her true feelings and ready to kind of wrap Jace around herself like a security blanket and he tells her exactly what she wanted to hear earlier. Except now she has to be a big girl and face her life without anyone holding her hand. She has to grow up and thats what makes this scene so sad, this is Clary realising its time to grow up.

Clary and Jace find Ithuriel in CoG -

- Goodbye Godric - Nathan Barr

This song was always ethereal and otherworldly, the notes are awe inspiring and convey this grief that is so abstract and not individualistic, it is beyond the human experience. Clary and Jace’s complete altruism and empathy in this scene matches with the grieving tones, how helpless they feel at this beautiful creatures pain, and how much they want to do something but they don’t know what. Then Ithuriel shows them visions and its even worse than they imagined. The misery that exists in these walls caused by Valentine, the waste of energy and life and soul is amplified by the music. The music soars as Ithuriel is set free, and the manor home crumbles.

Clary and Jace make out session outside the newly ruined Wayland Manor CoG -

- Maybe Tomorrow - Stereophonics

This wild abandon kissing perfectly matches the mood and pace of this song. Its all over the place, its messy, its confusing. Its giving into pure passion. Its abandoning any pretences they have built up and watching reality crash back down on them.

Isabelle wants Simon to distract her after Max dies in CoG -

- Not Everything Was Better In The Past - Fink

This is such a tenderly played song, and is easy on the ears, but there is a rawness there. Isabelle is completely stripped away, raw grief and anger and guilt eating away at her. When she lets Simon in she is ferocious and wants to show him her toughness. But Simon sees through it all to a scared young girl who is lost in this sea of grief. Its a sweet Sizzy moment

Jace telling Clary he loves her for the first time in CoG -

- Leave a Light On (ACOUSTIC) - Tom Walker

Jace shouldering the responsibility of finding Valentine by himself, essentially sacrificing himself to the cause, hes grief stricken, and yet feels barred from that grief. I know we experienced this scene from Clary’s POV but this song works so well from his POV. He wants to tell the girl he loves how he feels, he wants one night with her to feel normal and feel loved, and to pretend just for a little while that there is nothing wrong with that. This very stripped version of the song is much much much more raw, and that’s what Jace feels like in this scene, all the walls are down and he wants to show his real face to this one girl

Clary showing off her rune skills in the council chamber in CoG -

- I Found - Amber Run

This was the first scene I imagined from a filmmaking perspective, how to best present this scene. I imagined this entire scene from Jocelyn’s POV, frame by frame, as she walks into the council room very quietly and watches her baby walk up and address everyone in desperation, voice shaking but standing her ground. Grown, bigoted, adults judging her and are fearful but she is still showing them what she’s worth. I imagined Jocelyn’s entire world view shifting because she is in awe of this powerful girl Clary has become. She watches her daughter no longer as a little girl but as a formidable Shadowhunter that could handle the cards she had been dealt in life. Just a very transformative moment and pivotal in how we see Clary in the TSC universe

Lilith takes over Jace’s mind and disappears with Sebastian at the end of CoFA-

- I’ll Keep Coming - Low Roar

This song starts out so uneasy, it cant settle down, and that’s exactly how I feel when Jace sends Clary downstairs. I want to scream at her to stay, but knowing Lilith would always take over no matter what. Its a very dark moment, because no one wants to lose control of themselves and it must have been pretty scary at first. Its an anxious scene, paired with an anxious song

Magnus takes happy memories away in CoLS -

- Howl - Jake Houlsby

Magnus is looking very sad when he does this, especially what he says to Simon. Its such a knowing look, Magnus is no stranger to this kind of sorrow, but still to be witness to it over and over must take its toll. It just makes me think of the endless road stretching out ahead of him and how lonely and terrifying that must feel for him. Just a beautiful song to go with a sad moment in this scene

Clary at the Faerie club with Jace and Sebastian CoLS -

- Faded - Alan Walker

- Darkside - Alan Walker

At this point in the story you feel a lot like Clary is getting too comfortable and is maybe losing sight of the mission she’s on. These two songs are very club sounding to me, and tonally fits the mood of the chapter. Clary is quite literally lost in that moment with the Faerie drugs and the dancing and the atmosphere

Clary dancing with Sebastian CoLS -

- Daddy Issues - The Neighbourhood

First of all lyrically….it cannot get more perfect. “Go ahead and cry little girl nobody does it like you do, I know that you got daddy issues. And if you were my little girl, Id do whatever I could do…” it just conveys the creepiness of Sebastians interactions with Clary and how weird she felt when he was dancing with her and how wrong it felt. This is a very short moment in this chapter but it really creeped me out. And this song conveys perfectly this feeling of haziness of the Faerie drugs and this uneasiness that surrounds Sebastian

Simon drinks from Isabelle CoLS -

- Harvest Love - Tash Sultana

This is a pretty soulful, sensual song. And when Simon drinks from Isabelle and he describes the euphoria that comes with that, the description of how his nerves react to the fresh blood just remind me of the part in this song where the drums and music soars the highest (start around 3:32, and it reaches its peak around 4:48) its honestly one of the sexiest scenes CC has written, even including all the Jemma scenes

Magnus and Alec break up in CoLS -

- Evergreen - Ben Howard

First time reading this I was so so angry at Alec, and felt the sorrow and anger coming off Magnus. This song is very dark, and very sinister. Magnus completely misunderstood what Alec was trying to do, and applied the most sinister meaning to his actions. It is their perfect breakup song imo full of angst

Clary traps the Heavenly Fire into her sword in CoHF -

- Outro - M83

This is another scene I imagined cinematically. The first half of the song is where Clary slowly makes her way over to Jace and she suddenly has faith in herself that she can do this. Then we watch her take Jace’s hands as the radioactive wind sounds start and the flames are swirling around them but not touching them. Cut to Magnus and Luke seeing the colour on the horizon, and the flash that shows its over. Cut back to Clary drawing the Heavenly Fire into the sword as the music swells around her. The words are so so powerful, and they always felt very ethereal to me “I’m the King of my own land” This is Clary fully embracing her power and fully utilising it. Its no longer something separate from her, but she IS her power.

Clary killing Sebastian, pretty much a lot of the scenes before the time jump CoHF-

- Saturn (both acoustic and original version) - Sleeping At Last

This song is definitely an end of film/book / end of heroes journey material. Simon sacrificing himself so they can get back, Clary killing Sebastian and forgiving him, Clary scattering the ashes of Sebastian and finally grieving the past years trauma (all of the TMI journey), the Faeries being condemned by the Clave and Helen getting exiled. Its beautiful, its sad, its momentous, its not a regular song.

Alec finds Magnus in Edom in CoHF -

- I Of The Storm - Of Monsters and Men

The steady drum beat adds a sense of steadiness and calmness in this song. Its not a joyful getting back together but they’re both glad the other is alive and are both forgiving each other. For me, this is when I truly started shipping Malec. The growth, the strength of character begins from this moment. This is when they become a couple I love because this is when they commit to each other flaws and all

Isabelle introduces herself to Simon at the end of CoHF -

- Golden Dandelions - Barns Courtney

Isabelle has always felt like a full punch character, no half measures and all that. The feeling Simon describes when he first spots this beautiful girl walking directly up to him is how this song starts, for me at least. The drums, the barely contained excitement, the curiosity, and faint recognition. This song is a full punch song right from the get go and it felt like such a remarkable Isabelle moment

After Jocelyn & Luke’s wedding in COHF -

- From Gold - Novo Amor

It is such a bittersweet, and peaceful song. There are so many endings in this scene, and so many new beginnings. They are all grieving, one way or another, and are all allowing themselves to evolve. Their journey is over, and at the end of this book I had this sense of saying goodbye to these characters (retiring them so to speak) because I wasn’t sure how much they would be involved with the future of the TSC world. Im glad they are still a big part of it, but they will never be the main focus again.

TDA:

Julian and Emma dance in LM -

- Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran

The sexual tension, and the dread they both feel because of their feelings just makes this scene so dramatic to me, and this song softens it a little. Especially if you are re-reading the series you feel this tenderness because they so badly wanted to avoid falling in love

Mark and Kieran in the Hunt -

- Dance Me To The End of Love - The Civil Wars

This is a pretty offbeat quirky song, a little sad, a little wistful, a little mournful, sensual, but tones of wildly abandoning all you know and giving into baser desires. Whenever Mark thinks of his time with Kieran in the Hunt, his memories sound like this song. They experienced very high highs, and very low lows. They were degraded, the lowest you could possibly feel as a living creature. Yet they were riding into the night, sleeping under the stars in places only known to Faeries. There was no one watching them, and no one to stop them from being together. There is tenderness in their relationship, but also knowledge that they are only together because they have no one else. Its happiness without truly feeling like you have a choice about it. You have to be happy together because you cant find this happiness elsewhere. They are forced into being in love a little bit, because the alternative is so much worse. This is one of the reasons why I couldn’t ship them at first, because they hadnt really chosen each other. Only when they were presented with other options and they till chose each other did I start seeing their potential.

Julian and Emma on the beach LM -

- Next To You - Of Rust & Bone

This scene completely took me by surprise, and is very unlike CC because love scenes normally take place quite late into any series she has. This one was filled with anxiety, and tension because the characters quite literally fell into their feelings. There was no forethought, no sense of taking stock of what they were doing. And they ended up feeling such different things about it afterwards. So for me this songs darker moods perfectly pairs with this scene

Kieran and Mark argue/break up LM & LoS -

- Fade Away - Tom Walker

This song has such raw power, such dark emotion and anger and a sense of betrayal that it perfectly captures their emotionally charged scenes. Mark can never be the same Mark that belonged to Kieran when he had no one, because now he has his family. And Kieran is still the same man who has no one but Mark. I hated him the first time I read LM and most of LoS but their chemistry is hard to resist. Especially as they evolve as characters as well as a couple. They are wild and unmoored sometimes and there’s something exciting about characters you just cant pin down.

Emma & Jules’ strained relationship LM & LoS -

- 9 Crimes - Damian Rice

When Emma is “with” Mark there is this strange chemistry between her and Julian. Both have hurt each other at different times, but this was really like a stalemate. Neither could really move on, and both were angry at eachother. As more and more people found out/realised about the feelings they had were more than parabatai this tension grew. Because they’re not just falling in love, they are also actively choosing to hurt one another. They are certainly not an example of a healthy relationship but I felt in some way they were the realest. Because sometimes relationships hurt and sometimes you do things you have to do even if that isnt what’s best for your relationship. This song perfectly captures this push and pull they have, and how falling in love wasn’t blissful happiness for them. It was pain and secrets and hurting.

Annabel rising, killing Malcolm LoS -

- As It Was - Hozier

Since we’re watching this scene from above, a very unnatural and cinematic perspective, the scene feels unreal. Like it was a dream and didn’t happen. I felt genuine fear and uneasiness when Annabel is slowly brought back to life, skin growing over old bones. This song has notes that aren’t usually arranged together, instruments that are usually a bigger part of a quartet, and somehow that arrangement feels just a little wrong. It feels different, sinister, and uneasy. It feels like its missing several instruments, or some notes have been played incorrectly. Hozier’s voice is his best in this song, very strained, but so controlled, bringing forth very intense emotions

Christina and Mark at the revel LoS (I couldn’t remember if this was in LoS or QOAAD) -

- Now You’re Gone - Tom Walker & Zara Larsson

Christina really let herself go during this scene, and we see a completely different side to her. She is adventurous, risky, and she would make anyone say “fuck it lets do this” I always liked Christina but I always felt she was very predictable until this point. We see how intensely she is interested in Faeries, and how personally invested she is in their culture. She allows herself to be swept up, and embraces it rather than fears it. She honestly seems fearless here, and is the definition of temptation. She is quite literally tempting Mark, and its sexy a f

Jules & Emma burn down the church LoS -

- Esmeralda - Ben Howard

This was the first time their relationship excited me, because during this scene I fully expected they would go into full thirst mode but they didn’t. They were still very sensual and sexual and intense, but in a very very different way. There is something attractive about someone who’s willing to burn the world down, who has a little bit of an anarchist side. Its human nature to feel some attraction to these traits, and this scene definitely stirred feelings in me

Emma fights Fal LoS -

- Put It On Me - Matt Maeson

This song both tonally and in its pacing elevates this scene to new levels. Its not a typical battle song, it has a steady pace. But Emma’s description of how the battle is stripped down because of the rain, how she prefers this kind of fight where its her, her weapon and the elements. Its pure, and we get to see Emma in full fighter mode. She is an extension of Cortana, and they belong together. This is without a doubt my favourite fight scene to date. It just brings alive the visuals in such a dynamic way. Very storyboard-able.

Julian holding Livvy as she dies LoS -

- Losing Your Memory - Ryan Star

This song is harrowing, and its just pure pain, raw grief balled into one intense song. The lyrics just pull you into Julian’s mental state “wake up, its time, little girl, wake up” just kills me. As the music intensifies and the singer is practically screaming the lyrics it just feels like that’s what it must have been like inside of Julian’s mind. He wasn’t screaming out loud but his mind must have been very loud

Julian and Emma shower together QOAAD -

- Promise - Ben Howard

Julian dry heaving because he doesnt know how to cry. Fucking heartbreaking in a very quiet way. After the noise of loss, the quiet moments where you have to face grief is devastating. Emma being an anchor, holding him in place and trying to keep the world away from him so he doesnt hurt anymore is just harrowing. They’re just kids but the grief they feel is so adult. And when you lose someone like that, and someone is there for you that solidifies so much in that relationship. They become a part of something you can never let go of. Even if that relationship doesnt last, they will always be apart of that memory. And Emma sticking by him, despite the danger and promises they have made themselves is proof that she is the one for him

Kieran and Christina dance QOAAD -

- Senorita - Shawn Mendes & Camilla Cabello

This song is sensual, its sexual, its got hooks that quite literally sound like orgasms its such a playful song. When I read this scene this song popped in my head right away. When Christina is dancing with Mark its the same kind of feeling I got from her at the revel, except this time there is no supernatural influence, its just her and her feelings. It was a sexy scene, and when Kieran walks in we all expected something very different. What followed is what elevates this scene, Christina has no clue how to react to Kieran, and yet she is mesmerised by him. She dances with him in a way we would never have imagined her doing this in LM. It shows evolution of character, for all three of them. And the fact that Mark is watching, and he’s not angry just makes this scene even sexier. You can practically feel the sexual tension in the air coming off the pages of the book.

Malec wedding QOAAD -

- That Girl Is You - Dave Matthews Band

This song brings me so much peace, the kind of peace that comes with knowing someone for years, and relying on them, knowing they are a permanent fixture in your life. Its exciting, but in a quiet way. Its a very atypical wedding song, because of the unusual style of singing. But I think it represents Malec really well at this point in their journey, they have gotten over many obstacles, often themselves, in this relationship. Their entire world is changing, and they are taking massive steps and making some pretty big sacrifices as people for this cause. Being Consul isnt going to be a smooth life for Alec with Magnus as a husband and a warlock for a child. But this is what he wants, and this is what he wants Shadowhunters to reflect and be going forward. This song is a very peaceful time in the entirety of TSC, and gave me a similar feeling to the end of TMI

[newstfionline]

Monday, August 2, 2021

Frustration as Biden, Congress allow eviction ban to expire (AP) Anger and frustration mounted in Congress as a nationwide eviction moratorium expired at midnight Saturday—one Democratic lawmaker even camping outside the Capitol in protest as millions of Americans faced being forced from their homes. Lawmakers said they were blindsided by President Joe Biden’s inaction as the deadline neared. More than 3.6 million Americans are at risk of eviction, some in a matter of days. The moratorium was put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the COVID-19 crisis when jobs shifted and many workers lost income. The eviction ban was intended to prevent further virus spread by people put out on the streets and into shelters. Congress approved nearly $47 billion in federal housing aid to the states during the pandemic, but it has been slow to make it into the hands of renters and landlords owed payments.

Breakneck pace of crises keeps National Guard away from home (AP) In the searing 108-degree heat, far from his Louisiana health care business, Army Col. Scott Desormeaux and his soldiers are on a dusty base near Syria’s northern border, helping Syrian rebel forces battle Islamic State militants. It’s tough duty for the soldiers. But their deployment to the Middle East last November is just a small part of the blistering pace of missions that members of the Louisiana National Guard and America’s other citizen-soldiers have faced in the past 18 months. Beyond overseas deployments, Guard members have been called in to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and protests against racial injustice. For many, it’s meant months away from their civilian jobs and scarce times with families. While Guard leaders say troops are upbeat, they worry about exhaustion setting in and wonder how much longer U.S. businesses can do without their long-absent workers. “This past year was an extraordinary one for the National Guard,” said Gen. Dan Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau. Does he worry about exhaustion setting in? “That’s something I’ve been very concerned with right from the start.”

Western Wildfires May Take Weeks To Months To Contain (NPR) Pockets of the American West continued to burn over the weekend, as another nine large fires were reported on Saturday in California, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. The 87 fires still active in 13 states have consumed more than 1.7 million acres. Just shy of 3 million acres have been scorched since the start of 2021, with months left in what experts predict will be a devastating fire season. In southern Oregon, the Bootleg Fire has become the largest active blaze in the country. The 413,000-acre inferno was contained at 56%, as of Saturday night. A fire line has been constructed around the entire perimeter, ranging from 100 to 150-feet wide between the burn and unburned areas.

Bacon may disappear in California as pig rules take effect (AP) Thanks to a reworked menu and long hours, Jeannie Kim managed to keep her San Francisco restaurant alive during the coronavirus pandemic. That makes it all the more frustrating that she fears her breakfast-focused diner could be ruined within months by new rules that could make one of her top menu items—bacon—hard to get in California. “Our number one seller is bacon, eggs and hash browns,” said Kim, who for 15 years has run SAMS American Eatery on the city’s busy Market Street. “It could be devastating for us.” At the beginning of next year, California will begin enforcing an animal welfare proposition approved overwhelmingly by voters in 2018 that requires more space for breeding pigs, egg-laying chickens and veal calves. National veal and egg producers are optimistic they can meet the new standards, but only 4% of hog operations now comply with the new rules. Unless the courts intervene or the state temporarily allows non-compliant meat to be sold in the state, California will lose almost all of its pork supply, much of which comes from Iowa. Animal welfare organizations for years have been pushing for more humane treatment of farm animals but the California rules could be a rare case of consumers clearly paying a price for their beliefs.

Why are so many migrants coming to one of Europe’s smallest countries? Blame Belarus, officials say. (Washington Post) Europe’s newest migration crisis is unfolding in one of its most unlikely places. Lithuania, a Baltic nation roughly the size of West Virginia with fewer than 3 million residents, hasn’t been known as a destination for undocumented immigrants: Each year, the country sees roughly 70 people unlawfully cross its border with Belarus. In July, the number skyrocketed to more than 2,600, consisting mostly of immigrants from Iraq and sub-Saharan Africa. Officials expect the numbers to grow in the coming weeks. This new flow of people did not begin organically, Lithuanian and European Union officials say. Instead, they say, it is the result of an audacious plan by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to weaponize migration in response to E.U. sanctions. In June, Lukashenko threatened to allow human traffickers and drug smugglers to stream into Europe. E.U. officials say they have evidence that his government is also encouraging immigrants to travel there: coordinating with a Belarusian travel agency to offer tourist visas, setting up flights and then transporting people from Minsk to the Lithuanian border. Lithuania, which has virtually no experience with large numbers of immigrants, has scrambled to construct a barbed wire fence along the border.

Thousands protest against COVID-19 health pass in France (Reuters) Thousands of people protested in Paris and other French cities on Saturday against a mandatory coronavirus health pass for entry to a wide array of public venues, introduced by the government as it battles a fourth wave of infections. It was the third weekend in a row that people opposed to President Emmanuel Macron’s new COVID-19 measures have taken to the streets, an unusual show of determination at a time of year when many people are focused on taking their summer break. The number of demonstrators has grown steadily since the start of the protests, echoing the “yellow vest” movement, that started in late 2018 against fuel taxes and the cost of living. An interior ministry official said 204,090 had demonstrated across France, including 14,250 in Paris alone. This is about 40,000 more than last week.

Turkey evacuates panicked tourists by boat from wildfires (AP) Panicked tourists in Turkey hurried to the seashore to wait for rescue boats Saturday after being told to evacuate some hotels in the Aegean Sea resort of Bodrum due to the dangers posed by nearby wildfires, Turkish media reported. Coast guard units led the operation and authorities asked private boats and yachts to assist in evacuation efforts from the sea as new wildfires erupted. A video showed plumes of smoke and fire enveloping a hill close to the seashore. The death toll from wildfires raging in Turkey’s Mediterranean towns rose to six Saturday after two forest workers were killed, the country’s health minister said. Fires across Turkey since Wednesday have burned down forests and some settlements, encroaching on villages and tourist destinations and forcing people to evacuate. In one video of the Bodrum fire filmed from the sea, a man helping with the evacuations was stunned at the speed of the fire, saying “this is unbelievable, just unbelievable. How did this fire come (here) this fast in 5 minutes?”

Afghans flee (NYT) A mass exodus is unfolding across Afghanistan as the Taliban press on with a military campaign and the U.S. withdraws. At least 30,000 Afghans are leaving each week and many more have been displaced. The Taliban have captured more than half the country’s 400-odd districts, according to some assessments, sparking fears of a harsh return to extremist rule or a civil war. The sudden flight is an early sign of a looming refugee crisis, aid agencies warn.

As the Taliban closes in, Afghan forces scramble to defend prisons holding thousands of militants (Washington Post) Huddled in brightly lit yards late one recent night, hundreds of inmates taunted a team of about a dozen special forces who were rounding the walls along the top of Kunduz prison. The appearance of elite soldiers was an anomaly, a sign to the prisoners that something was happening. “What’s going on?” they shouted. “Is tonight going to be our last night in here? Taliban fighters planned to storm the compound that evening, according to information gathered by local intelligence officers. Government forces hoped the show of force would spur prisoners—some in possession of smuggled cellphones used to communicate with the Taliban—to wave off the attack. Without enough fighters to hold the city’s front lines and reinforce the prison, the special forces’ move was a gamble. But it appeared to work: The night passed without incident. As Taliban militants close in on Afghanistan’s provincial capitals, they are inching closer to central prisons that house around 5,000 of their fellow fighters, leaving the government scrambling to secure the detention facilities. If just a fraction of the detainees were to escape, Afghan security officials warn, it would hand the militants a significant advantage on the battlefield, where they are already making steady gains.

Burkina Faso sees more child soldiers as jihadi attacks rise (AP) Awoken by gunshots in the middle of the night, Fatima Amadou was shocked by what she saw among the attackers: children. Guns slung over their small frames, the children chanted “Allahu akbar,” as they surrounded her home in Solhan town in Burkina Faso’s Sahel region. Some were so young they couldn’t even pronounce the words, Arabic for “God is great,” said the 43-year-old mother. “When I saw the kids, what came to my mind was that (the adults) trained these kids to be assassins, and they came to kill my children,” Amadou told The Associated Press by phone from Sebba town, where she now lives. She and her family are among the lucky ones who survived the June attack, in which about 160 people were killed—the deadliest such assault since the once-peaceful West African nation was overrun by fighters linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State about five years ago. As that violence increases, so too does the recruitment of child soldiers. The number of children recruited by armed groups in Burkina Faso rose at least five-fold so far this year, according to information seen by the AP in an unpublished report by international aid and conflict experts.

Behind the Rise of U.S. Solar Power, a Mountain of Chinese Coal (WSJ) Solar panel installations are surging in the U.S. and Europe as Western countries seek to cut their reliance on fossil fuels. But the West faces a conundrum as it installs panels on small rooftops and in sprawling desert arrays: Most of them are produced with energy from carbon-dioxide-belching, coal-burning plants in China. Concerns are mounting in the U.S. and Europe that the solar industry’s reliance on Chinese coal will create a big increase in emissions in the coming years as manufacturers rapidly scale up production of solar panels to meet demand. That would make the solar industry one of the world’s most prolific polluters, analysts say.

Americans Spend Nearly 60 Billion Hours a Year on Google (PC Magazine) Collectively, Americans spent 57.3 billion hours on Google per year. Its video equivalent, YouTube, comes in second with 29.6 billion hours, followed by Facebook with 9.7 billion hours.

[faithhopedreamslove]

The 100 7x12 thoughts

I’m constantly amazed at how much The 100 manages to pack into one episode, which is why I have to rewatch each one at least once before I can gather my thoughts. It gives me hope, because even though we only have 4 episodes left, SO much can happen between now and then. 

Although not surprising, I hated seeing Sachin’s and the Children of Gabriel’s deaths. That essentially means the end of all Sanctumites. Despite Monty’s edict to do better, it seems Bellamy, Clarke, and crew have indirectly brought about the destruction of another society, albeit a dysfunctional one.

I can’t tell if Gabriel’s comment to Bellamy that he looks good in white was meant to be snarky, flirting, or hiding a deeper meaning. But it was unexpected, to say the least!

So Bellamy is testing Cadogan’s attachment to Anders. Does that mean he’s not fully brainwashed? Plus, he’s also bargaining for his friends’ lives. The old Bellamy is still in there somewhere.

The scene between Jordan and Hope was incredibly moving and sweet. These two really are the “odd ones out,” and it was nice to see that the writers acknowledged that and used that to forge a tentative bond between them. They are technically the next generation of the human race, along with Madi and the other kids.

The roommate pairings are so significant. In one room, Bellamy’s new family. In the other, his old family. I know Bellamy has known Raven from the beginning, but they truly became family on the Ring. The fact that Bellamy sent her off to M-Cap so easily was chilling. And I wish they had shown Raven in M-Cap - I hate how insignificant her character has become this season.

The scene between Bellamy and Echo was understated but powerful. Huge hats off to Tasya Teles for that scene - she acted brilliantly. Both of their voices were low, deep with emotion. This was a defining moment for Echo - until now, she has blindly followed her leaders. Queen Nia, Roan, and now Bellamy. And unknowingly, she has been working against the very people her leader and love, Bellamy, fully supports. So she is at a crossroads here. Her last question to him, “Is this thing you believe really that important? Is it more important than us?” is huge. And the “us” can be interpreted two ways - “us” as the entire group, or “us” as in Bellamy and Echo and their relationship. I think that’s why there’s such confusion as to whether they broke up when Bellamy answered “yes.” And the way Echo reacts is telling - she is struggling with herself. Should she follow her leader, Bellamy, as she’s always done, and support the Shepherd? Or does she finally break away and follow her own beliefs?

And in stark contrast, we have the Bellamy and Clarke scene. Where Bellamy and Echo were quiet, Bellamy and Clarke are passionate, fighting to get through to one another. Bellamy shared his life-altering experience in Etherea with them, which he didn’t with Echo. And when Clarke starts breaking apart, telling Bellamy she doesn’t even recognize him, he starts breaking too. He reminds her that he is the person who brought her back from the dead, who fought for her. Of all the things he could have reminded her of, I think it’s telling that this is what he chooses to try to reach her with. And my heart broke when Bellamy asked her to believe in him. He didn’t ask Echo to do the same - he basically told her what he believes, and that was that. He asked Clarke to believe in him because he NEEDS her to. When they are at odds with each other, neither one of them is whole. It’s only when they both believe in the same thing that they are complete, and Bellamy knows this, consciously or subconsciously.

It’s interesting, because I think this scene was meant to show us how Bellamy is NOT fully brainwashed. Yes, he believes in the final war and transcendence, but his first priority is still to save his friends, to save Clarke. The way he said “I am trying to save YOU,” to Clarke was so raw and full of emotion. This is the woman he just pulled from the brink of death mere months ago. He has had to grieve her death not once, but TWICE. He CANNOT go through that again. Bellamy is trying to work with his head and his heart. His heart wants to believe in Cadogan fully, but his head is coming up with a plan to save his friends, because his heart still loves Clarke and his friends - Cadogan doesn’t fully own it yet.

I know Clarke calling Bellamy her best friend has riled some people, but he IS her best friend. The foundation of the strongest love is friendship. And what else would she call him? She can’t say “the man I love is standing in front of me,” because she still believes he’s with Echo.

I am so, so happy to see Octavia and Clarke reconnecting with each other. These two have been together since the drop ship, and their relationship has gone through so many ups and downs. For Octavia to say that she finally understands Clarke is huge, because these two women have not always seen eye to eye on things. 

Octavia has also been observer #1 of Bellamy and Clarke’s relationship. She has seen them love each other, fight with each other, fight FOR each other. It’s telling that she lets Clarke get in Bellamy’s face while she hangs back. Partly because O knows that she hasn’t yet fully mended her relationship with Bellamy the way Clarke has. But also because she knows that the only one who can get through to Bellamy is Clarke, and vice versa. I also love how she comforted Clarke when Bellamy refused to listen to them, and tried to fight when Bellamy sent her off to M-Cap. 

Doucette had grown on me in Etherea, but now he just seems creepy.

Bellamy can’t even stand to watch Clarke being tortured in M-Cap. Every time he looks at her, he has to look away. And when he can’t take it anymore, he tries to convince Cadogan that Clarke doesn’t know where the Flame is. So much for not lying to the Shepherd. He’ll absolutely do just that where Clarke is concerned. And Bellamy’s wince when Clarke finally agrees to help Cadogan after he threatens to send one of her friends to Penance - Bellamy knows Clarke, and he knows she will always sacrifice herself to save her friends. This is a HUGE parallel to CoL-Abby, who said to torture her friends to get Clarke to break. Abby was fully brainwashed, and knew that the quickest way to get to Clarke is to threaten her friends. Bellamy also knows this, but he did not offer that knowledge up to Cadogan. Again, I think we’re seeing signs that Bellamy is not fully brainwashed. And the way he looked at Cadogan when he said “she knows, or she wouldn’t be fighting,” had a hint of disgust - Bellamy does not want to follow a Shepherd who tortures people to get what he wants. The cracks are starting to deepen in Bellamy’s brainwashing here.

My two cents on “It didn’t have to be this way.” “Yes it did.” - I think Bellamy was honestly trying to save his friends with the least amount of damage caused. In his mind, Clarke tells them where the Flame is, they give it to Cadogan, his friends are safe, and they all transcend. Clarke’s response is more cryptic. I interpreted her “Yes, it did,” to mean that she wanted Bellamy to witness her torture so that he can realize that Cadogan is a monster. She knows this is the only way to get through to him. Clarke is trying to save Bellamy, just as much as he is trying to save her. This is a direct parallel to season 6. Bellamy fought to save Clarke from Josephine, who was controlling her mind. Clarke is fighting to save Bellamy from Cadogan, who is controlling his mind.

I’m so over Shidheida. He can take his OTT outfit, OTT throne, and get the hell out of here.

I LOVE Murphy and Emori this episode. My love for them has steadily been growing, and I especially love how protective they are of Madi. I’m wondering if this is setting them up to become Madi’s parents when Clarke and Bellamy go off to take the final test and perhaps have their Marperly ever after ending. I would be sad for Madi to lose Clarke, but I’m glad of the relationship she’s developing with Murphy and Emori. Plus, if this theory is correct, that means that Murphy would actually live!

Miller is so freaking underutilized this season, and it breaks my heart. He’s one of the original 100. His scene with Bellamy was cut this episode, and I was really looking forward to it. Bellamy trusted Miller before he trusted most others, and they go way back. With so few episodes left, it was a huge missed opportunity to acknowledge their bond. It’s telling that he looked to Clarke for confirmation as to whether she’s good with what’s happening. Clearly, he has lost faith in Bellamy for now.

From a narrative standpoint, Echo and Bellamy are now separated until we don’t know what episode. Whether Bellarke becomes canon or not, clearly the writers did not feel it was important to keep Becho together this close to the end of the story, yet they kept Bellarke together and on the same planet. Where this leads, we shall see.

Murphy’s little smirk when he sees Clarke is everything. That was a total cockroach moment. It’s also indicative of how much respect and affection Murphy has for Clarke. He missed her, and he knows she’ll find a way to fix the mess they’re in, like she always does. Clarke’s reaction “What the hell happened here?” was writing gold. I don’t care if they moved the stone into the castle just for this scene - it was a great way to end the episode!

Wow, this got way longer than I expected. If you read it all the way through, thank you! Please share your thoughts! 

[always-la-belle-epoque]

hi what is mash and why do you love it so much because i need to know if i need to love it too thanks

Hello, anon! It took a bit because I wanted to put time into my answers, so here you are! 

What Is M*A*S*H: 

M*A*S*H is a tv show about doctors/nurses stationed at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M*A*S*H) unit on the frontlines of the Korean War. The show focuses on the medical staff as they desperately try to save the lives of young soldiers. Many of the doctors are draftees and they are faced with trying to cope with the horror of a war they want no part of and that is the absolute antithesis to their professional calling. They fight against death every day, struggle against military bureaucracy, and try to keep their sanity. Often that deep stress is released in humor, practical jokes, and wildly unmilitary antics, but the true costs and realities of war are never treated lightly. I’ve never seen another show that can make me laugh so hard and then turn on a dime to make me cry just as deeply a second later. The show is a beautiful examination of human nature, heart, found family, loss, helplessness, despair, exhaustion, humanity, and hope,. 

M*A*S*H ran for 11 years, from 1972-1983 and the finale, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, is still the most-watched television broadcast in history (the NYC sewer nearly faced collapse because people would all flush the toilet at the same time during commercials, and the streets were totally empty of cars as over half the country, 150+ mil people, watched the finale live together all at the same time. Can you imagine?!). Plus, it’s been in continuous syndication for 45 years which is impressive. M*A*S*H is for all generations, it resonates far beyond the era in which it was made, or which it was made about.

Why Do I Love M*A*S*H So Much (in general):

I don’t think there is another show out there in the history of the world that has written such narratively wonderful, deeply moving character arcs. I don’t know if there’s another show out there where the characters grow so much from their relationships with one another. Or a show that depicts masculinity in such a healthy, tender way. It is normal on M*A*S*H for male characters to: Cry. Hug. Tuck each other in. Hold hands. Perform emotional labor. Actively listen. Dance together. Sleep with teddy bears (and not have it be a joke). Admit they were wrong. Change and grow from being wrong. Etc, etc. 

And while Major Margaret Houlihan is the only female lead, her character arc is the most beautiful of any character I have ever watched or read. The show doesn’t start out particularly feminist, but it definitely ends that way (both male and female characters evolve here and it’s wonderful). And if more tv shows had characters half as complex as Margaret Houlihan, tv would be a whole lot more interesting, and women would be a whole lot farther along toward equality, imo. 

Why Do I Love M*A*S*H So Much (the personal): 

I was 15 or 16 when I started watching M*A*S*H. I was going through a very dark time in my home life. But my Mom would usually have M*A*S*H on while making dinner or just after. It was their weird time of day where it seemed like a truce between us. Sometimes I’d even sit all 5’8 of my gangly teenage body on her lap and we’d just watch like that with her arms around me (which given that things were darkly terrible the rest of the time it was like being a small kid again in a way I really needed). We’d talk about the characters. We’d talk about the stories. We both loved Margaret Houlihan (it’s interesting that Margaret has the most valuable traits I learned from my Mom - things I like most about her and am grateful she taught me despite all the bad stuff). 

Soon I was racing home after school and jamming in a blank VHS so that I could record each ep. I’d cross reference between tv guide and IMDB to try to see if any eps that I hadn’t seen yet would be on so I could record them for my collection. I made an elaborate cataloging system because they weren’t shown in order! And some eps were shown only rarely!! (I’m only 28, it amazes me that this was how things were not that long ago lol). 

Anyway, the DVD box set came out and I saved up alllllll my $ for it. Thank goodness, because then I got sick and for a few years the M*A*S*H characters were the most consistent and truest friends I had. The show is deeply personal for me. I can watch it over, and over, and over. It makes me laugh, and weep, and cheer. It’s like having friends. Like having family. 

Should You Love M*A*S*H too?

I want you to love M*A*S*H. I want everyone to love M*A*S*H! And M*A*S*H holds up. It’s still radically progressive. It’s still - in this time where North Korea is a frequent headline, where we have a government we do not trust, in a world where we have been at war since 2001 - deeply relevant. 

Here’s the thing though: it was made in the 70s, about events in the 1950s, and this is 2019 tumblr-land. You’ve all read the roasts about lack of critical thinking skills on this website and ability to contextualize, and those posts are unfortunately not wrong. And the world has changed - and changed for even better than what was, at the time, truly radical! Even terms that were the liberal, pc term in the 70s have changed now and are not liberal or pc anymore which for the 2019 watcher might raise eyebrows. But the show is extremely pointed about calling out racism, homophobia, sexism, military fetishism, colonization, etc. I think maybe the only other show I can think of that goes so hard at dogged and relentless political call outs would be One Day at a Time. So I feel protective of M*A*S*H because in 50 years maybe we will look back at ODaaT and say yikes about certain things, though that feels crazy to say now. 

If you do want to watch, here’s my advice (pull down your pants and slide on the ice (sorry, omg M*A*S*H jokeee)): 

Do not start with S1. Start with S4, or S5 even. For one thing, there are some cast changes at the start of S4 so you get intro-ed to everyone again in “Welcome to Korea pt 1 & 2” and “Change of Command.”  It’s a really good starting point to see a lot of characters on the brink of change. Don’t get me wrong, I still really love S1-3 but the characters haven’t grown yet. I love going back because I know them so well, but if you’re just meeting them, I recommend getting to know them in the middle of their journey, watch them evolve, and then go back and see where they started. And I think Col. Potter/BJ really elevated the tone of the show.

Because M*A*S*H is an older tv show, most people who love M*A*S*H never watched the show in order because we could only watched it in syndication! And you don’t really need to watch in order! In fact, CBS had the final call for episode order so sometimes even the air order is different than the writing, filming, intended order. Also, because they had 11 years of content over a 3 years of war, the show itself isn’t chronological. Due to probability (there are just more Potter/BJ eps) I saw more S4+ eps when I was first watching the show so again that’s my newbie preference. Now that it’s on Hulu (and remastered OMG) it might be tempting to watch in order, but really do recommend skipping around or at least starting later in for sure. You’ll learn context as you go (recs below). Then once you get the characters and their arcs it’s suuuuper fascinating to watch in order. 

 Fight me: Is everyone bisexual on this show??! Yes, yes they are. This is where I go full 2019 tumblr-brain, lol, but looking back I think it’s one of the reasons I loved it before I understood myself. It’s gentle, tender, pretty wavy. Alan Alda’s Hawkeye Pierce is, like, arguably canonically bi, like I even wonder if he was intentionally written/played that way on the dl. It’s pretty blatant?? And don’t even get me started on Margaret Houlihan. Godddddddd. 

 On that note, and maybe you will fall over, but Margaret and Hawkeye are my actual, #1, forever OTP. Which is weird for you, dear readers, I’m sure, as I run a v strict wlw blog and I’m very proud about that. But broken people who heal and change and grow because of the other is my tea, jam, and bread (”crackers and jam! too bad!” ;) ),  and so far the writing of other characters and relationships hasn’t a hope of even coming into the range of depth these characters have (obvs not just wlw ships, all other mlw ships are The Worst as well, we’re all doomed, why does tv suck). But anyway, I would take them over any ship any day of the week goombye (but also….shipping Margaret is kinda like….not the point of Margaret Houlihan). 

It’s worth noting that M*A*S*H has a character named Maxwell Klinger who wears a dress to try to get out of the army via a Section 8 (previously known as a “psycho”) discharge (remember lgbtq was still classified as a mental illness, smh). Obviously, this is potentially triggering. And, obviously, not okay in today’s world. To me the show does call out that it is the policies/laws/politics that are crazy, not Klinger. I think there are still some fairly modern ideas in his portrayal in that anyone who treats him like he is crazy, or is disrespectful, is very pointedly shown to be bigoted/an antagonist. Klinger is excellent at his job, brave, loyal, true, and that’s all anyone who is a protagonist cares about (and I do think they try to show to the extend they could during the time it aired that even if Klinger were not doing it for a discharge, they would respond the same way). Fwif, imo, Klinger isn’t played as a one note joke for wearing dresses, in fact, to an extent, he does wear them utterly sincerely. He loves, deeply loves, clothes and fashion because loving something gives him something to live for. It becomes his passion, not a gag. The gag is that Klinger will do anything to get out of the war through any available loophole he hears about (having an imaginary pet camel, eating 10 sausages in a single day, eating a jeep, trying to get into West Point aka join the military to get out of the military), etc. His comrades in arms treat him very sincerely and are very protective. Early on, a jeep comes in with wounded and Radar pulls Klinger away from the blood, “careful, you’ll get your dress dirty” in the most serious, sweet way. Col Potter is always very serious and sincere about telling Klinger when one of his dresses is a fav, and Klinger positively glows. When Klinger has to trade his dress collection to local women in exchange for shelter for the wounded during a bug out, Col. Potter, regular army in his 3rd war, tells Klinger (who is in tears) that it’s the finest act of bravery he has ever seen (and he means it). When Margaret desperately wants to look pretty and Klinger pulls out one of his best frocks and helps her dress in it - Margaret who grew up in combat boots wanting a crew cut - it’s pretty emotional (and I bawl when he gives her the wedding dress, goddd). As for Klinger himself, he’s one of my favorite characters. He has the biggest heart and I love him (and yes, I might feel differently if I had a different life experience than I do - that is why I’m flagging this as something that might not be for everyone, or might be trigger - because history already is triggering, and not everyone might be as moved by him as I am).

If you’re a 30 Rock fan you will know the star Alan Alda as Milton Greeen, Jack Donaghy’s father, and if you love Beauty and the Beast you will know that the actor who voiced Cogsworth is a major (lol pun) character in S6-11! But that’s all crazy to me because they are always M*A*S*H, first and forever, and always in my mind! I can’t believe they’re all in their 80s now, or that so many of them have passed.  :( They are truly my whole heart, my family, my home. 

If you do want to watch, recommend you start with the following eps (omg this list is long but it feels so short):

Welcome to Korea pt 1 + 2 (s4)

Change of Command (s4)

Aid Station (s3)

Death Takes a Holiday (s9)

Carry on, Hawkeye (s2)

Bug Out pt 1 + 2 (s5)

Dear Sigmund (s5)

Period of Adjustment (s8) *my first ep ever :,)

The Bus (s4)

Sometimes You Hear the Bullet (s1)

Tuttle (s1)

Crisis (s2)

O.R. (s3)

5 O'Clock Charlie (s2)

The Nurses (s5)

The Interview (s4)

Movie Tonight (s5)

Abyssinia, Henry (s3)

Hepatitis (s5)

Your Hit Parade (s6)

Peace on Us (s7)

Eye for a Tooth (s7)

Old Soldiers (s8)

Life Time (s8)

Stars and Stripes (s8)

Hey, Look Me Over (s11)

There’s a million more things I could say about the show. I feel like I haven’t summarized it justly. If anyone wants to chime in with why they love M*A*S*H, what your fav ep is, etc, please do :)