#community appreciation week 2017

[gillanfryingpan]

For The Forgotten Ones is completed, I haven’t read the final chapter yet because I wanted to finish this first

Buddy thank you so much for this wonderful story, I know I keep saying it but it genuinely changed my life. I hadn’t been in the Undertale fandom since about 2017, it was my first fandom experience so it was very special to me, but I left it far behind. at the start of this year I stumbled upon Calcium-cat’s comic based on the first chapter, and I found my way to this fic and read I think seven chapters in one night LOL. I had to stop because it was so late, but afterwards I sat in the dark of my room and just, felt. this fic felt like the peak of the old Undertale fandom, it was almost overwhelming (in the best way). all these emotions and this energy that I hadn’t felt in years all came rushing back it was like magic. like rediscovering the meaning of life. I know that sounds ridiculous and cheesy but Undertale genuinely made me who I am, it was my first fandom, drew my first fanart and wrote my first fan fiction and went to my first con and made friends and discovered this whole community that made me feel like me. and this story is interwoven with all of that. it feels like Home.

because of this fic I gained the motivation to create SO MUCH art, my skills have developed so much and I genuinely love my art now when I didn’t really before. I’ve found my style bc of you :) I’ve also gained an actual following now that continues to grow which is a dream come true since I first joined the internet. and I’ve made so many wonderful friends, I’ve got a group that came together bc of this fic and they’re all such wonderful people that I may never have met otherwise.

I’ve still got so many screenshots and ideas to draw for this fic so I’ll be appreciating it for a long time still, but this is a thank you, a gift and an appreciation for all that you’ve done. you consistently uploaded a sizeable chapter EVERY WEEK which is INSANE, your dedication is so inspiring. you created a beautiful world and characterized all these popular characters so well, especially when mischaracterizations have become the fandom canon atp (looks at Swap Sans,,,) you did so much. you created a family we all adored, we laughed and cried and prayed and joked and created this wonderful community within a wonderful community just to appreciate your words. truly effing masterful. I love For The Forgotten Ones, I will print it out into a book someday soon, to put it on my shelf where I can see it always. Thank you thank you thank you I’ve said so many words and still I feel I have not expressed the depths of my feelings

oh well

I gotta post this sometime lol

ok bye :) 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

(and to anyone else who reads this, this art is also going to be my dtiys event but I’ll make a separate post for that !!!! it’ll be going on until the end of November)

For The Forgotten Ones by Im_Sorry_Buddy

Ink!Sans and Aster by @comyet

Nightmare!Sans and Dream!Sans by @jokublog

Geno!Sans and Error!Sans by @loverofpiggies

Killer!Sans by @rahafwabas

Cross!Sans by @jakei95

Blue/Swap!Sans by p0pcornpr1nce

Dust/Murder!Sans and Phantom!Papyrus by @ask-dusttale

Horror!Sans by @horrortalecomic (Sour-Apple-Studios)

[doshmanziari]

Without a doubt, and by far, the most marginalizing development I've seen within media analysis over the past decade is a shift towards the production of long, flashy videos which tend to require the same for a dialogue to occur. Literally nothing which has been written about Elden Ring, for example, since its release has enjoyed even a fraction of the visibility as a one-hour-and-forty-minutes video by Joseph Smith, or another of similar length by NeverKnowsBest. I don't know when exactly the shift started to happen most obviously -- maybe 2016 or 2017 -- but, today, circumstances are such that pretty much the only way to get real discursive traction on your thoughts about a piece of media is to make a colossus of a video.

Although worried and worrying discourse has complemented the unveiling of newer public A.I. technologies, we've already done a perfectly fine job of out-dating other forms of media communication by way of the aforementioned analytic format; just as, of course, earlier methods of industrial production rendered a whole variety of professions or emphases as outmoded. If you don't have the relevant editing tools at your disposal and/or don't want to spend hundreds of hours cropping footage and making it fit with music and your own narration, well -- too bad! And even then, of course, there's no guarantee that your video will reach your desired scale of an audience. I've found dozens of such videos on YT channels with only a few thousand views, if that; and on each channel it's clear that the people finally gave up after the monumental task of assembling these videos had no equivalent payoff.

Personally, I do still believe in the primacy of the text (or the spoken word, with no competing stimuli); in text as the primary form of critical engagement. More than that -- if I'm going to read a non-fiction work, I want the paged book, and not a digital version. Now, this preference is just that: a preference. And it surely is a preference a good number of people share. I find that a paged book lends itself better to my own retention of the material; and I really enjoy making my notes on the book's paper with a pen. But I don't believe that the construction of multimedia behemoths should be a baseline requirement for discourse.

I wonder if we will, in the near future, start to see some resurgence of the valuation of unembellished textual analysis complementing a more general fatigue with Internet-derived overstimulation. I've already run across numerous channels with fairly sizable communities where there is an appreciation for the "simplicity" of the formats: a person in a room just talking to the camera. I think a lot of people like engaging analysis where the only barrier of significance is devising a good script. To be sure, this is a formidable barrier in itself. I find writing long-form pieces to be the most difficult of any of my creative practices (which include drawing, painting, and music composition). But if writing on media were my main passion or goal in life, I'd feel fairly crushed to know that these projects now required me to put in perhaps quadruple the amount of time to make a blip on the radar of engagement.

EDIT: Thinking on this -- I wonder if there's a parallel to be found in the realm of supplementing one's work with excess-entertainment via social media engagement; e.g., daily Instagram videos. "Excess-entertainment" refers to material that's being made not because everyone who's making it wants to make it, but because each person is now beholden to an abstractly instituted algorithm of engagement -- an algorithm reinforced by audiences who, also under algorithmic influence, will wonder what's going on if a week goes by without something from a Content Creator.

Most artists who I've talked to regarding their Instagram videos say they would be only too happy if they never had to do another upload showing them adding paint or linework to a work-in-progress with lo-fi beats. Similarly, I wonder how many people making these mega-videos actually want to make them, and if we're not rather seeing the production of this material under a mutual, and mutually untrue, assumption of necessity, and the demands of a largely imaginary audience; and how long they'll be able to keep the act up, given the certainly enormous time investments they require (while noting that I am sure the more successful people hire others to do most of the editing for them).

[nathanmillers]

welcome back to my creator appreciation series! here are some of my favorite creations i’ve reblogged this past week (aug 11 — aug 17) and their creators.

be sure to check out the tag *creatorappreciation on my blog for the previous installments! also, a friendly reminder that i track the tag #userkristyn if you want to tag me in your edits/fanart/whatever :)

(p.s.: marvel content is reblogged on my sideblog @petersthwip)

matt murdock in daredevil 1x01 gifset by @djo

bucky barnes in catws gifset by @avengerscompound

steve rogers + cursing gifset by @meidui

community 2x12 gifset by @tvandfilm

noah stilinski & coach finstock in teen wolf 1x05 gifset by @jessmalia

kate and chris argent in teen wolf 1x04 gifset by @jessmalia

logan (2017) gifset by @celine-song

halsey “lucky” music video gifset by @radicaloptimisms

chappell roan “hot to go” music video gifset by @userchappell

a good girl’s guide to murder 1x01 gifset by @potpourri-of-ecclecticism

ponyo gifset by @colinfirth

joseph gordon levitt in inception gifset by @dilfgifs

high school musical 3 gifset by @daeneryssansa

high school musical 2 gifset by @daeneryssansa

high school musical gifset by @daeneryssansa

august aesthetic gifset by @dreamsoffaerie

[akenvs3000f24]

BLOG 1: My Connection With Nature

Hello! My name is Angela, and I’m a third year student majoring in Zoology at the University of Guelph. I’d like to officially welcome you to my blog– I’m excited to start sharing my posts with everyone from here on out. 

My relationship with nature is one that I’d consider special in my life. Being outside is nearly like my own sanctuary, a place where I can truly feel at peace. Growing up, although my family mainly lived in urbanized areas, I always felt a connection with the outdoors. My parents often caught me outside playing and running around, and they found pulling me away to be a struggle if I spotted a small critter on evening walks. I like to believe that my love for the outdoors stemmed from my mother, as she was and still is an avid gardener of both vegetables and flowers (so much so that I’ve gotten invested in it now as well!). The flowers would invite insects like butterflies and bees to our backyard, and the vegetables would attract rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks. She would often take my siblings and I out on hikes. My grandpa also taught me a sense of appreciation for the life around us through fishing. These experiences allowed me to grow a deep respect for wildlife and nature and the inner workings of their ecosystems; everything that exists on Earth serves a purpose– even mosquitoes, as annoying as they can be.

[Pink and white hyacinth pearl flowers backed by a sunset]

I’m privileged enough to have a few areas I’d consider my “sense of place”. My first real exposure to nature was back in 2017 on a trip to Europe with my brother. He took me on a trail that went around Mont. Blanc– the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe– and we hiked in the mountains for two weeks. Along the path we met lots of different kinds of people from different countries, but there was one thing that we all shared: a love for nature. As we hiked and chatted with the people we met, there was a sense of community that formed which led to memories that I cherish to this day. The trail took us through a few small towns in the valleys, and through the locals we learned bits of their history, family roots, and what sort of significance the land held for them. It was this particular trip that solidified my admiration for nature and all the things it had to offer.

[My brother and I's tent on the top of a mountain in Europe]

Most recently, I found another sense of place in Banff, Alberta. I spent most of my time hiking trails and visiting lakes, learning about the history and significance of the mountains that surrounded me. We were lucky to see a fair amount of wildlife, including deer, elk and mountain goats. One encounter that stuck in my mind was when we encountered a female elk and her baby. There was something so surreal about it, seeing them in the bush gorging away at some leaves. We had just finished stargazing and were right beside a busy highway– seeing a mother and her baby on the side of the road was the last thing that we expected. It reminded me of the simplicity and beauty of life. While in Banff my family and I also visited the Athabasca Glacier; there, we learned that every year it shrinks about 5 meters due to global warming. As an individual I always valued the importance of protecting the state of the natural world, as humans have been negatively affecting the Earth for years. Both of these encounters reinforced in my mind how important conservation and preservation is to nature and the future generations.

[Picture of a female elk and her calf under a starry sky]

In the end, my relationship with nature developed from one of simple curiosity and fascination to one of admiration and respect, connected with a drive to protect the environment. While I've said that my "sense of place" is mostly with the outdoors, the people who gave me that sense of place would most definitely be my mom, grandpa and brother.

[chrisgraves09]

Hey, have another one of my ramble posts cause I just wanna get this off my chest.

When I first got into FNaF when the fourth game released, I was growing interested into the community and what it was like. That’s when I started lurking both Tumblr & Reddit in late 2016 during Christmas time. That’s when I getting into drawing. By then in early to mid 2017, I began joining the Five Nights at Freddy’s subreddit and Discord server and just… wow, seeing an entire community full of great people showing their support and love to this franchise is just incredible.

I began getting involved with showing off my drawing and art of the FNaF characters and lemme tell you, it was really nice. So nice that it was when I began my Freddit Users Drawing series where I would draw almost every single member in the Five Nights at Freddy’s subreddit. I didn’t even wanted attention for that alone. I was just showing my appreciation and my thanks for being a part of the Five Nights at Freddy’s community. From 2017-early 2020 I’ll say were my best years of being in the FNaF community. Being able to be excited for new game entries, books, merchandise with the community was so good that I wish I could experience that phase once again.

But then in mid 2020, I started getting inactive on Reddit and only focusing on Discord. This ain’t a problem in of itself mostly because I was focusing on the FNaF fangames that were released like Five Nights at Sonic’s, Project Readjusted (😵‍💫), and many others. Not to mention my high school graduation happening. By then, Twitter took over and I have only lurked there until many years later.

2021 came in and the first FNaF related controversy started and it struck a blow in my head. People started fighting, distancing themselves from the franchise, and I’m just sitting there if it’ll affect me in someway. Thankfully (for the moment) it didn’t and I continue making FNaF art like usual. Then 2022 came up with the Pear tree, striking another blow to my heart. And THEN 2023 came up with there being several people being not so good people and the whole FNaF + situation, making me question more and more if this’ll become an ongoing issue. And what do you know it? This year has the goddamn Talbert Files thing happening and probably more coming. And this is supposed to be FNaF’s 10 year anniversary. Everyone is becoming increasingly pissed, fighting with one another, and even leaving the franchise as a whole.

I said it before on Twitter and I’ll say it here: This community has devolved into just bitching around for the sake of bitching around and both Twitter and Reddit are especially the case. FNaFTwitter is by far the most miserable side of the community and I mean it. The Freddit community has become so toxic that I’m becoming so ashamed to be apart of it now. It’s not the same Freddit I used to know. I was originally gonna do a third Freddit Users Drawing series last year to remind me of the good old days. But it seems like that ain’t happening anymore. This is just depressing to look at…

All of this controversy, drama, and turmoil this fanbase endured ever since 2021 has unfortunately changed my perspective, mood, and feelings toward any FNaF “fan” that chooses to be an asshole. It’s gotten to the point where I wanna dissociate myself from the community. Specifically FNaFTwitter, Freddit, and even several Discord servers. I’ve became conflicted day by day and week by week and if I really want to stay in this dumpster fire of a community and deal with this bullshit mess or maybe leave everything behind and go on my own terms. I really don’t know what to do. Maybe time will tell in the future, who knows?

Ok, I’m done rambling for now.

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 12/01/2024

9​来​4s

Season 2

Featured on: THE SILVAGUNNER CHRISTMAS COMEBACK CRISIS ORIGINAL SOUNDTRAXX: vol. 1

Ripped by dante

Uh, so, hi, everyone. I'm going to apologize ahead of time if this post reads a bit more shakily, a bit less structured than what it maybe usually does. I always have a timeline of rips to cover over the week laid out ahead of time, and was really not expecting to cover 9​来​4s as part of it - I thought, naively, that today would just be a day like any other, one more on the pile. I wake up, get dressed, check the SiIvaGunner YouTube feed - and almost collapse onto the floor in shock.

The Christmas Comeback Crisis is back. Ten hours from the point of writing this sentence, the eleventh episode of the main SiIvaGunner storyline will premiere on YouTube.

I don't think I've ever done an effective job of conveying to people just how much the Christmas Comeback Crisis means to me. Sure, rips that I love are one thing, with those you can understand what I'm talking about with just a listen yourself. But the Christmas Comeback Crisis series is so difficult to truly appreciate without the knowledge, the memories and attachment to the channel from having been with it the whole time. To me, it marked the point where all of SiivaGunner's potential as a narrative, all of the loose threads of lore and jokes, all of those feelings of joy and sadness and comradery that flew like sparks throughout Season 1s 9-month run, were distilled into a streamlined narrative. It felt as if a bunch of stray thoughts were finally put to paper, a world envisioned by all of SiIva's viewers finally envisioned with an engrossing conflict and beautiful art. And it felt to me like the team themselves knew just how golden the idea they'd landed on was, as the scope of the storyline quickly expanded from just Christmas of 2016 to eventually enveloping the entirety of Season 2's run.

The final core episode of the Christmas Comeback Crisis released at the tail end of Season 2, on Christmas Day. That is to say, December 25th, 2017. It is currently January 12th 2024 - six years, two weeks, and four days have passed, as the main story of the channel has remained in limbo. When I watched that episode, live on the date of upload, I was still a teenager. I've followed the channel since, still immensely invested, still closely following and paying attention to the lore introduced since - the Side Stories and Haltmann's Archives of Season 3 and Season 4: Episode 1, the King for Another Day Tournament and its fallout across both episodes of Season 4, the many misadventures of Wood Man across Season 5, having seemingly left the Christmas Comeback Crisis canon altogether to explore different worlds where he could have fun with little consequence - only for it all to come crashing down on him in Season 6. After all of that time, all of that buildup, after Season 7 has already been one of the channel's all-around, best-ever years - the cherry on top has landed. Episode 11.

Beyond the lore, the world, the artwork, the storyline, the characters, and the community that's supported it all, what has held the Christmas Comeback Crisis together for me and many others has been the sheer passion present in all those aspects - including, of course, its outstanding soundtrack. I've talked about it before with voiceless, with 時の回廊 ＜ver. CCC＞, with vlEP, and now here - but dante is, genuinely, an *exceptionally* talented musician, possibly my favorite amidst the entire SiIvaGunner team, and he has been completely outdoing himself on the Christmas Comeback Crisis' soundtrack since the day it first began - his music, remixes, arrangement, and overall sound direction has breathed a kind of energy and life into the story that's immersed me in ways I could never have expected.

9​来​4s plays during Episode 8 of the Christmas Comeback Crisis, An Acrimonious Assault - which sort of marked a point of no return for the series. After the 6th episode, Advent of Hell, just barely managed to release during Christmas of 2016, and the 7th episode, Loves the Ladies, released four entire months later due to expressed production issues, it felt like the team had officially realized just how big the project was getting. Yet, despite the woes that the 7th episode had presented, the team pushed on - and the series continued until the end of the year. That energy, that hype and love for the channel, is echoed all throughout 9​来​4s, and it's a feeling I haven't truly felt since that Season that the series once ended during.

At least, that's what I once said. Because now, *we are so fucking back.*

[shychick-52]

My physical disability (long post)

Given that it's Disability Pride Month, I wanted to share a bit of my own experience.

After experiencing HORRIBLE back pain for weeks in late 2016 (the doctor didn't send me for an MRI or any deeper scan after the x-ray didn't show anything), I woke up one morning in January 2017 with literally ZERO balance. Like, I could move my legs, but I still couldn't walk. It was the most terrifying sensation.

Called the ambulance, they took me to the hospital where I had the proper scan done, and it turned out to be a massive tumor pressing on my spine and crushing the nerves. Because it had been growing for months, everyone agreed it was a miracle I wasn't totally paralyzed. (The tumor turned out to be cancerous, and I had several more tumors in other places too, including my stomach, ovaries, liver, and kidneys). After it was removed, I still had zero balance.

Well, the entire five months I was in the hospital getting treatment wasn't fun, made even worse by my destroyed mobility. During my stay, I switched back and forth between a wheelchair and a walker. I was so depressed, terrified I'd never walk properly again and convinced my life was over. Even after I was discharged from the hospital, and still continued to use a wheelchair and walker, I can't count how many times I freaking bawled. I had very poor control of my legs, and had to look down at them at all times to know what they were doing so I didn't trip.

And for the first time in my life, I was met with challenges that able-bodied people don't have to worry about (the worst of which were stairs). I could finally appreciate how frustrating it is when able-boded people selfishly use the handicapped stall in the washroom (when the other ones are perfectly available) when you have to go!

Not long after I got out of the hospital, I started attending physical therapy. I worked for months and months, and graduated from a walker to two canes to just one cane. I practiced walking in the pool by my place (with aqua-therapy, I didn't have to worry about injuring myself if I fell in the water, and I fell plenty at first). I gradually got better, but it was HARD.

Shortly after my very first visit to physical therapy, my therapist diagnosed me with spasticity in my legs and feet. That's a condition caused by a spinal cord injury; the injury to the nerves in the spine cause the signals between the nervous system and the legs/feet to be thrown completely out-of-whack and fail to communicate properly (which was why I couldn't sense what my feet were doing unless I looked at them), forcing the leg muscles to be in a permanent state of horrible stiffness and constant spasms. It's a horrible feeling.

Finally, in the later part of 2019, I no longer needed a cane. I could walk just fine on my own (for the most part), and I haven't had to rely on walking aids since then, and I don't have to watch my feet to know how they're moving when I walk. But the spasticity- which is permanent- remains. I manage it with medication, which helps the stiffness a bit. And my biggest challenge remains stairs; I absolutely cannot go up and down stairs (especially up) without a banister. But because of how generally stiff my muscles are, my balance will never be perfect. And I can't really run, although I can walk just as fast as I used to.

Cold weather, rain, and atmospheric pressure all make the spasticity worse.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

hello summer!

i have been to a doctor about possibly having autism once now with my mum.

she suggested that i have ADHD + CAPD rather than autism, or my symptoms were caused by a deficiency in Vitamin B12. she said that it was very unlikely i had autism, just because she thinks that throughout all my life we would've caught it by now.

it's possible it's just a deficiency in Vitamin B12, because you mostly get the vitamin from meats. i am mostly vegetarian and don't eat a lot of meat.

if the deficiency in Vitamin B12 is the case, then all my symptoms should go away if i start taking Vitamin gummies or something to get the required vitamins.

It would be great if all these problems went away as easy as that, but then it doesn't entirely explain some other things?

like, for example, autistic people can have poor proprioception, which i feel i relate to. i have gonr at most an entire 14 hours without eating because i simply couldn't sense i needed to eat. it's an ongoing problem for me that i can't sense that i need to eat/drink, and it isn't exactly new. it's been going on for a while and for 2-3 months i thought i must have some kind of eating disorder, but of course, no eating disorder i researched described what i was experiencing. but then, i discovered that it can be an autism thing.

for the past maybe 4.5 months i've been researching what exactly autism is and how it appears. i've looked back on experiences in my life and thought that it made sense i could have autism.

i feel like it can't really be just a deficiency, but i have no idea how to say that. i'm not great at communicating why i think something, so i don't want to say it to my mum, because if i do she'll ask why and the answer is complicated and long, and i always seem to stutter and trip over my own words. i just really struggle to explain complicated things, and the more i fail to explain, the harder it gets because i start to panic that it's not working.

and then, if it is just a deficiency and my sensory issues go away as fast as they just suddenly appeared (noise sensitivity just kind of appeared in january.), then what about my other experiences? if it's just a deficiency and not anything more, then is there just something wrong with me? it's really frustrating to me, because i have no idea what it is.

i've taken spectrum tests online, most of which said i had moderate to high symptoms of ASD, and i've seen that people afab often end up learning early how to mask and don't get diagnosed (i'm afab).

having ADHD + CAPD could explain some stuff for me too. i was told that my concern isn't being pushed aside for what the doctor thinks, but it feels a little like it is.

she gave us some tests and there was one for my teacher. i gave it to her a week ago, and she hasn't handed it back. i'm hoping she can give it back soon because there's only a few days left before summer begins and my school year ends.

i guess i'm just worried in general about this, + some other stuff going on in my life right now. thank you for reading through this, i appreciate that. it was just kind of a rant. 💞

Hi there,

I did some research on ADHD and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD). I found one article that goes into detail about both of these. Here are some excerpts:

People with ADHD may have trouble processing sensory input, including auditory information. For example, a 2017 studyTrusted Source notes that children with ADHD do not perform as well on auditory processing tests. However, they perform similarly to neurotypical children after treatment with methylphenidate. This suggests that auditory processing issues may be an ADHD symptom.

ADHD affects executive functioning, attention, and impulse controlTrusted Source. This may make it more difficult for people to process sensory input, including sounds. It may be difficult or impossible for a person with ADHD to interpret sounds or distinguish one sound from another, particularly in distracting environments.

Research also suggests that people with ADHD may have other sensory processing issues. They might crave sensory stimulation through chewing or be less responsive than typical to sensory input, such as loud noises or bright lights.

Similarly, symptoms of APD may mimic those of ADHD. This is because a person who cannot correctly interpret sound may appear to be inattentive. Their sensory difficulties can also affect behavior. A 2018 systematic review emphasizes that children with APD have similar characteristics, including behaviors and test scores, to children with ADHD.

It is also possible for a person to have both ADHD and APD.

The article will be below if you want to read it.

If Vitamin B12 is the issue, I would try to take some vitamins and see if your symptoms improve. If not, then I would talk to your doctor.

I should also mention that the signs and characteristics of both ADHD and Autism have quite the overlap. Here’s a helpful Venn diagram to show the similarities and differences.

There’s also another Infograph talking about the statistics of ADHD and Autism:

I’ll also leave the article below so you can check it out.

I really hope you find this information helpful. I wish you luck and I hope you figure out what’s going on.

Thank you for the inbox. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ❤️

[hkthatgffan]

I still remember it like yesterday. I don’t think anyone forgets the first time they saw it. It’s crazy looking back at how long it’s been. I always assumed I’d be a fan for a few weeks at most…not 6 years and counting. Gravity Falls changed my life in ways I still am discovering. And now, 6 years on from that cold February evening in 2017 when I finally decided to give this 40-episode masterpiece a try, I still find looking back at it all so insane and why I fell for Alex Hirsch’s creation over literally anything else I could’ve.

I think after the show itself and the impact on me which I’ll mention later, the fandom’s full of life mentality and kindness was what got me hooked not even a week into it. I mean, I was a year late, so I didn’t think I was gonna find anyone left. I began on Gravity Falls Amino in 2017 and I don’t think I ever expected to find the GF fandom to be so alive and thriving, despite it at the time being a year on from the finale. I think to this day that’s something I love about it; yeah, it’s not as big as it was at its peak. But it still is alive and well despite it being so long.

I think alongside just how alive the fandom was, it was also just the kindness of fans that kept me going. I afraid when I joined at first and felt intimidated at times. I was the new kid on the block. Were fans going to welcome me in or mock me for being late and gatekeep me out like I was less for not being a fan when it was airing? Well, I think the answer is pretty clear. I’ve been in so many fandoms since and while GF’s isn’t always perfect, the kindness in this fandom on all medians I’ve been on is incredible. Old fans are so supportive and helpful to new fans, new fans with curiosity bring new ideas to the table and help keep the stories alive and more. I see it on this the GF sub whenever a new fan is welcomed in for finishing the show or on other sites when they share art or ideas and more that watching GF gave them. I see it in old fans who return because they’ve been reminded about why they loved this show so much or the continued love from fans who never gave up on GF even when Next Summer became less a possibility and more a tear causing goodbye.

Yeah, we have our ups downs as a fandom, but we all are collectively here because we love this cartoon and what it means to us all. Whether you think the show ended perfectly or not, think Dipcifica is the best ship or Wendip is, think Bill is alive or dead, hate or love Mabel or Ford and more, we all are Gravity Falls fans first and foremost and that is something we all are aligned by.

Gravity Falls also made me love animation again after a year of just being away from the median. I’ve gone on to watch so many other cartoons since it. While I admit I still sometimes find myself trying to see if it can live up to GF, which is of course never the way one should watch another show; by comparing it to another, I do owe GF for my renewed passion. It made me not only love animation, but also find a great deal of respect and admiration for the people who make them. From creators to animators, writers to VA’s, Gravity Falls was a huge reason why I now watch every new cartoon with a greater deal of respect for those who work to make the median so incredible.

There is so much more I could say about Gravity Falls and its impact on me…be it the channel I created through it and video creating skills I learned through working with it, the fanfics, the fanart, the communities I’ve had the chance to be part of cause of it, the good and bad from the people and events I’ve been part of from it, or even the renewed appreciation for those I care most about because I saw so much in me in Dipper and Mabel’s sibling relationship. But the thing is…when I found this show, I was at a low point in my life and at the least hopeful for the future.

I was in a real bad place mentally speaking. Really just questioning where it all went wrong and not being able to find a reason to crack a smile anymore. I was the least optimistic I ever was about the future. And then for some reason, I decided one day, after seeing a video about how it ended well, I’d give this cartoon I barely heard about but knew the existence of, a chance. I mean, what was the worst that could happen? I think everyone has their own story for when it hit them in relation to their reason to love this show. I have to be honest, I think the defining reason for me is now lost to time or buried deep in my memories now…but the combination of just Gravity Falls’ pure fun feeling, mystery and emphasis on fan interaction, as well as nostalgia factor really got me excited. But there was one other reason I fell so hard into the fandom and this show; the reason why it got me good...Escape.

It was almost like an escape from reality. For those first few months, I was nonstop Gravity Falls fandom. I scrolled through Amino on the daily to see what people were posting about it, checked Alex Hirsch’s Twitter to see what was new, checked the GF sub to see what was up and more. It was just wake up, classes, come home and obsess over GF, sleep, repeat. I think it’s taken me a long time to realize that at times, Gravity Falls was my Mabeland; my escape from the troubles of real life and the real world. But while it may have been easy to let this obsession become unhealthy and consume me and yeah, at times I feel it may have, I think in a way, it helped me reignite my motivation for the future and the next chapter ahead.

I think seeing Dipper tell Mabel that the future is not something to be afraid of and that going through it with someone who cares, was something I needed to hear and come to understanding the meaning of. Talking to people and finding ways to overcome it. I always thought I was more like Dipper but truthfully…those eyes of fear and the future Mabel had in Vs the Future were the ones I had in the lead up to this day 6 years ago when I gave episode 1 a watch. It’s ironically why I ended up loving her character more when so many others began to hate her. That fear Mabel had was something I understood. Not knowing if you’ll be okay in the future and who was there for you…Mabel really was my guide into and out of that emotion.

And slowly but surely, life got better and better. I did still have my ups and downs here and there and times where I wondered why I made this turn instead of the other with life (still do), but then, each turn was always gonna lead somewhere and by the end, I found my way out. I think now I am at the most stable and just mentally okay place I’ve been in for years. Gravity Falls wasn’t the reason I found my way out of that dark place…but it did give me the motivation and assurance that I needed to hear in order to do it myself.

I still don’t know what the future holds. Hell, even just last year I questioned if I’d still be here in the fandom to mark 6 years. Life is an up an down roller coaster with bumps that all try to throw you off. If you hold on too lightly, you’ll fly off and be lost, but if too strong, you won’t enjoy it. It’s a case of finding that balance. I had held on too lightly before I found GF. Then for a while I held on too hard as I used it as a means to escape. Being able to find the right grip to be able to take life for a spin but retain control was not easy, but I needed to do it if I ever wanted to see what the future was rather than think what if.

I sometimes get asked why Gravity Falls means so much to me when there’s cartoons out there that can be argued as being better than it. For me, Gravity Falls’ quality as a show isn’t why I love it so much. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to allow myself to accept that GF isn’t perfect and see the cracks in it while still loving it instead of blindly believing it’s perfection. Neither is the notoriety I’ve gained from it. Anyone could’ve made the username That GF FAN and done what I did and still do. I’m not some mega fan or any special person. I’m just a guy who was a year late to the party and become obsessed with a cartoon that began 10 years ago, lol. I will forever be grateful for this fandom’s kindness and for giving me a chance and a place within it. And while I am always grateful for that, it’s not the only reason that to me Gravity Falls means so much.

It's the message this show sent; that message about life and never letting the future stop you from living it. To not let the past, dictate your future and to find those around you who will help make the future better. That was more important and of a thing that Gravity Falls gave me than any other cartoon I’ve seen since, no matter its quality gave me and more valuable than any Journal 3 Special Edition or piece of merchandise ever will be. It was the right show at the right time and just did it for me.

There was a high school student one cold February evening 6 years ago, who began watching a cartoon he had no idea about beyond a little background knowledge. And I doubt he ever imagined then that this one show would help him find the passion and reassurance to give life the fullest and find a way out of that dark moment so that looking back now…that time is nothing more than a long faded away scar.

And all thanks to a kid who thinks washing clothes is a waste of time, telling his twin sister who’s better at knitting than I’ll ever be, that there's a better way to get through the future than denial or trying to hide away in fear of it.

So yeah…there’s my corny story, lmao. 6 years ago today, I watched Gravity Falls for the first time…and 6 years on…it’s still one hell of an amazing show and life lesson.

VHULRXVOB, BRX UHDG DOO RI WKDW? RU GLG BRX MXVW VFUROO GRZQ, VHH WKLV FRGH DQG GHFRGH LW, OPDR? HLWKHU ZDB, WKDQN BRX, IHOORZ JUDYLWB IDOOV IDQ :)

[mini-jiminie]

hi! I just found your blog and it is great to see people that are open to talk and engage with other peoples perspectives. I was on 2017 jikook tumblr till the start of 2019, when I deleted my account due to the increasing negativity and I just wasnt vibing with all of it. But I had my twitter acc where I just followed translations and updates accounts of the boys and yeah I was kinda updated on them.

Obviously since used to have a tumblr account I had my thoughts on jungkooks and jimins relationship through those years but I just kept them with myself because I wasnt in any space to share them and I didnt want to be involved on any fandom communities at that time.

Like two weeks ago curiosity got me and I decided to see what was going on on jkk tumblr because I had a my thoughts of them since ays started so I created an account lol. Ive been seeing a lot of peoples reactions but it is great to find people that match with what I was thinking. Like they definitely have a relationship with each other that stands out from other ones. I think there has been a lot of things that point to them having a unique/different bond but there is also some others that obviously do not erase all those others moments but kinda gives us a big slap in the face lol. I was reading some of your posts and something that resonated a lot with me was this

Jkk’s dynamic is so distinct from their dynamics with the other boys. I’m happy to speculate whether they could be in a romantic relationship but, I’m also content with not knowing.

To be honest with everything that has happened these last years I don’t really think they are in a relationship. Ive been here since 2017 and for years I used to believe they had something going on, never could I state it as a fact but I think everyone in the fandom noticed it even the members, they were different. But I also think relationships are so difficult and they both are the only ones that can know every aspect of what was going on between them.

I saw on your pinned that you started to use this tumblr acc again. Was it because ays made you had some thoughts too? I hope no one takes this as negative in any way Im just sharing my thoughts as someone who appreciates jimin and jungkook a lot.

Heyy,

So, I also initially left tumblr around 2019 too because the boys were mainly active on Twitter and so was majority of the fandom. I didn’t use this acc to post and would only lurk so, I didn’t have much of an attachment to it.

Funny story but, I do owe me revisiting my tumblr acc to a jkk writer on Twitter. We’re not personally acquainted but, I am a fan of their writing. One day, I was scrolling through their curious-cat and found that they were having these really thoughtful discussions on jkk. I found that I really resonated with their opinions and was just overall so excited that I found a space to engage in such discussions. Now, maybe it’s just me but I find that the jkk space (and honestly the army space as a whole) on Twitter has become less of a space for discussion and discourse as the years have gone by. I came back to tumblr because I thought well, this is where I’ll be able to read and engage in such thoughtful conversation, especially in light of ays.

It does look like we share similar opinions <3 I’m sure you’ve probably seen me say the same thing a billion times but yea, I love Jikook because they always have me on the edge. There’s something so thrilling about being kept on your toes as you observe two people who have such an interesting dynamic. No matter what they are to one another, the love and adoration is undeniable and that’s all I would ever want from them. I just want them to be happy and I can say with confidence that they make eachother happy. Ays has definitely cemented that for me.

[sapphicstarwars]

ARCHIVE

PAST EVENTS events that have passed, but may happen again in the future. if an event becomes active again, it will be moved to our upcoming list.

Ahsoka Week - Last Held: November 20 - 26 2023

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Have we missed an event, blog, or server? Send us an ask to be added to the list! We also track #sapphic star wars ♡

[docheros]

Forget me not

a full fleshed out jse fanfic from tae??? in our holy year 2024???? it's more likely than you think

anyways i tag (and blame /j) @the-pastel-kitsune for this. jasper your brain

janti are like. the original tragic yaoi

likes and comments appreciated!

========================

Waking up from a much too quiet nightmare, a silente scare. As if, after hours and hours of falling, finally feeling the real weight of gravity and, one second before brutally hitting the floor, feeling your body against the softness of the mattress. That was the feeling Jack felt when he woke up.

How much time had passed? One day? Two? One week? Months? Years?

Maybe, enough for a change.

He tried to open his eyes, they had been closed for a long time. The sudden flash blinded him, but not as much as his drifting memories, trying to swim back to his mind.

He got used to the flash and focused the image better in his vision; the ceiling in his room was still intact. With tense movements, he looked to one side, looked the other, concentrated to listen to something. Nothing. No “get better soon” cards, no familiar voices downstairs.

With some difficulty, he tried to get up. It took about 20 minutes to do this: first, he had to send the message to the rest of the body. Then, get his arms and legs used to movements again (it probably wasn't possible to do it this soon, but it's not like his dizzy mind could even rationalize it). He didn't even risk to remove the IV without the help of a professional, he had already lost tons of blood. He grabbed the IV and walked with shaky steps towards the door. He could already imagine the scolds that Henrik would give him, and already formulated mischievous responses, full of giggles, just like the old days. He opened the door.

And came face to face with a wide hallway, infinite on both sides. Was he still dreaming?

Apprehensive to actually leave the room, he held on to the edge of the door and tried to find some sign of life on the right side. Not long after, he heard someone calling him on the left side.

— Jack?

A familiar voice he had never heard before. He turned to look at who called him, finding a... man.

It was like as if he was looking at a broken mirror, all the similarities between them accentuated their differences: the man was a little taller, more curved, bearder and hairier. His eyes were black like an endless abyss, empty and deep. But also, full of emotion. Pure, wild emotion. Uncontrollable.

And his skin was red like blood, removing any shred of normality he might have had. Like someone Jack knew for a long time.

Some habits never change.

He smiled.

— Anti?

The being, head down, looked him up and down: his IV, his unmistakable friendly expression. The same man.

— Yeah... it's me.

His voice was now deep, firm, sure of himself and his purpose, different from the high-pitched and brittle voice he was used to.

— You’re different.

— And you remain the same.

— Where are the others? — he looked around — where are we?

Anti didn't answer. He lowered hie shoulders and looked down at the floor, as if resenting his very existence. Jack slowly opened his mouth.

— ...oh.

And the silence, the deafening silence. Jack turned back into the room, inviting his friend to enter as well.

— So — he sat on the bed — How long has it been?

— About six years. But for you, seven. You’re stuck in 2017.

— Do they still remember me?

— Henrik tries at all costs, but he’s slowly forgetting. Chase only has a vague memory. Jameson and Jackie... — he sighed — it's as if you never existed. The one that remembers most is Marvin, but I doubt it’ll be for long.

— Will I be completely forgotten, then?

— Not by everyone — he raised his face, smiling without showing his teeth — I won’t forget you. I'm your community, remember?

Jack laughed, turning his attention to the large window on the central wall of the room. The moon shone dimly.

— What happens if I climb out the window?

— Nothing much — he shrugged — that’s like cardboard.

— Anti. Will I die?

The answer took a few seconds to come out of Anti's dry mouth.

— I can't tell you. But... I hope not.

— Update me on what happened — he leaned against the wall, hugging his legs — I'm curious about the reason for this drastic change in appearance.

Anti told him about everything: from the kickoff that was the “CHASE” video to the “Void Silver” and “The somewhat incredible JackieBoy Man” comics.

— Wow... So I really missed a lot — Jack chuckled, still digesting I.R.I.S — I never thought it’d reach this level.

— And looks like there will be videogames, it's pretty crazy — he smiled — sometimes I still feel a little unqualified to be this Super Badass Villain. I mean, until a while ago, I was still...

— A boy? — he smiled fondly — Yeah, me too. I’d love to be able to follow the rest of your journey.

Anti swallowed hard, sitting down next to him.

— I'll miss you and annoying you — He looked at him, but his gaze dropped to his lips — I annoy Chase, but... it's not the same thing. It's more serious.

Jack held Anti's hand in his, stroking the back. Where he pressed, it turned green.

— I'll miss you annoying me too. Good times.

And they faced each other, for the first time in years. And they really did it, observing and studying the other's behavior. Jack admired those deep, dark eyes; entered them, there discovered a home. He found a boy behind that frightening and powerful shell, a boy with a mischievous smirk, excessive jealousy and a slit throat. His Anti. Waiting for him, with a wide smile and a decapitated teddy bear.

And in Jack's shiny blue eyes, Anti found a mature, accomplished man, satisfied with what he had achieved. They reminded him of Seán.

The creature just like the creator.

And that scared him.

— Jack. I need to tell you something. I... — he swallowed hard — I love you. I've always loved you.

— Do you love me as my community — he brushed back some dark hair from his red forehead — or as AntiSepticEye?

— As AntiSepticEye — he brought his pale hand to his mouth, leaving a kiss — as your creation, your alter ego. Your other half.

— The half that completes me — he smiled — Funny. You were here from the beginning. And it's here at the end too.

— I promise I’ll come visit you. And I'll bring gifts.

— Anti, just grant me one wish: give me a kiss.

There was no way to deny a request like that; not when it was something Anti had desired too, since he first laid eyes on Jack. From the moment he realized they were antagonistic forces, that they could never meet.

But now, for the first time, they could. For the first and last.

And he kissed him, two semi-identical faces united in a disharmonious tune. Two parallel lines intersecting. He kissed him as if his very life depended on it, exploring every corner of that mouth, so similar to his. He kissed him with a bitter and slightly salty taste.

He kissed him.

— Anti — Jack caressed his cheeks, wet with hot tears — I love you. I love you so much. I'm so very proud of what you have achieved. Who would have thought that a kid’s play would turn into the main villain of a complete story?

Anti laughed through tears, an ugly laugh.

— I promise I won't forget you. Never.

— You will end up forgetting — he kissed his forehead — and I'll be the happiest man in the world for having loved you.

[wihinaphe-makhoche]

6/26/24: Pride in Dawnland, Folklore, Microaggressions, and Indigenous Queerness.

Queerness is and always has been.

In their 2023 talk, Passamaquoddy historian, medicine person, and maker Geo Neptune discusses gender, cultural identity, sexuality, and their craft at Bowdoin College.

I originally listened to this talk as a part of my American Folklore class this last semester. Understanding folklore as part of every human society, the ways in which we interact with it, and how it affects every aspect of our lives was truly eye-opening.

I digress. I could fill a book with the importance of folklore in cultural interaction, regardless of what "groups" one may be a part of.

I decided to open with Geo's talk and provide this as something of a baseline of where my thinking is coming from in this post. I highly recommend listening to the whole talk if you can.

Dawnland has always and always will have queer people. It will always have Indigenous queer people.

The Wabanaki have a very felt presence in the central and coastal Maine area where I'm from—especially Penobscot and Passamaquoddy, who live closest to Bangor. I recently had the pleasure of attending Bangor's 32nd Pride, an event which has become increasingly Indigenous since I first began attending back in 2017. Visit the website for the event now, and the first thing you will see is the image of the Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance walking in the parade. This has felt momentous, and an active effort by both (perhaps most importantly) Wabanaki people, as well as their non-Native queer allies.

Since "joining" the queer community at age ~13, I've had the pleasure of experiencing many different angles of my queer community. Something that I've appreciated on a local, "irl" level is the effort of integrating queer and Indigenous education. I first heard Geo Neptune speak on being Two-Spirit and Indigenous ways of engaging with sexuality, gender identity, and societal roles when I was about 15 years old at my first Rainbow Ball, a queer, alternative prom held in Western coastal Maine each year. Workshops during the day offered us opportunities to engage with queer adults and learn about our community's history, present, about safety, and various other topics (such as Geo's talk on Two-Spirits in Maine).

When I attended Pride last week (the largest in the history of the event), I was browsing stalls with my partner and best friend when I was stopped by a (white, non-Indigenous) sewist who complimented my skirt. I thanked her, saying that it was a ribbon skirt. I had bought this pink and blue ribbon skirt at the spring social on Indian Island this year, an event by and for the local Indigenous community. It was made by a very skilled older woman. I won't say the price, but it was expensive--I felt, though, given the history of ribbon skirts, and their role as a regalia item to some, this was a fair price. The price must be affected by the time, materials, energy, and cultural importance of the item.

This is why I was shocked when the sewist launched into a pitch about how she could make something similar for me for only $35 and began showing me her wares. While I was understanding as a fellow creative seeking to connect and make a living, comparing a clothing item with deep cultural importance and symbolism to an item of regular clothing did not sit right with me. It left me disgruntled and wrestling with my feelings.

Circling back to folklore, I and this sewist are of (assumedly) shared groups--Queer people, Mainers, and Americans. But I am Indigenous, and she is not. "Groups" in the folkloric sense are defined as two or more people that share something in common. All groups have folklore–material and nonmaterial. A ribbon skirt is folk art, a traditional article of clothing, and is important to Indigenous women both as an expression of identity and as a piece of regalia; It has deep historical and cultural meaning that is not understood by those outside of our group.

To the outsider, in seeing the skirt, it becomes a sum of the materials from a craft store (assumed to be relatively inexpensive) and effort (perhaps seen as minimal to a skilled and experienced sewist). In lacking cultural context, the entitlement lies in the assumption that a colonizer can replicate the importance of a garment cheaply. It stems from a lack of understanding of the other group, yes, but also a devaluation of cultural objects. The item is seen as clothing and not folk art.

Some people are just misinformed, awkward, and lacking in information. On one hand, I feel that this lack of education or social grace can't be held against them. On the other, the devaluation of a cultural garment by a settler is a microaggression that is perhaps symbolic of a greater issue in settler-Indigenous relations.

I want to clarify before I go any further that I don't feel any ill will towards this individual, and that I don't really know anything of her background; This anecdote simply means to serve as a lesson and rumination in the decolonization of thought and behavior.

In my previous post, I discussed Christianity and the entitlement that this religious tradition has given to colonizers. It is an inescapable reality that permeates American life, even if it is not something one religiously ascribes to. When Adam and Eve left Eden, all that the Earth had to provide was for the taking of man to eke out a survival. In the Christian-dominated Euro-American tradition, the relationship between humans and the world around them would be inherently selfish and destructive. This dogma of entitlement to the world around oneself permeates all of the interactions one has, and the decolonization of thought must be an active and continuous effort. 

As Queer people, we can only really guarantee in Queer spaces that we share a singular group (that being queerness). People will come from all walks of life, will be from differing and overlapping groups, and have a body of life experiences that are extremely diverse. This is the beauty of community. The effort made by Bangor Pride to express this diversity is admirable, and I am hopeful and excited about future events. This small interaction did not color the event for me, but provided an interesting thought discussion. 

If you made it to the end of my post, I want to thank you as usual for reading. Let me know your thoughts in my inbox, by commenting, reblogging, etc. Respectful and thoughtful discussion is always encouraged!

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 9.2

Holidays

Atlas Shrugged Day

Aylan Kurdi Day

Badger Badger Badger Mushroom Day

Battle of Albulena Anniversary Day (Albania)

Bison-Ten-Yell Day

Bowling Shirt Day

Calendar Adjustment Day

Community Day (Ceuta Day; Spain)

Day of Russian Guard Units (Russia)

Democracy Day (Tibet)

Dia de Ceuta (Spain)

Good Society Day

Gregorian Calendar Adoption Day (UK; 1752)

International Actuaries Day

International Vulture Awareness Day

Lemon Day (French Republic)

Mariamoba (Republic of Georgia)

Mindfulness Day

National Beheading Day

National Cinema Day (UK)

National Indoor Air Quality Day

National Live Fearless Day

National No Patrick Day (SpongeBob)

National Short People Day

Notaries Day (Ukraine)

Old Timer’s Day

Onliners Day

Patrol Police Day (Russia)

Pierce Your Ears Day

Sedantag (Sedan Day; Germany)

Spalding Baseball Day

Victory Over Japan Day (US)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer & Can Day

National Beer and Wings Day

National Blueberry Popsicle Day

National Cacao & Chocolate Day (Mexico)

National Espresso Martini Day

National Grits for Breakfast Day

World Coconut Day

Independence & Related Days

Artsakh (from USSR, 1991) [unrecognized]

Nagorno-Karabakh (from Azerbaijan, 1991) [unrecognized]

Nueava Ecija Day (Philippines)

Transdniestria (a.k.a. Transnistria; from Moldova, 1990) [unrecognized]

Vietnam (from France & Japan, 1945)

1st Monday in September

Burning Man ends (Nevada) [1st Monday]

Emotional Labor Day [1st Monday]

Great Bathtub Race (Nome, Alaska) [1st Monday]

Green Season begins (Fresh Hop Season; Pacific Northwest) [1st Monday]

Labor Day (Bermuda, Canada, Palau, U.S.) [1st Monday]

Luxembourg City Kermesse (Luxembourg) [1st Monday]

Makeover Monday [1st Monday of Each Month]

Meatloaf Monday [1st Monday of Each Month]

Meditation Monday [Every Monday]

Monday Musings [Every Monday]

Motivation Monday [Every Monday]

Mouthguard Day [1st Monday]

St. Giles Fair begins (Oxford, UK) [1st Monday]

Wakes Monday [Monday after Wakes Sunday]

Workers Day (Puerto Rico) [1st Monday]

Yard Art Day [1st Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning September 2 (1st Full Week of September)

National Suicide Prevention Week (thru 9.8) [1st Week]

Umhlanga (Reed Dance Week; Eswantini) [1st Week]

Festivals Beginning September 2, 2024

Dancefestopia (La Cygne) [thru 9.8]

West Indian Day Parade (Brooklyn, New York)

Feast Days

Acepsimas of Hnaita and companions (Syriac Orthodox Church)

Agricola of Avignon (Christian; Saint)

Allen Drury (Writerism)

Antoninus of Pamiers (Christian; Martyr)

Benny Hill Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Brocard (Christian; Saint)

Castor of Apt (Christian; Saint)

Coughing and Spluttering Convention (Shamanism)

Day of Revelation of Koran (Islam) [Malaysia]

Diomedes (Christian; Saint)

Eleazar (Christian; Saint)

Feast of All (Nussairis, Asia Minor)

Feast of Bishamonten (Japan)

Feast of Osiris (Egyptian God of Agriculture)

Feast of the Son of Semele (Honoring Dionysus; Ancient Crete)

Festival of the Grapevines II: Dionysos (Pagan)

Goddess of the Moon Festival (Honoring Ariadne; Ancient Crete)

Grape Vine Festival (In Honor of Ariadne & Dionysus; Ancient Greece)

Hieu (Christian; Saint)

Ingrid of Sweden (Christian; Saint)

Justus of Lyon (Christian; Saint)

Lill Tschudi (Artology)

Margaret of Louvain (Christian; Saint)

Maxima of Rome (Christian; Saint)

Nipple Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Nonnosus (Christian; Saint)

Princess Tizz (Muppetism)

Romare Bearden (Artology)

The Song of the Soul (Celtic Book of Days)

Stephen, King of Hungary (Christian; Saint)

Walt Simonson (Artology)

Watt (Positivist; Saint)

William of Roskilde (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Historically Bad Day (Great Fire of London, September Massacres in France, Anne Frank sent to concentration camp & 7 other tragedies) [8 of 11]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

All in a Nutshell (Disney Cartoon; 1949)

Battle of the Sexes (Film; 2017)

Beezy Bear (Disney Cartoon; 1955)

Ben Bolt, by Thomas Dunn English (Novel; 1843)

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Disneyland Attraction; 1979)

Buddy’s Day Out (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

Carefree (Film; 1938)

The Cruel Sea, by Nicholas Monsarrat (Novel; 1951)

Designs on Jerry (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1955)

The Ducksters (WB LT Cartoon; 1950)

Eight Men Out (Film; 1988)

Express Yourself, by N.W.A. (Song; 1989)

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, by The Dead Kennedys (Album; 1980)

How to Have an Accident at Work (Disney Cartoon; 1959)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Film; 1923)

The Iceman Cometh (Play; 1946)

I Shall Wear Midnight, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 2010) [Discworld #38]

Little Brother Rat (WB MM Cartoon; 1939)

Monkey Business (Film; 1952)

Paprika (Animated Film; 2006)

Pickled Puss (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1948)

Porky’s Hotel (WB LT Cartoon; 1939)

Prince Violent (WB LT Cartoon; 1961)

Puppy Love (Disney Cartoon; 1933)

Race Riot (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1929)

Rear Window (Film; 1954)

Return to Forever, by Chick Corea (Album; 1972)

Rose Marie, by Rudolf Friml (Operetta; 1924)

The Shape of Things to Come, by H.G. Wells (Novel; 1933)

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, by John le Carré (Novel; 1963)

Tales of the Wizard of Oz (Animated TV Series; 1961)

The Third Man (Film; 1949)

Three Is a Magic Number (Multiplication Rock; Schoolhouse Rock; 1971) ]1st Version]

The Zero Theorem (Film; 2013)

Today’s Name Days

Ingrid, René, Salomon (Austria)

Ingrid, Just, Kalista, Mladen, Ostoja, Oton, Prosper, Višnja (Croatia)

Adéla, Patricie (Czech Republic)

Elisa, Maria (Denmark)

Maive, Maivi, Taive, Taivi (Estonia)

Justus, Kukka-Maaria, Maaria, Maija, Maiju, Maikki, Mari, Maria, Marika, Meeri, Riia, Sini, Sinikka (Finland)

Ingrid, Martinien (France)

Franz, Ingrid, René, Salomon (Germany)

Mamas (Greece)

Dorina, Ottó, Rebeka (Hungary)

Bernardino, Elpidio, Maria (Italy)

Dauma, Elīza, Elīze, Ilvars, Lauma, Lizete, Vineta, Zete (Latvia)

Gantautė, Ingrida, Jotvingas, Marijonas, Protenis, Steponas, Vilgaudė (Lithuania)

Kjartan, Kjellfrid, Lisa, Lise, Liss (Norway)

Absalon, Bohdan, Czech, Czechasz, Czechoń, Czesław, Dersław, Dionizy, Eliza, Henryk, Julian, Stefan, Tobiasz, Wilhelm, Witomysł (Poland)

Mamant (Romania)

Berta, Linda (Slovakia)

Antolín, Bartolomé, Bernardino, Íngrid, Marcia, Raquel, Urbano, Vidal (Spain)

Justina, Justus, Rosa, Rosita (Sweden)

Brock, Brook, Brooke, Brooklyn, Brooklynn, Brooks, Cassidy, Cassie, Castor, Kassidy, Kassie (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 246 of 2024; 120 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of Week 36 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 3 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Ren-Shen), Day 30 (Ji-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 29 Av 5784

Islamic: 27 Safar 1446

J Cal: 6 Gold; Sixday [6 of 30]

Julian: 20 August 2024

Moon: 0%: New Moon

Positivist: 22 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Bernard de Palissy]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 75 of 94)

Week: 1st Full Week of September

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 12 of 32)

[sbenvs3000w24]

How privilege plays a role in nature interpretation.

As someone who has a deep love for the outdoors, I assume most of you share a similar appreciation for the beauty that nature offers, and that’s probably why you took this class, just like me! I find myself amazed by the beauty of nature simply just in my backyard. I am also fortunate to hold the privilege of owning a cottage, providing me with a retreat where I can immerse myself with nature. The ability to observe the changing seasons, listen to the trees blow in the wind, and witness wilderness provides a sense of comfort. I am also grateful for the opportunities I have been able to experience such as travelling. I have had the privilege to go to Mexico, Florida, British Columbia, and my favourite trip was being able to build a home for the less fortunate in Dominican Republic in high school. These experiences have not only exposed me to breathtaking landscapes of different countries but have also allowed me to see different cultures. 

This week’s reading states, “Privilege can be viewed as "an invisible knapsack of unearned assets ... of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks" (McIntosh in Noel, 2000, p. 116). In this analogy, the knapsack represents the numerous advantages and benefits that individuals, particularly privileged individuals, or groups, carry with them without even being aware of it. These privileges can be ingrained in society, giving certain individuals a ‘head start’ in life, just as we saw in the video “Social Inequalities Explained in a $100 Race”.    

The concept of privilege plays a significant role in nature interpretation. I would consider myself to be very privileged, for example, I have been able to interpret nature in my own backyard, at my cottage, and even in different provinces and countries. I am lucky enough to have very hardworking parents, which allowed me to go on vacations like these. Not all individuals are lucky enough to experience trips like these. I am also fortunate enough to have access to education and I enjoy learning. Individuals with privilege have greater access to education such as environmental programs, nature reserves, and other experiences. One example is the Arboretum at the University of Guelph. We are so fortunate to have this beautiful Arboretum basically in our backyard! These opportunities that we have access to are examples of the ‘unearned assets in our invisible knapsack’ that some may take for granted. While working with my high school and travelling to Dominican Republic to build a house for a community in the mountains, I was able to appreciate the privilege I had to not only be there, but everything I have. On this trip I was able to interact with locals and live how they do for a week. Most of the locals don’t have cars, so we walked everywhere we needed to go. These long tiring walks up and down mountain hills actually gave me a sense of relaxation. I would observe the vibrant colours of flowers, or the large avocados growing on the trees. I was able to appreciate nature in a whole different way on this trip. I could go on and on about how amazing this trip was so here’s a few photos! 

References

Noel, J. (2000). Notable Selections in Multicultural Education. Dushkin/McGraw-Hill.

YouTube. (2017, October 15). Social Inequalities explained in a $100 race - please watch to the end. thanks. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com

[thenerdgames]

Contestant Match-Ups!

Notes:

There will be some opportunities in later rounds for characters who get voted out to get “revived” i.e. voted back into the contest! (My current plan is along the lines of, say, the top ten characters with the most votes who lost are included in a poll(s) to see who will get revived back into the contest)

Not all nominated characters were able to be included. Some did not quite meet/match the “nerd criteria” we were looking at, and a handful of extremely obscure nominations were received (which was much appreciated!) but the small amount + inability to find sufficient information on the characters to make a determination on their qualification meant that they couldn’t be included.

Poll Length: Current plan is to have Round 1 polls span one week. It’s possible that after Round 1, polls may revert to being 24 hours each for the remaining rounds - this is still being decided, and we may also open up a poll to see what other people think or would prefer regarding this. We’re happy to hear your feedback.

Alright everyone, here are our contestants & match-ups! (The characters who win round 1 will get shuffled around again before being matched up in round 2!)

Gyro Gearloose (DuckTales 2017) vs Huey Duck (DuckTales 2017)

Baljeet Tjinder (Phineas and Ferb) vs Carl Karl (Phineas and Ferb)

Maxie (Pokémon) vs Clemont (Pokémon)

Dexter (Dexter’s Laboratory) vs Mandark (Dexter’s Laboratory)

Theodore “Tobey” McCallister III (WordGirl) vs Sniffles (Happy Tree Friends)

Dr. Sylvester "Sylvie" Ashling (Epithet Erased) vs Klug (Puyo Puyo)

Stanford Pines (Gravity Falls) vs Fan (Inanimate Insanity)

Melvin Sneedly (Captain Underpants) vs Martin Prince (The Simpsons)

Jeff Andonuts (Earthbound) vs Double D (Ed, Edd & Eddy)

Harold Norbert Cheever Doris McGrady V (Total Drama) vs Brainy Smurf (The Smurfs)

Alan “(the) Brain” Powers (Arthur) vs Carl Chryniszzswics (Johnny Bravo)

Steroids (Nuclear Throne) vs Closet (Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse)

Will Byers (Stranger Things) vs Abed Nadir (Community)

Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus) vs Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Steve Urkel (Family Matters) vs Fact Sphere (Portal 2)

Kowalski (Penguins of Madagascar) vs Chidi Anagonye (The Good Place)

Dr. Herbert West (Re-Animator) vs Edward "Ed" Nygma (Gotham)

Berdly (Deltarune) vs Carlos the Scientist (Welcome to Night Vale)

Checklists

Each character will have their Nerd Checklist criteria featured in their polls, so that voters can see what criteria they do/don’t meet when making their decision! We are seeking to try and ensure that checklists are accurate. The checklists for each character will be posted prior to polls opening up, so that fans may have the opportunity to state if they think any selections or lack of selections are inaccurate. Behind the scenes, we’re working on finalising the checklists now.

In the end, no nomination was received for Floofty. I would have gone ahead and put them in the contest, but I’m not personally familiar with the character so I’m not able to fill out an accurate checklist for them. We will be looking at opening up nominations for a contest mainly featuring nerd girls to host afterwards, but nonbinary characters are still able to be nominated and participate for that too (same as they were for this contest focusing mainly on nerd guys)

The current goal is for Round 1 to start on Monday or Tuesday evening GMT+10, but that may be possibly delayed slightly depending on when the checklists are finalised/posted. Thanks, everyone! Will keep you all updated.

(Curious about how the match-ups were determined? Refer to the “How were the character Match-Ups for Round 1 Chosen?” post linked in pinned post!)