#go to dog shows they said... great way to make connections with people they said... yea when u speak the same language 😭

[butchshepherd]

one thing i would be interested in, when we live somewhere nicer, is fostering a dog or two, or even dogsitting but im partial to fostering in regards to the whole allergy thing because it would be for a longer period of time without being a 12+ years commitment. but that's also something that we can't do just yet so once again all i can do is try to be patient and focus on things i have to work on myself that aren't directly related to dogs.. and my brain says that's booooring

[morganbritton132]

I love the newer teachers not knowing who Eddie is and visiting Steve at his house and wondering how they can afford such a nice house. I can imagine that they live in a house way above a teachers salary, much less a teacher with presumably, a lot of medical bills. They see gold records hanging on the walls and all of Eddie’s awards on a bookshelf and they are trying to connect the dots to who Eddie is.

David’s first impression of Steve is, admittedly, not great.

He was hired as a long-term substitute halfway through the school year and technically, Mr. Harrington was the only teacher on their floor not to introduce himself to him. They’re supposed to cover the eighth grade lunch period together, but Steve hasn’t shown up once since David was started three days ago.

Instead, the principal covered for him.

Cindy McCullen, the gossipy history teacher across the hall from him, says that it’s because of favoritism. She says that Principal Moreno always lets her favorites run rampant around the school and lets them do whatever they want, especially if they’re tenured. Steve Harrington is the most egregious example of blatant favoritism.

David starts to form an opinion about Mr. Harrington in his mind that only gets worse with every story he hears from Cindy. So, it’s a bit of a shock when Steve shows up for lunch duty the next day with a whole ass service dog.

He feels like an asshole.

Especially because Steve is so apologetic about missing the last three days and leaving David to ‘the wolves’ during his first week, “Is this your first teaching job? I’ve heard from the kids that you’re doing great!”  

He makes a conscious effort after that to get to know Steve and to stop letting other people form his opinions for him. Though, admittedly. He kinda fucks that up too.

The first time David meets Eddie, he thinks that he’s Steve’s brother.

It’s not that Steve doesn’t talk about his life outside of work. It’s just that he doesn’t go into a lot a detail. David knows that he’s married to a man, that he’s from Indiana originally, and he might have a kid. Maybe? A girl name Erica that tells him what a brony is and how they ruin everything.

Hell, David’s not even entirely sure he knows what Ozzy is in service of. Steve just said that he bumped his head one too many times and now he has a dog so his husband stops worrying so much.

The only surefire thing that David knows is that Steve has a brother that’s a bit of a dork. He has great hair and is really smart, but lacks tact. Steve loves him. You can tell by the way that he talks about the guy.

So one day, David is in the teacher’s lounge heating up a cup of Easy Mac while Steve is sitting with his head down at one of the tables. He’s about to suggest that Steve go home and sleep off whatever cold he has when a guy with long hair and a leather jacket sticks his head in the room and declares, “You look like shit.”

Steve doesn’t even lift his head when he flips him off which is – whoa, not something that David would expect from Mr. Harrington. He makes himself busy with stirring his mac and cheese while the two bicker with each other which is, admittedly, childish.

Leather Jacket’s main argument for why Steve has to listen to him and go home is because he’s older. Steve croaks out that that is bullshit and Leather Jacket threatens to call their Uncle Wayne if Steve doesn’t listen. He eventually agrees.

Before they leave, Leather Jacket sticks his hand out to David and introduces himself as the cooler Mr. Harrington (that gets a laugh out of Steve).

So, color him shocked when Steve invites their event committee over to his house.

David hasn’t even fully gotten over how nice of a neighborhood Steve lives in on a teacher and retiree’s salary when Leather Jacket gets introduced as Eddie, the husband Steve has mentioned. Then he just casually mentions a red carpet like, what?

And the craziest part is that he’s asked about his husband before!

Steve mentioned once that his husband was out of town and when David asked what he did for work, Steve said that he was retired. He said that his husband can play guitar and that one of their friends (James Hetfield) needed a last minute guitarist for some kind of fair (Coachella) so Eddie went to help out.

He definitely worded it like playing guitar was just a hobby that his husband has, not like. Not like platinum records lining the hallway to their bathroom or the picture of Steve and Eddie in Vegas with KISS stuck to the fridge. He swears the note on the dry erase board by the garage entrance signed ‘Dave’ is in Dave Grohl’s handwriting.

There’s an Grammy on the bookshelf by the fireplace.

Who the hell is Steve Harrington?

Better question: Who the hell is Eddie Munson?

Kathy laughs the entire drive to her house and she is still laughing when he drops her off. The only thing she says that could even be considered an answer is, “I think he’s on Tiktok. Start there.” 

[hindahoney]

If you want to code-switch so often that you are nearly incomprehensible to goyim, here is a list of my favorite and most-used Jewish terms:

Schvitzing - Sweating. (Ex: "I'm schvitzing so much it's showing through my clothes.")

Schlep - A tedious and long journey, depending on usage it can mean that you were carrying something. (Ex: "I had to schlep all the way across campus, my backpack was so heavy." Usually denotes a long walk, but other forms of transportation are acceptable too. "You drove all the way to New York from Florida? That's quite the shlep.")

Shtati - Something really cool. (Ex: "I visited my friend's place and they had a shtati mezuzah!")

Neshama - Soul. (Ex: "Mazel tov on your conversion, you have such a strong Jewish neshama!")

Balagan - A big mess, chaotic, confusing (Ex: "Moshe forgot to bring challah for shabbat dinner, and it turned into this big balagan")

Achi/Achoti - "Achi" literally means "my brother," but can also be used like bro or dude, "achoti" is the feminine equivalent meaning "sister"

Yalla - Come on, let's go (Ex: "Yalla yalla, you're going to make us late again")

Mishpacha - Family. Doesn't have to be literal blood relatives, usually a sign of warmth or friendship. (Ex: "I care about every Jew, they're all my mishpacha.")

Pshhh - Interjection sound, to express respect or agreement with what someone is saying, but can also be playfully poking fun at someone taking themselves too seriously, can be used sarcastically.

Achla - amazing, awesome, great, the best (Ex: "You graduated from university? Achla!")

Sheina Punem (Shayna Punim) - Pretty face (Ex: My bubbe kept pinching my cheeks and calling me a sheina punem) Can be used ironically, in which case it means "a disgrace."

Ahavat Yisrael - to love your fellow Jew (Ex: "I firmly believe in ahavat yisrael, even if it's hard sometimes.")

Schande - Shame, dishonor among the nations, meaning a Jew who represents Jews badly, a serious insult. (Ex: "He's a schande, he feeds into antisemitic stereotypes.")

Schmutz - Dirt, stain. (Ex: "Use your napkin, you've got schmutz on your face.")

Amalek - Any enemy of the Jewish people. ("[Fill in blank] is the modern Amalek, they hate the Jews.")

Lanceman/Landsmen - Two jews from the same place, a point of connection between two Jews who now live far away from their hometown. (Ex: "Your grandma is from Crown Heights? Mine too, our grandparents are landsmen!")

Goyisch - Something not Jewish (Ex: "I don't listen to Taylor Swift, her music is too goyisch for me.")

Goyischekop/Goyische-kop - Goyisch head, a jew who thinks/sounds like a non-jew. (Ex: "How could you say about your fellow Jew? Do you have a goyische-kop or something?")

Kindaleh/Kinderlach - Little children (Ex: "I passed by the school and saw the kindaleh on the playground, they're so cute!")

Chamud/Chamuda/Chamudi - Sweetie, cutie, usually aimed at children, but can be a term of endearment between a couple. Can be condescending when said rudely to another adult, like "Sweetheart" can be in English. (ex: "Goodnight, Chamudi. I can't wait to see you tomorrow.")

Daven - to pray ("Are you going to join us for davening?")

Frum - A religiously observant Jew. ("He's frum, he davens three times a day.")

Treif - Unkosher, generally something not good, doesn't have to literally refer to a food. ("I trained my dog to stop barking when I say 'treif!'.")

Bubkis - Zero, nothing, nada ("Moshe got a gift from bubbe and I got bubkis.")

Kvetch - To complain ("I'm just kvetching, I'm not that upset about it.")

Kvell - Extreme pride. ("I heard your daughter made it into her top school, you must be kvelling!")

Mensch - A good, admirable person. ("He volunteers every week, he's a mensch.")

Chillul HaShem - Disgracing God's name, someone who does something that makes Jews look bad.

Kiddush HaShem - Something that sanctifies God's name, brings honor to God. ("I love seeing you wear a kippah, it's a kiddush HaShem!")

Bubbe meise - Little white lies ("He told his teacher a bubbe meise about his dog eating his homework.")

I should acknowledge that these are mostly Yiddish words, as my experience is primarily with Ashkenazi Jews. If you would like to add common slang from your community (like Ladino phrases, Judeo-Arabic, Italki, etc) I would love to learn about them!

[jq37]

FH Junior Year Post-Season Thoughts

With another season of Fantasy High in the books and my recaps all finished, I wanted to do an overview of my thoughts on the season as a whole. Even though I feel generally positive about my experience with the season, there are a few things I think maybe could have been done differently narratively or mechanically. This isn't to criticize the way the season went down or to backseat DM/Play. More my combined ten years of college for textual analysis and storytelling bleeding through, haha. 

I first want to start with the things I thought worked really well.

Fantasy High has "High" right in its title but, in past seasons (and especially Sophomore Year), not as much time as you'd think was spent actually at school and even if it was spent at school, there wasn't much time spent in class or engaging with the realities of being a student. This season really dug into the academic consequences of skipping your classes all the time and the realities of needing to do a ton of extra stuff to try for a scholarship and I think that was a refreshing thing to highlight for a change. Being more scared at flunking out than the dragon that's trying to eat you feels very emotionally resonant. Real "High School Is Killing Me" vibes for anyone who's a fan of NPMD. 

Even though Fantasy High is a show that has some deep emotional beats and strong character arcs, it's first and foremost a comedy show. From the jump, everyone was generating bit after bit that had me cracking up as usual. "Little girly dog collar" is one of the funniest combinations of words I can think of. I think it was Siobhan who said that this was the goofy season and, having seen it, I'd have to agree with her. It never failed to make me laugh and it was always a highlight of my week.  The cast just has great table chemistry that I love to watch no matter what they're doing. 

Watching some of these high level combat encounters is as close as I'll get to understanding people watching sports. Even though combat is generally my least fave part of D&D, I think the cast really killed it this season with how cleverly they played and Brennan came up with some really great combat encounters. Special shout outs to Baron's Game and The Last Stand for their unique mechanics.  

This is going to be one that's on the other list as well because my feelings are mixed, but I genuinely do like the downtime mechanic and how it forces hard choices. I think it's an interesting way to connect a mechanic to the story and cultivate stressful atmosphere for the season.

I have problems with the execution but I love the Rat Grinders in concept. I think as early as season 1 I was hoping that we'd meet a party that was like the Bizarro Bad Kids and the idea of a party that's farming XP instead of going on crazy adventures is a strong concept. Likewise, I think a character that's jealous because of your "cool" (read: tragic) backstory is also a fun trait for an unhinged antagonist in this kind of setting.

This is me absolutely showing my bias but I adored the Abernant Sisters content this season. I dunno if Siobhan specifically asked Brennan to not put her on a bus with the other beloved NPCs or what but I'm so glad she stuck around and we got the development we did. It was almost entirely ancillary to the plot but there was this clear pattern of Aelwyn getting softer and sweeter towards Adaine over the course of the season, from the guarded, "Enjoy the nemesis ward," to, full I love you's and, "I'd take them to get you." It was way more focus than I expected considering that Aelwyn completed the bulk of her arc last season and a lot of the time, a redemption arc basically ends after the big gesture (in this case, Aelwyn taking a magic blast for Adaine in Sophomore Year). So the fact that we got to see all of these sweet moments of them reestablishing their relationship outside of do or die moments was such a pleasant surprise. Again, I fully admit I am extremely biased, but this was my top wishlist item and the season overdelivered so there's a baseline happy I'm always gonna be with Junior Year. 

OK, so moving on to things I things I think could have been tweaked.

Even though I liked the downtime system and the pressures it created, it also squeezed out the chance for more casual PC to NPC interactions that would usually be more common because they were semi-locked behind the relationship track and there wasn't an obvious benefit to roll for Relationships (as opposed to something like Academics which was crucial for not flunking out). Making the mechanical benefit more clear would have helped that (even if it meant Brennan didn't get his reveal--which he ended up just telling them anyway so might as well do it early). The other thing is that the consequence of a rage token was so bad that of course they spent all season avoiding getting one. Things might have gone differently if the consequences had been a bit more obscured, like in Neverafter. And it could have been a nice parallel to the Rat Grinders to take this unknown resource that makes things easier for you but is also having this negative effect. Then it could be like dang we did the same thing they did unknowingly. 

I mentioned this in my recap but I'll talk about it again. It is a little confusing to me that we did the Ankarna subplot right after we did the very similar Cassandra subplot. It took up so much time this season which I don't think is an issue in and of itself, it's just that we literally just went through some extremely similar beats last season. Why double up on this same storyline when there's so much new ground to cover? Or if we're going to raise a god, why not make it a different kind of god? One theory I had early on was that the Rat Grinders were trying to raise their own god to one-up the Bad Kids but instead of raising a chill, misunderstood Cass type, they accidentally raised a god who was erased for a good reason and got in over their heads. 

It's fun for there to be connections between seasons but sometimes it's like, OK that's a *lot* of coincidences. Like the god who your rivals is trying to raise *happens* to be the wife of your cleric's god and also *happens* to be the god of the fiend trapped in your friend's mom's chest and that fiend *happens* to be the relative on your bard's dad's side which is *also* the reason she is randomly cursed? That's a LOT of red string connecting plot points. As unhinged as Kipperlilly is about coveting Riz's backstory if I saw that go down I'd be like you have *got* to be kidding me.  

The mystery elements didn't feel like they clicked as well as they did in other seasons. I think that's partially because Porter's plan was so convoluted (seriously, I made another post about how haphazard his plan was) and had all these moving parts and we didn't get clear answers for a lot of mechanical things like how the rage crystals actually work and when they were implanted and stuff. You had stuff like Devil's Honey which I think is super cool as a thing that exists in the world but ended up being an element that just led the players down the wrong path and had a relatively small payoff (that Porter was using it to lie to Ankarna). I think it's plausible that a forgotten god would be willing to listen to anyone saying the right things without introducing this element. (As opposed to, for instance, Ambrosia which has a very clear connection to what's going on and is a solid clue that someone is flirting with aspirations of godhood.) 

The Porter reveal came so late in the season that even though it was a fun/challenging fight, there wasn't a lot of emotional weight behind killing him. It was basically just dunking on a teacher Fig has always hated who was also mean to Gorgug so screw him. Which, valid of course. But the Bad Kids were never going to react as strongly to Porter as they were to the Rat Grinders so putting Porter in the prime villain spot isn't necessarily what I would have done if I wanted the fight to be more than just a brawl--especially since we've done "School admin with student minions" already in S1. I don't mind the full circle callback but it would have been nice to pick something else for the sake of variety. We haven't had a child mastermind yet and I think Kipperlilly could have been a great candidate for that. My friend suggested that it would have been fun if Kipperlilly was trying to become a god instead of just being Porter's underling and I agree. "I'm not anyone's chosen one so I'll choose myself," is still within her established jealousy and Type A tendencies. If we want to keep Porter involved since that was Brennan's gift to Emily, maybe have it be that instead of Kipperlilly working for him, he's working for her. Like Artemis Fowl vibes! And the Rat Grinders can be varying levels of on board--from true believe to redeemable. I don't think Brennan planned for the Bad Kids to ever redeem her so might as well go full megalomaniacal mastermind with her and make her The Villain if she's not gonna be nuanced anyway. If My Little Pony can do it and send a literal child to Tartarus for pony treason (or whatever Cozy Glow did), Fantasy High can too. 

Continuing from the above, if we have the Porter fight in place of the Grix fight (a la Daybreak) and don't use Ankarna, that gives way more time for the Bad Kids to investigate the Rat Grinders throughout the season and it would mean that they would have their personalities developed a lot more. With the limited downtime, they Bad Kids didn't have a lot of time to spend on these kids who were just hating on them for no good reason (valid). But if you cleared their plate of the god hunt stuff, they'd have more time for this. And if they weren't all rage zombies to varying degrees, it would be easier to see them as characters. Besides Kipperlilly (and, funnily enough, Mary Ann) we don't really have a good read on what these kids are actually like. The little time we spent with them all season was kind of a wash if them breaking out of rage means their personalities got laundered too. Anyway, regardless of how their loyalties ended up shaking out, it would have been fun for them to be more than the minions that they were in canon. As funny as it is for them to just kinda be XP farming losers, they did have the potential to be more interesting in their own right if they weren't just Porter's minions. And again, we've done adults forcing or coercing children into being minions in Freshman and Sophomore Year already. Lemme see some self-created child maniacs! (Or, peer pressured child maniacs. That's cool too. The Lucy/Kipperlilly dynamic is way more interesting to me if it's like girl, I would take a bullet for you but I CANNOT walk this path with you any further in response to *I* will be a god and you can be *MY* champion.)

Anyway, those are my thoughts! Like I said, I have my points that I think could have been tightened, but overall an enjoyable season and I will be glued to my screen if they decide to close out with Senior Year! 

[gem-femmes]

Social Grace 101: Small Gestures That Make a Big Difference

The best way to leave a lasting impression isn’t with grand gestures or over-the-top charm. It’s with small, thoughtful actions that show respect, kindness and awareness.

Here’s how to master the subtle art of social grace:

🕊️1. Say Hello First

It takes just a second, but being the one to greet someone first shows confidence and warmth. It makes people feel noticed and valued.

I remember walking into a business event where I didn’t know anyone. I spotted someone standing alone and said, “Hi, I’m Elise. It’s nice to meet you.” We ended up chatting for half an hour, and later they introduced me to others. That small act of saying hello first turned a potentially awkward evening into a productive one.

🕊️2. Remember and Use People’s Names

Nothing makes someone feel more seen than hearing their name. If you struggle with names, make it a point to repeat it when you’re introduced or find creative ways to remember it.

At networking events, I jot down people’s names in my phone with little notes like “Loves hiking” or “Dog named Milo”. When I follow up, I would say “How’s Milo doing?” instead of a generic, “It was nice meeting you.” The responses I get are always enthusiastic.

🕊️3. Master the Art of the Introduction

Introducing people is an underrated social superpower. It shows you’re paying attention to both parties and care about helping them connect.

At a dinner party, I introduced two acquaintances by saying, “You both love art. Lia just got back from Florence, and Ren works at the local gallery.” They hit it off instantly and later Ren told me “You’re great at bringing people together.”

🕊️4. Notice the Details

Whether it’s complimenting someone’s outfit or commenting on their choice of book, small observations show you’re paying attention.

I once told someone at a meeting “I love that pen, it’s so unique.” They smiled and said they were a collector, still writing everything by hand. That tiny compliment led to a heartfelt conversation that built a connection beyond the usual work talk.

🕊️5. Be Attuned to Group Dynamics

Social grace often means knowing when to talk and when to step back. If someone’s being interrupted or overlooked, help them find their moment to shine.

At a group dinner, I noticed a quieter guest hadn’t spoken much. When the conversation turned to books, I said “Noa, didn’t you just finish something you loved?” She lit up and started sharing, and the table leaned in to listen. Later, she thanked me for giving her the space to speak.

🕊️6. Apologize and Mean It When You Get It Wrong

Nobody’s perfect. If you step on someone’s toes (literally or figuratively), a genuine apology can go a long way.

During a work meeting, I accidentally interrupted someone. I immediately said, “I’m sorry, please go ahead.” They smiled and the meeting flowed better afterward.

🕊️7. End with Grace

How you leave a conversation matters just as much as how you enter it. A warm goodbye and a note of appreciation can make someone’s day.

At the end of a conference, I said to a speaker I liked, “I really appreciated your insights, it gave me a new perspective.” Weeks later, they remembered me and sent me resources related to their talk. That simple goodbye kept the connection alive.

Practice these small gestures and you’ll leave a trail of positive impressions wherever you go.

[theadhddimsenion]

Some more speculation from yours truly. This time on loona and octiava.

Let's first start with loona. This might surprise you all but I was formerly a loona anti. I at first though she was just an overrated piece of fur bait and I really hated her for that kick in seeing stars (and I still say that should have been done differently like maybe have her let blitz hug her at first but then she remembers she's supposed to be mad at him and that she's showing affection in public and THEN kick him, then she looks concerned for a moment then tries to play it off like she had meant to do that.) But after mastermind when she finaly showed my boy she cared i really came around to her (same with veroskia to a lesser extent) and as for what direction I think her development will take allow me to explain.

Loona is many ways is Both a orphaned kid and a shelter pet. A few of the things that those two things sadly tend to have in common is bad attitudes, severe trust issues and poor social skills. Loona definitely has the first thing, we all saw the way shs reacted when blitz absent mindedly told her he might replace her. (Again all that loona needed was just a few slight tweaks in that episode like maybe toning down the volience and actually seeing her be hurt by the suggestion.) She clearly fears the idea of being replaced a trait likely born out of her years in the pound where if you didn't satisfy the costumer you would never find a home.

The next trait her bad attuide is another much more obvious symptoms of her hard life. People don't tend to go through metaphorical and literal hell and come out with a perfectly sunny disposition. But more specificly her bullying of moxxie (which has gotten better) always came off to me as her old habits kicking in and her instinctively identifying the "weakest" person around and picking on them in a vain attempt to make herself feel better. Likely something she was on the revving end of and subconsciously adopted as a way to survive in the pound.

But there is one more trait that she definitely has and that's her poor social skills. On top of her angst she likely didn't have much in the way of friends and as anyone who has raised an abused child or dog can tell you it's important for them to have good connections with their peers and have them be comfortable around others. Have seen loona struggle to connect with other of her own species and it's only been until recently that she has actually seemed to make some real friends in the form of esme (the hound with the afro) and russ (the chubby looking hound with the dreedlocks) which she seems to have good connections with. (It also shows a bit of subtle maturity on blitzs part by not over protecting her like he used to do).

But loonas arc is far from over and given the that the 15 episodes of the next season evenly divide into a perfect three episode arc for each of the main five characters (blitz, moxxie, millie, loona and stolas.) I believe that loonas remaining development will be about her relationship with m&m as well as her learning to Navigate the social scene. But the real theory part of this theory is that I believe that Vicki (or however you spell her name. The poodle hound with the valley girl voice. You know the one that looks like Regina George's fursona?) Will be loonas equvilant to either striker or cash crimson or paimon. She was on screen for a total of what like a minute and a half but she already seemed to have some idea of who loona was and she also managed to get loona to cause a scene. She clearly had a mastery of the social scene that loona doesn't and she's seems to be a lot more popular than her to boot so I think she would be a great foil to loona. Vicki definitely seems she could be a roadblock in loonas development as she clearly has it out our beloved loonie and what's more as I have said has not just the motive to stunt loonas development by sabotaging her quest to make friends and put herself out their more and in turn learning that she doesn't have to keep her gaurd up all the time but the means as well. Plus she would be an interesting change of pace from the other villains who either try to brute force it (like striker), get others to their dirty work for theme (stella and crimson), try to politaticly weasel their way to victory (cash and andy) or are for the most part incompetent comic relief (dhorks and cherubs) while viki perfers to take a more velvet glove (pun and callout hazbin very much intended) approach by manipulating public opinion against our hellish heroine. Plus this would give loona one opponent that she can't just punch away and it would be interesting to see how she handles such a situation.

Now onto octativa. Before we begin i want to throw my hat in the ring so to speak and offer my two cents on the discourse surrounding the goetian soon to be princess. In addition to the fact that I completely agree with the fact that she is 100% valid in all of her feelings and that those who hate her for her choices are awful for trying to blame a teenager in a broken home for being irrational are truly cold hearted I believes that thr agreement that she should see Andy and stella for what they are falls flat because we'll I'm pretty sure she is aware of what they are but she's thinks that she's stuck in between a rock and a hard place. Yes stella and Andy are clearly bad people but they aren't the ones who constantly said they would do better but always failed to do so. That's what really hurt the fact that stolas put in effort to care for her but always came up short really hurt her and what's more she likely felt that stolas was her one light in life just she was to him and when she saw him ready to die for a stranger without so much as telling her of course she wasn't thinking right!! She didn't know why the trial was happening or that her father had only minutes to decide no with that emotion coming at her so fast and the feeling of seemingly being abandoned by the one person who had made consistent effort to be good to her that made her Crack. I think the griffin from american mcgee's alice said it best "true words and logic rarely defeat evil intent" and while the truly grotesque take on the queen of hearts in that game wasn't exactly evil more a manifestation of Alice's denial that the fire that took her parents and sister was just and accident the point remains. Just like blitz wasn't truly saved by just "facing" his issues in season one and two, you can't help octativa by telling her the truth here. Yes like you can't help someone who isn't mentally well to just "snap out of it" you can't help octativa here by telling her the truth about her parents marriage because while yes both just "snapping out of it" and figuring out that her mother was abusing him and he was taking pill because of that and not her are both logical conclusions. They are both just one logical conclusion against potential years of bad thinking habits and and shit ton of emotional turmoil that will take time to over come. Blitz said it best, she's going to need time to think and process her emotions and the reality of her situation properly but the the big problem Is as you might have guessed stella and Andy.

As we all know much to our surprise or at least to mine. Both stella and Andy didn't even bother trying to hide their true nature to octativa (which if it still bothers you that she is willing living with them after that keep in mind that a she doesn't have anywhere else to go other than then back to the father who always let her down with half baked promises and while stella and Andy are both clearly bad people they are the only family she has left and they aren't the ones who always let her down. They may not have even tried in the first place but they aren't the ones who always let her down and plus she is STOLAS'S daughter of course she is obviousl! and no she didn't want blitz dead she saved his ass from her uncles elsa) which I admirably should have seen coming from at least considering her complete lack of subtly and brains but that kind of behavior from Andy? Now that's odd. Perhaps he's more like his sister than we though or simply riding the high of his victory.

Well in any case as I have stated in previous posts that I believe that season three will conclude with a climactic battle to save octativa from her arranged marriage which will prove to octiava that her father really does care about her more than his personal happiness by not trying to ask for her forgiveness and simply stating that he wanted her safe regardless of whether she ever wants him in her life again but as for what happens in between that time I have a few ideas.

These may come in the form of shorts but I could see octativa trying to put up with her mother and uncles bullshit and getting increasingly frustrated and sarcastic with them and stella being unable to keep up the caring facade for more than a couple of minutes and Andy having to constantly butt in to get her to follow along with the plan.

Octativa clearly realizes something is very wrong with her new care takers but what it is specifically he can't quite put her talon on. In the meantime she has to sneak out to do anything rometly fun because stella is a prude and would rather die than let her daughter interact with the lower classes especially loona who she tries to convince octativa isn't a person but a mindless animal that will only tell her to go back to her father on behalf of "lt's" master her father new boyfriend who he "abandoned her for" but like I said Stella's incompetence clues octativa in on their masterplan. Maybe for one little adventure she could have she sneaks out for some new taxidermy after stella dumped it all and sighs when she sees one of the taxidermy owls and reminisces about her father and has a little internal monologs with her child self.

[jollmaster]

Hi! I've only found your blog recently, but I absolutely love your rewrite! One thing I always found off about canon was how sinners basically go without punishment in LITERAL hell. Like sure there's the extermination, but like...no hellborn entities or the devil himself do anything, just let them run the place?

hello! that's wow, I'm happy you like my blog and different silly thoughts and ideas 🖤

(sorry I wrote many words, I thought a lot)

tbh I like the idea of Hell as partly concept that people continue create unbearable conditions themselves; but I have two issues in HH case

first, I don't feel that this is Hell, it looks like basic loud and sometimes dangerous american city where you can live, even not overcrowded; I saw how another studio made this concept with beast city much more better, it was Cyberpunk 2077 based on old game (this city is dirty, dangerous, this city literally eats you while you're still alive)

second, the sinners don't visibly suffer a lot from their own actions (and there is no punishment, as you said), and the narrative in HH itself don't show clearly the idea that people aren't ruined by higher powers or external circumstances, but by themselves: this is fundamental two-faced freedom of choice, as I think, and this could make story ambigious

I don't have problem with sinners having local self-governance somewhere, but again, this is Hell, and we don't see its influence over them: if you're introducing hellborns and demons into story, then let them influence, at least indirectly (sinners purely into the Pride ring don't help this situation much: it's not very clear why there's a sins at all, if everything can be written off as pride and connection with first sin of pride... I dunno if I speak clearly, but hope you're understand), + it looks strange that humans, literally migrants, are above some hellborns in the hierarchy, maybe it's just a deep social commentary, I don't know

and actually, in my rewrite I decided to keep the concept of so-called self-drowning, but at the same time to use the fact that they're in the other world, the world where they're lower than dogs: Sheol/Hell has a heavy influence on mortals, because they're not adapted to it at any way, it only aggravates mental and physical unhealthiness; sinner can overcome this only with great efforts, fully realize the consequences and pay for actions, and only after that they get a chance to wash off own dirt

[zarasu]

What I think about Bingge

So, funny story: I did not start out liking Bingge. I doubt most people do. The first thoughts I had about him were "Damn, boy's fucked up" and "Who starts ripping off limbs without even asking questions first?" He seemed more like the final boss of a horror game than a fleshed-out character.

Then I finished the book and went "Ehh do I wanna read the extras?" Tbh, I skimmed a lot of them but the Bingge vs Bingmei one was one of the few I fully read, just because the premise sounded interesting.

And it was interesting alright, to see Bingge do something else than torturing people and ripping off arms. But none of it really made my brain light up until that little scene where Bingge watches Shen Qingqiu fuss over Bingmei. Then he asks him to come with him, to choose him, and Shen Qingqiu says no. Bingge returns to his own world, sad and alone.

"Well, sucks to be you," I thought, and "lol, I sure hope that doesn't awaken anything in me."

...

Two weeks later, I found myself lying in bed, thinking about Bingge with a single tear rolling down my cheek.

I really shouldn't be sad for him, I told myself. He has a big harem full of hot women to tell him how great he is all day. If he's not happy, then it's really his own fault.

But what if he's more the monogamous type, my heart wailed back. Or what if he's too fucked up to let anyone love him??

Ugh, alright, I gave in. Let's think about him then.

So, Bingge is a power fantasy made for incels. But even Bingge was Bunhe once. He shares a past with Bingmei and they are, at their core, the same person. And if you can say one thing about Bunhe, it's that he really has an undying hopeful streak. Sure, when Shen Yuan transmigrated, it took him a while to gain Bunhe's trust. But even after all the beatings and insults and humiliation, he did gain it.

Bunhe gave him his trust because he desperately wants Shen Qingqiu to love him. And, if not love him, at least like him. And if not that, then at least not hate him. When Shen Qingqiu actually showed notions of doing just that, loving him, he was all over that like a dog getting a treat and a head pat for the first time in his life.

But Bingge never got that. He hoped and hoped and kept hoping for Shen Qingqiu to show even a hint of affection and all he got in return was the firm assurance that, no, Shen Qingqiu would never feel anything but hate for him.

That has to give a guy issues. Probably makes him feel deeply unlovable. Hate himself, even. Binghe is a little dumb about things like these, he likely didn't give up hope until Shen Qingqiu physically pushed him into the abyss. He probably spent a lot of nights in the abyss crying into his dirty little sleeves.

But you gotta find ways to cope with heartbreak, right? So, eventually, lightly charred Bunhe stood up straight, turned his little determined protagonist eyes up to the sky and said: "I'm going to make him regret it! He will rue the day he cast me away!" And he went on to become stallion protagonist #1, demon emperor, conqueror, etc etc.

The thing is this: if you build your whole identity on the idea of making the guy who hates you regret his feelings, you're not really over him, you get what I'm saying? You're like, the opposite of over him. Not a good emotional state to connect to the hot women throwing themselves at you either.

So yeah, after that, Bingge did all kinds of things that aren't really that important, but eventually, he got Shen Qingqiu where he wanted him: in the water prison (also kneeling at his feet). And I'm sure I have an inkling of what went on in his dumb little head. It may have been something like:

"Aha!! Now I have the evil Shizun in prison, where evil men like him belong! Finally, people have told him how evil he is! I'm going to go and talk to him and make him see the error of his ways. And when the horror of what he did finally dawns on him, and he apologises, I might forgive him and give him another chance."

Shen Jiu being Shen Jiu, he probably laughed right in Binghe's face and also spit at him too, for good measure (as is, in this case, kinda relatable). So Binghe's righteous little plan didn't quite work out as he wanted it to. This procedure might have been repeated a few times but, well.

Binghe's emotions are already volatile on a good day. Add Xin Mo to that. Add childhood trauma and Shen Jiu to that. One time, he snaps and reaches out to rough Sqq up a little, just to make him regret his own behaviour. Underestimating his own strength, he rips off his arm instead.

Awkward situation, that.

What are you supposed to do after ripping off someone's arm? Maybe Binghe just went to bed and stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking about his life choices.

See, at this point, another person might have thought: "My life is going in the wrong direction. I need to change something, maybe go on a journey of self-discovery or something."

But Binghe has never been the best at things like morals and ethics, no matter what version of him we're talking about. Even Bingmei, who had a comparatively more stable home life, never really got the hang of that stuff (Turning some people into lifeless husks? Well, better than fucking someone, right? The man you love apparently just isn't as insane about you as you are about him? Time to destroy the world^^)

Anyway, you gotta go on, and I'm sure Binghe found some convincing enough arguments for why ripping arms off was an acceptable thing to do.

"But Zar," you may interrupt me. "How can anyone think that's an acceptable thing to do?"

See, in all honesty? I think, deep inside, Binghe knows it's not. But right next to that knowledge lies another knowledge: it's that he's unlovable. And if he's unlovable, it can only be because, at his core, he's already rotten. And if you're already evil? You might as well do evil things, doesn't make much of a difference anymore.

So things escalate, surely not helped by Xin Mo. Shen Qingqiu loses limbs with the same speed other people lose socks, and when even that doesn't heal him of his evil ways, Binghe comes up with the whole Yue Qingyuan plot. And when even that doesn't help, he loses his patience and kills everyone.

Then he sits there, on his throne, surrounded by hot women, fully charred, not so little anymore, and without a Shizun he can hope to one day convince of his worth.

There sits Shen Yuan, a world away, growing increasingly frustrated at how purposeless Bingge's life has become.

Then the extra happens, and Bingge gets transported to a world where another Binghe got everything he ever wanted: the love of his Shizun. And, all at once, the hope he thought he had killed and buried flares back to life, never having been dead after all, and burns Binghe up until he's nothing more than the bare bones of his desperation.

But the other Shizun doesn't love him. He only loves the other, inferior Binghe. He looks upon Bingge coldly before he sees his husband and his eyes turn warm. And it's like Bingge is looking at a funhouse mirror, at a world of dreams and wishes that never came true.

In the end, he's still as unlovable as he has ever been. And he goes back to his own world, and he feels flayed with the knowledge of everything he will never have.

And I just think it's impressive how Shen Qingqiu manages to break every version of Binghe without even trying.

[pennyserenade]

i have thought in great detail about coriolanus and sejanus, and whether or not coriolanus ever really liked sejanus. i think that the novel/movie are purposefully constructed to make this ambiguous, but i prefer to veer on the side of "yes, he did."

coriolanus' way of loving people was...lacking, to say the least. even with tigris, he thought awful, mean things about her, but it was evident he cared very much for her. the problem with coriolanus was not that he couldn't love -- it was that he could not love without first being assured that his investment would yield positive results for him. at least, he could not readily admit to himself that he was loving until he knew it was going to work out for him.

his character is very succinctly summed up by sejanus, when he tells him, "I remember that from school, watching you watch other people. Pretending you weren't. And choosing the moments you weighed in so carefully" (397). without fully knowing the totality of it, sejanus got it all too right: coriolanus took people in, measured them out, decided what they meant to him, and weighed in when he thought it'd benefit him. coriolanus was calculated in all things, most of all in love��a thing he knew made you vulnerable.

but that's not to say what coriolanus said to himself was the exact same thing as what he felt. if it was, i do not believe he would've done half the things he had done for sejanus--even given the prospect of reward in the end. this is part of what makes coriolanus descent into evil so heartbreaking: a part of him was good. he did want for connection and comfort, even if he had a real fucked up way of going about getting it. coriolanus was a dog that bit without fully knowing why; it was a protective instinct he used, because so much of his life had been filled with loss already.

in the book, after coriolanus snuck his father's handkerchief with lucy gray's scent into the tank of snakes, he went to sejanus' house. this is an incredible detail that so many people tend to overlook when they talk about coriolanus and sejanus' friendship. the beginning of the chapter reads:

"What had he done? What on earth had he done? His heart raced as he blindly turned down one street and then another, trying to make sense of his actions. He couldn't think clearly but had the dreadful feeling he'd crossed some line that could not be uncrossed" (287).

we start this chapter with a frenzied, rattled coriolanus, one terribly afraid of what he had just done and the consequences this action might have later. he was scared and isolated, and he didn't know what to do. a little further on, collins writes: "His feet had carried him far from home, but he realized the Plinth apartment was just a few minutes away. Why not pop in?" (288).i find this construction of words to be fascinating, especially in relation to coriolanus--a character we have come to known as calculated and precise, even in moments when he has to think on his feet. one could argue that during this part of the book, and in this state, it makes sense that coriolanus might wander that far from his home absent-mindedly. it shows how out of touch with himself he had become, and just how much the act he had just committed disorientated him. but i think it was more than that. i think coriolanus wanted to go to the plinth's house, that he was seeking comfort after he had done something incredibly dangerous (something, arguably, that sejanus might have done), and he could not admit it to himself. and his original intention had been to see sejanus, but sejanus was asleep.

the fact that collins wrote "his feet had carried him" and "he realized" is so brilliant. i’ve got lots of opinions about why she chose to write the book in a third person point of view. one of the reasons i think she did it has to do with the fact that coriolanus was distancing himself from himself--shedding culpability through phrases such as these, especially in moments like this. coriolanus did love sejanus, but he simply could not admit it to himself because sejanus was not a safe or wise investment to make. coriolanus refused to give credence to his need for him, and it ended up killing the boy in the long run.

[accirax]

wait the altdrdt characters have names? who's who? which one is xf?

oh, sorry, i forgot that folks who either weren't around when the characters were first introduced or just forgot might not know which altdrdt cast member is which! i'll clarify for you.

so, to be clear, none of the altdrdt characters have official names. this is (currently) stated on the FAQ page. however, to make talking about the characters easier, DRDT fans on Tumblr (at least) came up with some code names with which to refer to the characters. there were a lot of them floating around, but i think the ones that most people settled on were made by xmicrophonyx and pastelclownkitty. you can find all of the basic info you need in that linked post, but i'm going to keep talking to go into a little more detail as to why the names were chosen, and show the updated cast photo with the few sprite changes.

so, from left to right:

Swirl: this is because of the swirls in her hair.

Soundwave: this is because of the audio level-like decal on his shirt.

XF: this is because of the logo on their jacket and the pin on their tie, which matches with Min's-- symbols of the XF-Ture Tech company.

Dandelion: this is because of the dandelion in his hair.

Scale: this is because of the scale pattern on his shirt.

Teacher: this is because his talent is all but confirmed to be the Ultimate Teacher. in fact, as of the Christmas 2023 comics, this codename may be canon*.

Bullet: this is because of his belt buckle, which is reminiscent of a truth bullet. the dog tags also imply that he may have a connection with the military.

Ram: this is because of her goat-like pupil design and hair arranged to look like a sheep's horns.

Fire: this is because of the fire pattern on her shirt, her apparently fiery personality, and to match with who we assume to be her twin brother, Ice.

Ice: this is because of the snowflake pattern on his shirt, his apparently cold personality, and to match with who we assume to be his twin sister, Fire.

Crown: this is because of the crown pin in her hair.

*although not confirmed to be canon, there's a decent chance that the characters in this fangan will canonically be referred to by code names, as opposed to their real names. this is because two of our prior attempts, naming the characters "one" through "eleven" and naming the characters by Greek alphabet letters, were shot down. the Greek alphabet may have just been due to personal distaste (DRDTdev said he found the names "arbitrary"), but the numbers were vetoed because one of the characters' names was confirmed to be a number (here's wist-eri's screenshot of DRDTdev's comment). combined with the fact that Teacher refers to himself as, well, Teacher in that comic, if one character goes by a number and one goes by Teacher, it's possible that everyone will be using words in place of names. however, it's also possible that someone goes by a number name for separate reasons, and Teacher was just referring to himself as that for the sake of not giving us spoilers/in the same way that anime characters sometimes just call a character "sensei."

anyways, if you want some additional reading about the altDRDT cast, you can check out my initial guesses as to what their talents might be, and/or gleamingtempest's super cool theory that the characters will be based off of the 12 animals of the lunar calendar zodiac (which i also hijacked 😅). there are plenty of other great speculations and pieces of art in either the #altdrdt or #drdtalt hashtags, too!

[riding-the-cyclone]

Little Jane Doodle and BIG vent.

-

So basically. I’m scared to tell anyone I know about this.

I’m auditioning for Jane Doe. Which is great! Cool! My dream role! I fit all the specifications, sick.

But also. This production in particular is special. It’s my dream role, in the town I’m planning on going to school in next year, which just so happens to be the same place the trainer my psychiatrist suggested for my service dog is in. Everything lines up. Just as this school year ends, that production starts. 3 weeks run time, 3 weeks mandatory boarding for service dogs. They provide housing for out of town talent.

It would be my first acting experience outside of my small town. This place has like. 12x as many people as the town I was born and raised in. I’ve been in 17 productions but none nearly to this caliber. I’m terrified. I have no clue if I’m good enough.

Still, the idea of being part of something somewhere new is like a breath of fresh air. There’s no one and nothing left for me in my hometown.

A while back I went to an amusement park and visited a Zoltar. It printed off a ticket that said “Your Wish is Granted!” instead of a fortune. It sits in the back of my phone case with an “Admit One” ticket from the county fair. Somehow it makes me feel a little better. I feel childish.

Jane is more than just a fun role to me. Sure, she’s the coolest role I’ve ever applied for, but it’s more than just aesthetics. It’s the way I was called “it” as a child because I could never seem to connect, it’s the way people look at me weird for my speech pattern. There’s so much more, too. I won’t bore you with all the details.

I don’t have the words to express the enormity of what this role would mean to me to the auditioners. I’m not sure I’ll ever get the chance. I just needed to tell someone, anyone, because even if I doubt my skills I can’t help but want this with my whole heart. I’ve cried over it like a child but this show is forever ingrained into me.

If you made it this far thank you for putting up with my dramatic blabbering lol. If you have any comments or suggestions feel free to leave a comment :]

okay posting this now before I chicken out

[bibibbon]

An idea I'm debating for besties...Izu calling Hound dog a mutt. Now before going "character assassination" let me explain.

In the fic, hound dog is evaluation BK and decides after a few sessions he is fine, and goes to blame Izu bc ofc(you may think I'm bashing him but he, in canon, was blaming Izu and was pretty aggressive). He is like canon and well...saying how Bk is a great guy and how maybe it's HER FAULT BK acted up (again, this feels canon. We saw his interaction with Izu. "It was one time thing." Sure but it was still awful and uncalled for) people are seeing this man defending BK and blaming the victim.

Izu calls him mutt.

And Aizawa gains a new ally on "I hate Izu"

Izu later is not happy for using the word. She was and still is a victim of name callings and she knows how ...awful that is. That being said, she is ready to apologize sincerely if hound dog apologies as well.

Nope. He won't. He still thinks bk is not in the wrong or that the problem lies on Izu too.

(I'm writing this and have to remember myself this is canon. Hound was awful with Izu and ...this is not bashing. Why? Why people mistreated Izu)

Aizawa and Hound try to expell Izu but Nezu says no ...bc he wants to use AM's connections. He will be quirkless but the man is rich and has connections.

Just izu thinking about mutants and name calling.

Hi @mikeellee 👋

I don't think you are particularly bashing houndog simply because I have already shown how bad of a school Councillor he is. From the few moments he has, we see just how intimidating and somewhat outright ignorant he is with the way he treats izuku when he finds him after taking down gentle criminal. Also, Hound dog's own character profile suggests and implies some very unsavoury things about his character. You're telling me someone who is supposed to be a school guidance, someone students are supposed to feel safe enough around to open up is the complete opposite showing how UA fails as a school.

I don't think Hound Dog knows much about izuku and bakugo, so seeing from the very obvious majority that people in your fic favour bakugo and praise him, he would probably assume that izu is the problem and with everything that izu has done in the fic like using her quirk without permission and getting into reckless situations he would probably act pretty agreessively (even if it maybe framed as a gag in Canon to intimidate students so they obey) it is plausible that such thing can happen with such a circumstance.

I think it's funny for you to have izumi call Hound dog a mutt paralleling that with shoto and what he said to the police officer out of anger. I would say this is an interesting thing to do because when it was done here, we had no evidence for mutant discrimination but now we do and I don't know if you are going to implement that into your story which if you are would charge a lot of things.

I am assuming that this is a grave offence since aizawa and Hound Dog try and expell izu but fail due to nedzu and all might.

I think that nedzu should be a morally grey character here where he doesn't really care and is probably used to the discriminatory language and doesn't mind it as long as he is getting something out of it. For him, there is a higher cost in expelling izu than keeping him, and being honest, expelling izu would also have to make nedzu rethink the other students and their actions like bakugo. In the end, I believe izuku would receive punishment for what she did but not expulsion, maybe house arrest.

[harlowsbby]

All About You

Being set up on a blind date by your friends was the last thing you wanted to do this year, you didn’t know what to wear or how to even act you haven’t been on a date with a man since what seemed like forever ago.

“You’re going to be fine besides he’s someone you already know.” Your friend Erica was trying her best to ease your nerves. “Someone I know? That just makes this all even worse.” You huffed.

“Will you relax I promise you’re going to have the time of your life.” Your other friend Ella said. “But you both need to seriously stop setting me up with people we know.”

Your last date was with one of your close friends and it didn’t really go all that well. “What? I thought the date with Marcus went good?” Ella asked you to which you stopped what you were doing and gave her the most irritated expression.

“Are you kidding me? He knew he was going out with me and didn’t bring his wallet because he claimed he’d cover us next time.” Ella covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing in your face meanwhile Erica felt pitty on you.

“I promise this dude he’s sweet, funny, charming.” Ella tried her best to describe Jack and although he was all of things she mentioned he was also a flirt and loved flirting not to mention the two of you connected well but there was this unresolved ‘beef’ there.

You just hated how unserious he was no matter how serious the situation was Jack somehow always found a way to make a joke out of it and you hated that and he hated how serious you were.

While you were getting ready Jack was back home getting ready with Druski and Urban and the rest of the guys. “Who did you set me up with this time.” Jack asked Urban.

“It’s a secret but I’m sure you’ll love who we picked.” Urban smirked. “Why are you smirking? Did you both set me up.” Druski laughed. “I promise it’ll just be a date to remember that’s all.”

Even though the two of you bickered like cats and dogs and didn’t really see each other’s opinions you both liked each other but just didn’t know how to act on those emotions which is why your friends felt that they needed to bring it upon themselves to act on those emotions for you.

“When is the date?” Druski looked down at his phone seeing Jack had to be out the door in 5 minutes. “Actually right now so let’s go.”

Jack was actually very nervous about going on a blind date he hasn’t been on an actual date ever since he became famous he didn’t know how to act or how to feel, having one on one time with someone he knew for however long was also nerve wracking, he wanted everything to just go good.

————————————————————————

You arrived before Jack so you had time to look over the menu and pick out the cheapest item just in case you had to pay.

Ella and Erica along with Druski and Urban were a few tables behind Jack and You they wanted to spy on your little date and see how everything was going to go down.

You looked down at your phone seeing that Jack was 10 minutes late already. “Great let me find out I just got stood up.” You mumbled.

“Y/N? Don’t tell me you’re my date.” You looked up seeing Jack. “Oh you’re fucking joking this is a joke right? Are you on some type of prank show or something is there a mic hooked on you.” Jack smirked and laughed before sitting down across from you.

“Well I was told my date was going to be wearing black heels and.” He pushed his chair back and looked under the table seeing you had on black heels. “You have on black heels and you’re sitting outside where I was told my date would be sitting.”

“Why are you here?” You groaned. “Because I was put on a blind date.. why are you here?” He joked. “Jack you know why I’m here I was put on a blind date I knew it was going to be with a friend but I didn’t think the friend was going to be you.”

“What’s wrong with me? I can be the man of your dreams.” He grinned and leaned back into his chair with his arms opened wide as if he was the greatest person on earth. “Please I’d rather go on a date with the biggest asshole on earth than date you.”

You looked down at the menu skimming it over again Jack frowned he knew you didn’t wanna be here but he was going to try his best to make sure you have the best time.

“Look put the menu down for a minute.” You put it down on the table and looked back up at him. “If you have a good time tonight you let me take you out on a proper date that isn’t set up and if you don’t have a good time then you don’t have to see me ever again.”

You gasped sarcastically. “Wait you mean it? We never have to be in the same room together ever again?!” He rolled his eyes at the sarcasm dripping from your voice. “Do we have a deal or not?” You thought about it for a second. “We have a deal.”

Surprisingly you had a great time with Jack you found out a lot about him and he found out all about you, you even got to see a different side of Jack a side he never really showed.

“So what was your thought process behind making Jackman?”

Jack played you a few songs from his upcoming album Jackman he was a bit nervous on how everyone was going to react since it was something completely different than what he put out not even a year ago.

“Honestly I knew I wanted to put out something raw.. something different and just get back to my roots come home the kids miss you was a great album but it’s what the media and everyone wanted to hear it wasn’t me it wasn’t Jackman.” He joked.

“I loved the songs you played for me I think you just might have album of the year with this one.” He chuckled. “I really hope so.” It was quiet for a few minutes the two of you just enjoying one another’s company.

As you looked around Jack couldn’t help but to admire you. You were absolutely perfect he loved the way your eyes shimmered under the moonlight and how plump and kissable your lips looked, the small smile that played on your lips as you watched an owner get dragged along by his excitement filled dog.

“You know I can feel you watching me Jack.” He blushed in embarrassment. “I’m sorry you’re just so beautiful.” He covered his mouth quickly when he realized he said that out loud.

You looked at him wide eyed, “Did you just call me beautiful?” He mentally groaned. “Shit that wasn’t supposed to come out my mouth but it did and dammit I’m sorry.” He apologized.

“It’s okay don’t apologize. I actually think you’re really cute too.” You looked down nervously and twiddled with your fingers. “You think I’m cute?” He smirked.

“Don’t go getting a big head now Jack but yes I think you’re cute.” “How long?” He asked.

You looked at him with your eyebrows furrowed together. “How long what?” “How long have you liked me?”

“What who said tha-.” He cut you off. “I know you like me Y/N, I catch you looking at me all the time and you know Ella sucks at keeping secrets.” You groaned and made a mental note to yell at Ella later.

“I’d say for a few months now I’ve just been scared to tell you.” He frowned.

“Why?”

“Because I just didn’t know if I actually liked you at first because you just always acted so immature but after tonight I guess my feelings for you became stronger or whatever look can we just forget about it.” You we’re beyond embarrassed now.

“What if I don’t want to forget about it what if I wanted to be more than friends?”

“I’d be really happy.” You shyly spoke and watched how Jack made his way to sit next to you. “You would huh?” He softly spoke and leaned into you. You nodded your head you couldn’t even find the words to speak.

“Use your words Y/N.” You looked at him his blue eyes were honestly putting you in a trance right now you’ve never been as nervous and jittery around a man before. “Yes I would Jack I’d love to be your girlfriend.”

Before you knew it he was closing the gap between the two of you and smashing his lips against yours you wasted no time and immediately kissed him back. He grabbed the back of your head and deepened the kiss he wanted more of you but you were in a public setting so he had to pull back.

“Damn it’s about fucking time.” Druski’s voice came from behind the two of you which startled you. “What? What are you all doing here.” Jack asked.

“We set this whole thing up.” Erica said. “What do you mean?”

“Well we knew the two of you liked each other but you’re both so stubborn that we knew you weren’t going to admit it to each other so we set this up.” Ella said.

“It’s a good thing we broke it up when we did I swear there was about to a porno at this restaurant.” Urban joked and you hid in Jack’s chest making the girls coo.

“Whatever Urban now if you all don’t mind I’m going to take my girl back to my place, Urban you might wanna spend the night with Druski.” Jack said and took your head and led the two of you out of the restaurant.

“So I guess I’m staying with you tonight?” Urban asked Druski. “Staying with who? I got plans with Erica you better hit up Maggie and ask to stay in Jack’s old room.”

(Honestly I had no idea what I was doing with this but I hope y’all still like it 😭💘)

[sparklegemstone]

Loki at Paley Fest 2024

It was incredible! I'm so happy I got the opportunity to attend, and it uplifted my spirits so much. I really hope Paley makes the panel available for everyone to watch at some point because the questions and discussion were pithy, thoughtful, and engaging. Just a stellar panel. If it doesn't become publicly available, I'll try to circle back to post more detail of what was discussed.

Hiddleston was absolutely firing on all cylinders being his eloquent self going on long explorations of themes and the human condition. I think the most memorable was when he was exploring the relationship of Loki's line "Satisfaction is not in my nature" from a previous film to the events of the Loki series and whether that was relevant or not relevant to where the character arrived at in the series.

First of all, kudos to the host of the panel (also writer of a MCU timeline book) that came with receipts and Loki and Hiddleston quotes from over a decade ago that he used to ask really interesting questions that explored Loki's journey and highlighted the beautiful ways Hiddleston has thought about playing the role over years. He just did an excellent, excellent job, and is the one that brough up the "satisfaction is not in my nature" quote to prompt discussion.

And let's be honest, I think a lot of panelists, whose job is to sound engaging and fill up panel time, when asked to explore the relationship of that "not satisfied" quote to the most recent content they filmed, would just turn on their "I'm in English class" brain and run with the prompt and improvise some ideas of how the theme of not being satisfied is shown in the series. But rather than just running with and affirming the prompt, Hiddleston actually thought about it sincerely and turned it around answering in the negative, that he wasn't sure if that still applied in the series. So instead of just running with the prompt, he cared enough about the art to give it the most truthful answer he could. I saw that aspect of how he approaches discussion when I met him in person at a comic con a number of years ago as well, that interest in exploring something sincerely rather than doing the easier thing of just running with whatever is expedient, and I love that about him.

And then Wilson displayed great comedic sense and flow of the discussion by capping off Hiddleston's eloquent discussion by doing a sharp right turn into the absurd, pivoting into how "would my dog have any meaning in his life if he was satisfied and had everything he wanted and wasn't constantly eager for his next meal". That got a huge laugh from everyone.

Some other anecdotes from the event:

For the arc of the series, it was described as season 1 being about Loki learning to love himself and season 2 was about learning to accept connections and let the love of others in.

Hiddleston's wardrobe was lovely -- all black and dark grey, with bright red tread on the bottom of his shoes for which sitting at a panel with your legs crossed is the perfectly opportunity to show off that pop of color.

I was also digging Aaron Moorhead's style with a grey top half and orange pants and shoes with blue socks. Love this trend of men making bold color choices in their wardrobe.

Hiddleston was, unsurprisingly, very engaged with the whole discussion and it was fun to watch his reactions when other people spoke. The host asked the writers/directors if they'd created S2 with it in mind of it being Loki's last appearance or whether we might see more of Loki in the future. Wilson playfully said "he comes the tap dancing" and Hiddleston very deliberately turned towards the writers/directors with his chin on his fist like "I'm so curious to hear the answer, do tell".

Sylvie ended up in a McDonalds in S2 because when Di Martino got asked at the end of season 1 where she saw Sylvie going next, she told them "she's hungry, I bet she'd go for a burger". So Di Martino takes full responsibility for that particular decision, lol.

Because comedy films aren't my thing and Wilson hasn't crossed my personal radar much besides Zoolander, which is a delightful film, I found it very interesting and wasn't necessarily expecting just the thunderous amount of applause and huge reception that Wilson got from the audience. He's very popular.

During the panel, every so often a little piece of paper, like 2x2 inches, the kind you'd use to create the effect of dumping a bunch of confetti, would fall from the rafters above the stage and slowly float down until it landed on the stage itself in front of the panel. The first time was peculiar, but it continued to happen five distinct times throughout the panel and became a bit of a running joke.

Before the Q&A, they screened the finale episode, and they did not have their tech sorted out. The film didn't play at a consistent 24 fps and there were parts that lagged and slowed down the motion on screen. A minor thing really, but for an organization whose sole purpose and mission is media (Paley), in a venue (the Dolby Theater) that hosts the Oscars and should be technologically state of the art, you'd think they'd make sure they could play video at proper speed. I just thought it was a funny issue for a media organization to have.

Tagging @delyth88 since I know you were interested in hearing about it.

[thesiltverses]

Hello! Just wanted to say, and hopefully this isn't an odd compliment to receive, how much I adore the episode titles of the silt verses. One of my favorite things to do after I get someone to listen to tsv is point out that the episode titles make a poem when you read them back to back. It always tends to blow their minds and I get great satisfaction from seeing their reactions. What I especially love about them is how they can stand on their own and reflect events of the episodes while still connect with one another to make a bigger picture so to speak. (For example, how Faulkner and Carpenter's reunion episode in s2 is titled "But We'll Never Be Rid of Each Other" to reflect their relationship as two people that can't seem to untangle themselves from each other, for better or for worse ((and how this title hangs over the episode ominously when contrasted with how happy their reunion makes listeners, as if just waiting for events to come)), but then connect it to the next title "My Song, My Sorrow and I" and it slightly changes the context where it feels more like it examines the characters' various complicated relationships with their gods)

(Though, on a tangent, speaking of episode titles and how they match each episode, I think constantly about "One Final Fall From Grace" with Faulkner and how it's the episode where he loses all but one of his acolytes, idk there's something about it that gets me so bad/pos)

I was wondering how you go about deciding on episode titles? Has the poem already been written out since the very beginning of the show? Is episode order dictated and determined by said finished poem? Or am I overthinking how each line fits each episode? What made you decide on this format compared to I am in Eskew's episode naming convention? Sorry for such a long winded question! I just cannot overstate how much I adore the episode titles, sometimes I'll go back and read everything all over just to hear the words.

Thank you very much!

So the plan was always roughly along the lines of:

Season 1 titles begin by trying to outline a kind of epic poem, then get distracted by describing its hold over the poet

Season 2 titles are about the poet's yearning to be free from the poem, but ultimate acceptance that their fates are entwined

Season 3 is about the realisation that the poem will outlive the poet.

Beyond that, there's generally plenty of flex and it remains a semi-spontaneous act of play - like you say, I might think I have something in mind and then realise at the last minute that another line works better for the themes of the ep (and sometimes there's no thematic relevance at all and it's just filling in a necessary rhyme to keep the whole thing going).

This leads to imperfections and a bit of a shaggy-dog story feel - if I could go back without confusing everyone, I'd correct the very first ep title to 'First I'll Sing Of Revelations' so the terminology is consistent - but I like imperfections, and I like shaggy dogs.

As to why? It just felt like a different way of being playful; the Eskew titles were fun for me because of their simplicity (I have vivid memories as a very young kid, not being old enough to be allowed to watch the video-tapes of Blackadder II, all of which had really evocative, teasing single-word episode titles - 'Head', 'Money', 'Potato'. So I'd just sit back on the floor and imagine what those meant.)

But for TSV, it felt appropriate and fun to begin with these trappings of epic storytelling and religious verse in the episode titles, and then gradually pan outwards to show that it's more of a story about being entrapped by stories and the impossibility of escape.

[leafyaa]

Chapter 2.

Shinobu introduced you to her many friends and acquaintances. She had many connections apparently which didn't seem so surprising considering the fact that she was a quite well known shrine maiden before quitting and turning towards the legal industry.

Now she was working under Arataki Itto, otherwise known as the number uno itto which you slightly cringed at but found funny.

Speaking of Itto, he was a quite energetic and loud guy. You were surprised how he and Sara were friends. Or maybe he just annoyed her to become friends with him? Whatever the case was, you enjoyed his company.

Gorou was another friend of Kuki and Itto. And he too was part of the Inazuma police, just from the Sangonomiya prefecture. You thought for a second of asking him for help but it didn't even make sense considering Hikari went missing in Narukami prefecture.

However, he was in the higher ranks as he was a police deputy chief. Actually he was in the second highest position.

In your mind you wonder if you should ask him.. Though you also argue that you're wasting his time off..

"Hello Y/n! Nice to meet you, I'm Gorou!" Gorou said with a smile and held his hand out for you to shake.

You reacted slowly and shook his hand gently.

"Nice to meet you.." You mutter with a small smile.

Gorou watched how your sad eyes glowed under the bar lights and nervously scratched his head.

Sure he saw a smile on your face but your eyes told that you weren't feeling happy.

"Wanna have a drink?" He asks, trying to get into some small talk with you.

"Sure."

The two of you walk towards the bartender and ask for two shots of tequila.

After the drinks are made the two of you walk over to a sofa in the corner of the bar where it was less crowded.

You take a sip of the tequila and are hit with a taste of nostalgia from the drink. But it also stung pretty badly so you almost choked.

"Easy there. You wouldn't want to choke." Gorou says, casually drinking the glass in one go. "Now, tell me about whatever is troubling you."

You find out Gorou was a great listener and so told him about Hikari. His face saddened by the news of her disappearance and comforting you by patting you on the shoulder.

You end up crying a little bit but quickly wipe your tears away, not wanting to show a sense of vulnerability.

"Give me your number, I'll see what I can do for you." Gorou says in a serious voice, yet gently smiling.

Your puffy eyes slightly light up and quickly pull out your phone from your purse and show him your number.

He texts you a sticker of a cute Shiba inu dog and you added him as a new contact.

"Thank you.. For listening, Gorou." You say as you put your phone back in your purse.

"Of course. It's not a problem." He smiles cutely and signals for you to stand up.

"Let's continue to enjoy this night, shall we?"

You end up staying much longer than you had originally planned for. Yet, still enjoy the company of your old and new found friends.

How many shots did you take? Well uhh you kind of lost count. But does it matter?

It was 8 am- wait no 3 am- why did the 8 and 3 look so similar??

For some reason there were still a bunch of people at the bar. Gorou already left while Itto and Heizou were pretty drunk with Sara and Shinobu watching over them who were slightly drunk.

But you? Well you were quite drunk. It wasn't visible much because you were too tired to act on it so it just seemed you almost took no shots.

"Shinobu.. Sara.. I'm heading home.. Be careful.." You say with a tired smile.

Sara looks slightly worried but Shinobu doesn't. Shinobu put her hand on your shoulder and smiled.

"You too. I hope you enjoyed the night Y/n."

You softly smile at the both of them and look over to Itto and Heizou who were on the verge of passing out.

You wave at them and leave the bar.

The cold breeze hits your skin as you walk your way home. It is only a 20 minute walk so how can anything go wrong? Plus you still can see properly so no issues right..?

Well you start to get drowsy after 5 minutes of walking so you sit on a bench to rest a bit. You lean on the bench, almost falling asleep.

You watch the moon glow and smile. Tiny tears slipped out of the corners of your eyes. You cry.

Incoherent words slip out of your mouth. You are somewhat trying to apologize to the moon..?

But everything comes out as cries.

And apparently someone nearby heard your cries because you hear some rustling from a few bushes away from you.

It is a male dressed in black, face covered with a mask and eyes covered with a hat.

Now if you weren't drunk you would've run away, not wanting to be killed by this suspicious looking individual.

However, he somehow looked kind of familiar. But you couldn't see shit because of your tears which were blurring your fucking vision.

You see the individual walk closer towards you, and somehow you remain calm.

And now the individual was standing right next to you, looking down at you- a crying drunk mess.

Well at least you still look pretty.

The male bends down and gently wipes the tears away.

"Do you want me to take you home..?" He asks His voice is calming and caring. It made you feel comfortable.

"Yes.. Please.." You say before being gently picked up by the male in his arms.

Your puffy tired eyes try to look into his eyes but failed as the tears were still blurring your vision. But you can make out the male's eyes were somewhat blue looking- wait no black- huh?

"I'm sorry.." The male whispers and you just look confused and dazed.

"Sleep well.." The male gently strokes your hair and rocks you in his arms as he carries you.

You fall asleep through his calming voice and mutter a small thank you.

⇠ previous ⭒ masterlist ⭒next ⇢

Notes:

There might be finally someone who can help Y/n with Hikari's- our beloved dog boy Gorou!! And oh, who's that stranger that helps Y/n get home? Why does he seem so familiar? And how the heck does he even know where Y/n lives??

Summary:

You've dated Scaramouche in your high school and college years but just as you wanted to announce your pregnancy to him he broke up with you without any reason. He left you to be a single mom for 7 years. But now that your daughter has been missing and abducted for a year and you've not been doing well and out of a sudden he showed up into your life again trying to apologize for his past mistakes..?

Taglist:

@swivy123 @kichiyoshi @wwwrizchan @k1t0 @killumeo @pinkdreamerbailifflawyer-blog @samarill @xiaotopia @aqualesha @eattingshits @omoriaddict @mave-in @sketcheeee @xiaossocksniffer @elernity