#i have so many emotions about the friendship between a musical space spider and a pathetic wet cat middle school teacher

[itsybitsybatsyspider]

here's my contribution to the Project Hail Mary fandom

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Jorja Smith has unveiled a standout new video for latest track ‘By Any Means’. The powerful video (directed by Otis Dominique and Ellington Hammond) shines a spotlight on communities across the UK, complimenting the track’s vital message around social issues and the civil rights movement. As noted by Jorja about the track: "The inspiration behind 'By Any Means' really came from going to the Black Lives Matter protest and leaving thinking, what can I do to keep this conversation going? It’s not just a post on social media, it's life.” ‘By Any Means’ is the first track to be unveiled from a new project titled ‘Reprise’, curated by the team at Roc Nation with the sole aim of bringing awareness to social justice issues. A portion of proceeds will go to funding organisations that support victims of police brutality, hate crimes, and other violations of civil rights. [via Dork]

Madison, WI-bred and Chicago-based band Slow Pulp recently announced Moveys, their self-produced debut album, and shared its first single 'Idaho.' Now the band shares another song off of the forthcoming record, entitled 'Falling Apart.' The track, featuring Alex G collaborator Molly Gemer on violin, is accompanied by a fantastical music video about feeling lost in a familiar landscape. Director Jake Lazovick, places Emily in a transient world, surrounded by flying objects and missing pieces. The clip features nostalgic animations, body doubles for social distancing purposes, and an homage to Massey's background as a ballet dancer. Read more about the song from Massey below: "As we were finishing up writing the album my parents got into a serious car accident and I came back home to help take care of them. A couple of weeks later COVID-19 started getting worse in the US, and quarantine began. Life felt completely surreal, everything had drastically changed and at such a rapid pace. It was especially strange because everyone was experiencing the same thing at the same time, but couldn’t be physically with each other to support each other. I felt like I couldn’t process any emotions I had about the whole ordeal because I had to keep it together to take care of my family. It became easier to stay numb, and create a facade that I was doing ok, than it was to release any type of healthy emotion for a long time. Luckily I did allow myself to have a full on breakdown induced by a stubbed toe and confusion over taxes, sometimes it’s the littlest things that finally get you."

Soap Detox met a party, and somehow their friendship sustained during the lengthy hangover that followed. A frisky Swedish three-piece with a lust for melody and good times, their raucous garage-pop is already making waves in their homeland. A full EP is incoming, with Soap Detox trailing this with their irresistible new single 'Give Me Gore'. A three minute fuzz pop wonder, it's a clanking, cheeky, subversive statement from a group who thrive on such things. The video features their shorn-headed lead singer in full form, accompanied by her band mates. Directed by Evelyn Del Carmen and Ebba Sylvan, you can check it out above. [via Clash]

It’s been a decade since we’ve heard from multi-hyphenate musician and producer The Angel, who last made a splash as a musician in 2009 with her single 'Ultra Light,' which featured the singer/producer Jhelisa on vocals. Focusing more on her career in film/TV composition and music production in recent years, she’s planning to return to recording her own music later this year with a new LP entitled Xtra Sensory Goodness. Now we’re getting the first taste of this project, which is yet another collaboration with the vocalist Jhelisa. “Jhelisa and I have become close friends over the years,” she explains. “There’s a lot of sisterly love and mutual respect between us, so Jhelisa already understood the mournful weight of the track before I asked to feature her. I’m always grateful that she’s willing to experiment with me because it’s not something she does lightly. Jhelisa beautifully channels the essence of whatever emotion needs to come through in the most evocative and visceral way.”  The song arrives beautifully packaged with an entrancing video directed by none other than Mark Pellington (along with co-directors Sergio Pinheiro and Sweeten), known for his concert docs for Pearl Jam, INXS, and The Flaming Lips, as well as an extensive music-videography including iconic visuals for Public Enemy, Nine Inch Nails, and plenty more artists. “I wanted the song to sound like a memory, like you’ve entered someone else’s dream space,” The Angel continues, noting how the video perfectly syncs to the song’s mood. “The emotion is contained, very internal, so I juxtaposed a vocal vulnerability against a driving, incessant rhythm, where you can feel the underlying tension at the same time as experiencing the gentle plea, ‘Where’s my shelter…?’” [via Flood]

A few weeks ago, Ciara gave birth to her son Win. Last night, she shared a video that she evidently recorded while she was very, very pregnant. Ciara’s new song 'Rooted' is a statement of Black pride, a clear statement of solidarity with the protest movement that’s swept across America and the rest of the world these past few months. It’s a hard, kinetic track with vocals from the songwriter Esther Dean. But the song, at least right now, feels more like a vehicle for the video. Like a lot of Ciara videos, the 'Rooted'” clip is built around bodies dancing. In this one, though, one of those bodies belongs to Ciara, who dances with her belly exposed and who looks like she’s about to give birth any second. To watch someone dance this hard while that pregnant is an actual marvel, a near-superhuman feat. The 'Rooted' video is full of Black iconography, and it features the faces of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. All throughout, Ciara presents an image of motherly strength. Annie Bercy directs. [via Stereogum]

Hazel English releases the new video for her single ‘Five And Dime’ taken from her debut album Wake UP! which is out now on Marathon Artists. ‘Five and Dime’ is a woozy, idyllic view into Hazel’s world, which is built on timeless-sounding melodies, retro-tinged soundscapes and a knack for resonant lyrics. The mid-tempo number is reminiscent of the playful love songs of ’60s pop, as Hazel frustratedly muses on a love interest who is consuming her thoughts and detracting from her focus, “Gotta get away cause you’re taking up all of my time / You know I need my space so I’m heading to the Five and Dime.” Speaking about the new video, Hazel says: “'Five and Dime' is about longing for escape and freedom so I thought it would be fun to create an idyllic beach vacation, constructed from a set with cardboard cut out waves and fake palm trees. The idea behind it is that while I'm fantasizing about escaping to a tropical place, it's clear I'm just kind of stuck in this pretend version of it. I wanted to evoke the nostalgia of Hollywood musicals from the '50s and '60s, complete with dance choreography and bright colourful costumes.”

Katy Perry has released her second video for 'Smile,' featuring the pop star playing a video game version of herself as she battles giant spiders, circus trapeze acts and more while dressed as a clown. Much of the video is in CGI, with a live-action Perry playing the video game in her house (while also dressed as a clown). [via Rolling Stone]

Global superstar, Miley Cyrus has unveiled 'Midnight Sky,' a track that showcases a new direction for the always evolving artist.  The song, which was inspired by the past year of her life, is accompanied by a video that Miley self-directed.  In creating the song and video, Miley drew from strong female musical icons, like Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, and Debbie Harry, who have always been so generous, and have been her greatest allies and inspiration.  The video showcases Miley as her true self: unapologetic, diverse, sexy, confident, experimental, and strong. The video takes viewers through Miley’s creative vision which displays her complete control of the narrative often told through the mouths of the media. Miley is at peace with who she is and has nothing to prove. As a musician she continues to push boundaries and experiment with her sound and look. Miley has proven to be many things, but boring is not one of them.

Chelsea Collins is nonconformist pop singer with a vision. For the captivating new 'Water Run Dry,' a collaboration with rapper, singer and fellow Bay Area-native 24kGoldn, Collins's infectious pop melodies glide over a hypnotic beat. Relatable lyrics about a faltering relationship reveal a depth of experience for the 21-year-old, with a wistful chorus lamenting, "there's no good in goodbye." The Roxana Baldovin-directed visuals for the track are an eyeful — Collins and 24kGoldn play house in an oversized, colorful California dollhouse, interspersed with images of a little girl playing with literal Barbies. The message? "I wanted this song and video to execute the world that's inside of my head — somewhat similar to a weird vintage rom com where at first the drama of love is so toxic, passionate and thrilling but eventually my lover and I have a happy ending," Collins tells NYLON. "Unfortunately reality isn't as fun and it kinda feels like some cranky dude is controlling your path, who's lowkey salty whenever something feels too amazing," she continues. "My intuition will tell me to run, but I'm notorious for acting like a Stepford wife, trying to recreate my past feelings yet they're all super robotic. Maybe one day I'll get lucky and love won't have to be so bittersweet, but until then I'll learn to smile even when things blow up in my face." [via NYLON]

Kali Uchis shared the visuals for her latest single 'Aquí Yo Mando' on Monday. Featuring a verse in Spanglish by Rico Nasty, the single is Kali's first release since her TO FEEL ALIVE EP from earlier this year. The Phillipa Price-directed clip finds the pair on a weapons-filled rampage, dropping bodies in underground parking lots and filming each other along the way. With co-production by reggaeton hitmaker Tainy, the booming track sees Uchis assertively laying some ground rules over trappy 808s. "Haces todo lo que diga (You do everything that I say)," she raps. “Si estás conmigo solo mando yo (If you’re with me, only I call the shots).” [via The FADER]

[misraaksboywife]

Janyx-7 OC Questionnaire!

A friend found this and sent it to me, so here we go!

Guardian’s name: Janyx-7

Age: 6 1/2 years since resurrection 

Race: Exo 

Call signs/alias: Jay, Jaybird, Copper

Pronouns: He/him, they/them

Class: Warlock 

Preferred subclass(es): Dawnblade, Voidwalker (proficient in all)

Ghost's name: Dally (like dilly dally)

Their Vanguard: Ikora (Cayde)

Fireteam name:  Fireteam Notorious 

Fireteam teammates: Alyakim (Alya) Savoir, Aisling/ Torin-9, Riley-13

Favorite legendary weapon:  Midnight Coup

Favorite exotic weapon:  Anarchy 

Favorite exotic armor:  Nezarac’s Sin

Favorite ornament armor set:  Celestial Set

Favorite weapon ornament:  None, really. 

What stats do they focus on:  Recovery, Intellect

Are they offense, defence, or support:  Offense/support 

Do they prefer being close, mid, or long range: Mid range

Do they lean more "Element of Surprise" or "Upfront and Aggressive":  Depends on the mission. 

Strikes, Gambit, or Crucible:  Strikes and Gambit 

Who was their mentor(if they had one. If it is a character you created, tell us about them!):  Alya and Aisling, an Awoken Hunter and a Human Warlock who took him in after finding him in the Cosmodrome.  

Who are they mentoring(if they are. If it is a character you created, tell us about them!):  Currently, no one, although he offers Crow advice when he needs it. 

What ship do they have:  Queen of Hearts 

What is their Sparrow:  Gambler’s Palm

Favorite Ghost shell:  Lampion Shell

Favorite shader: GENOTYPENULL-ZERO

Favorite color:  Orange, Purple, (and Blue)

Favorite food:  Spicy ramen

Favorite piece of Pre-Collapse tech(if they've seen any):  The ancient colony ships, and the New Pacific Arcology. 

Favorite Pre-Collapse music(if they've heard any):  Hard rock, especially metal.  No thoughts, just heavy music. 

Favorite place in The Last City(if it's a place you created, give a little description!):  A small crevice in the side of the Tower wall, hidden down below the Hangars that he and Cayde found and made their own. 

Favorite NPC(s):  Cayde-6, Ikora Rey, Zavala, Eris Morn, Crow

Favorite patrol location:  The Dreadnaught 

5 things your Guardian likes(can be anything):  Reading, stargazing, sightseeing, food tasting, hot teas. 

Least favorite food:  Sour things. 

Least favorite shader:  Flavecado (spelling? it just isn’t good)

Least favorite patrol location:  Mercury 

Least favorite Pre-Collapse tech(if they've seen any):  The Deep Stone Crypt 

Least favorite NPC(s):  Spider, Calus

Least favorite weapon ornament: None, really. 

Least favorite ornament armor set:  None, really. 

Least favorite legendary weapon: Any shotgun

Least favorite exotic weapon: Any shotgun 

Least favorite exotic armor: Aeon Cult 

5 things your Guardian dislikes(this can be anything):  The Consensus, Praxic Warlocks, Scorn, Crucible, feeling trapped

Your Guardian has to rest. What is their living space like:  a small one bedroom apartment near the Bazaar in the Tower, with a balcony looking out over the Wilds beyond the walls.  

Does your Guardian have any casual wear?:  He wears a black with orange trim hanfu for his casual clothing. 

What hobbies and/or skills does you Guardian have:  Reading and translating texts.  He also is a very good cook.

What would your Guardian's lore book be called:  Persevera in Finem

Where was your Guardian reborn?(If you created the location, give us a little description!):  The Cosmodrome, deep in Devil’s territory. 

What were they wearing when they were reborn:  Very old researchers gear, with Clovis Bray emblems on them. 

What was their reaction to being reborn:  Confusion and fear. 

What was their reaction to their first rez:  Cursing.  Lots of cursing. 

After being reborn, did they meet friendlies first or hostiles:  Hostiles, unfortunately. 

Who was the first other Guardian they met?(Same thing! If you made them, give a little description!):  Alya and Aisling.  Alya was an Awoken Nightstalker who had been alive since the Dark Ages and was a Gensym Knight, and Aisling is a Human Stormcaller who has studied Eliksni for many decades. 

Did your Guardian get reborn with, or find, any indication of their past life? If so what do they have/found:  Jay was revived wearing Clovis Bray researcher gear, and close to the Warmind bunkers in the Cosmodrome.  However, he has never pressed finding out more about his past life. 

How did your Guardian get their name(if they didn't rez with past life momentos):  Exo, baby, he came with the name. 

Going back to your Guardian's lore book, what would be some some quotes or passages from their book:  “Looking at him, the sunset illuminating the Hunter’s profile, the Last City below them, something inside of him clicked together.  ‘I love you.’”

Does your Guardian have a significant other:  He previously did, yes, and has had a few passing affairs since then. He may have another serious relationship again, one day. 

Did your Guardian go explore first before going to The Last City? If so, where to:  Alya and Aisling herded him to the City rather quickly after his rez. 

What was their reaction to first seeing The Last City:  Surprise and awe. 

If your Guardian would have a quote as a flavor text for a weapon and/or piece of armor, what would they be:  “ He let them go and Cayde is dead and I won't rest until everyone responsible pays their dues."  

If your Guardian has had any interactions with any civilians (The Last City/The Farm), Eliksni, Cabal, Vex, Hive, Taken, Scorn, Rouge Lightbearers, or Iron Lords/War Lords(if your Guardian is an Old Light) tell us about it!:  Jay used to do tricks with his Light for the children he’d see on the City streets.  During the Red War, he helped make food for the refugees between missions.  He worked with Misraaks and his fireteam to stop the Devil’s from stealing SIVA, and was surprised how personable the Eliksni was.  

Does your Guardian have any unconventional allies or connections(By Vanguard standards):  The Drifter, Spider (although this has recently been broken), and Variks the Loyal.  

How does your Guardian feel about themselves or others using Stasis:  A necessity to find balance between the Light and the Dark. 

Did they run The Last Wish raid? How did they react to seeing a live Ahamkara a.k.a Riven:  He was shocked, in awe, and terrified. 

Did they run The Deep Stone Crypt raid? How did they react to the Crypt and seeing Exo Eliskni:  Jay had a sicken feeling as he entered the Crypt, and when he heard Clovis-AIs voice, his head began to hurt.  Seeing an Eliksni Exo made him irrationally angry.

Is your Guardian from D1? How did they react to seeing Taniks alive once again:  “Well, shit, Cayde would love to hear this.” 

Where did they go and what did they do during The Red War:  He was able to regroup with his fireteam at the Farm, then helped Sloane on Titan until Cayde’s signal was found.  He was one of the Guardians who faced Ghaul at the end of the War. 

-Here are some characters that are either polarizing or have created a strong enough mass emotion within the community. What opinion does your Guardian hold on each of them(These are only a handful of characters!)>>>

Osiris, First Warlock Vanguard, originally exiled:  Arrogant, intelligent, but teetering on a dangerous edge.  Wishes the man would pull his head out of his own arse and talk to Saint-14.

Eris Morn, Bane of the Swarm:  A good friend, ally, and partner in researching and combatting the Hive.  He worries for her well-being, and is concerned how Stasis may be affecting her. 

Cayde-6, Sixth Hunter Vanguard:  He slowly warmed up to Cayde, and soon realized the feelings he had were more than friendship.  They had a very close and intimate relationship.  When Cayde was murdered, Jay went off the deep end seeking revenge.  He barely made it back from the brink of falling to Darkness.  He still dreams of the man often, and will always love him. 

Ikora Rey, Second Warlock Vanguard:  A valued mentor and friend, Jay and Ikora communicate well and share very similar sentiments.

Commander Zavala, Second Titan Vanguard:  The two do not always see eye to eye, especially after the death of Cayde, but Jay now understands the pressure the Commander is constantly under.  He does his best to try to ease the man’s worries and burdens, but they still have disagreements from time to time. 

Saint-14, legendary Titan, First Titan Vanguard:  Jay was very surprised to learn the legend was alive, and had been rescued by Torin-9.  He will begrudgingly admit if Osiris wasn’t in the picture, he finds the man attractive and charming. 

Lord Saladin, Iron Banner handler, One of the last remaining Iron Lords:  Jay and Saladin have never seen eye to eye, despite Janyx-7 being one of the Iron Wolves.  Jay finds the man to be too hardheaded and set in his ways, unwilling to change. 

Lord Shaxx, Crucible handler, Hero of Twilight Gap, living megaphone:  Jay and Lord Shaxx have had an... interesting relationship.  Janyx has never been fond of Crucible, but often finds himself participating because he can’t say no to the man. 

The Crow, New Light, Ex-Enforcer to The Spider:  Janyx has had a hard time wrestling with the fact that Cayde’s killer was resurrected, but also knows that Crow has faced unfair circumstances for the choices and actions of another man.  He knows that Crow is not the same man, and has tried to help the man adjust to being a Guardian. Janyx ruined his working relationship with Spider to free the man from his clutches. He knows it is what Cayde would have wanted, and that the former Hunter Vanguard would find it beautifully ironic that the Awoken is a Gunslinger.

The Spider, The Shore's Only Law, founder of "House" Spider:  Janyx took the Spider’s help while he was pursuing justice for Cayde’s death.  He found the Spider to be slimy, but useful.  He was disgusted to learn of the Spider’s treatment of Crow, as well as other dealings the Eliksni had had.  He is wary of the Spider’s retaliation against himself and Crow now that the Hunter has been free. 

Uldren Sov, Prince of the Reef, Master of Crows:  Janyx found the Prince to be frustrating, at best.  After he murdered Cayde-6, Jay was happy to see the man put to death.  However, after learning more about the Prince, and what led up to his death, Jay has questioned if his path was truly the right one. 

Mara Sov, Queen of the Reef, Queen of the Awoken, Ex-Kell of Wolves:  Janyx does not trust the Awoken Queen, and he questions what the queen is doing while her people suffer. 

Variks, the Loyal, Scribe of House Judgement:  Jay is very wary of Variks after the events of the Prison of Elders, but will not harm the Scribe because of his relationship with Janyx’s sister, Aisling. 

Mithrax, the Forsaken, Kell of Light, founder of House Light:  The Kell of Light has never failed to impress or surprise Janyx.  He views him as a valuable ally, and gladly lends the Kell his help.  

The Exo Stranger/Elizabeth "Elsie" Bray, Granddaughter of Clovis I and Sister to Ana Bray:  Jay finds Elsie to be knowledgeable, but conflicted and guarded.  He doesn’t blame her for this, given how her life has been, but he has encouraged her to speak with her sister and rebuild a relationship with her. 

Eramis, of House Salvation, Kell of Darkness:  Janyx believes that Eramis’ old wounds led her down a path of Darkness and destruction, one he himself almost fell to.  He is unsure if the events on Europa could have been changed in some way, but the question dogs his every step.  

Empress Caiatl of the Cabal Imperial Empire:  After learning of Torobatl’s fall at the hand’s of Xivu Arath, Jay believes the Empress’ motives are driven by desperation and fear.  He is sympathetic, but proud of Zavala’s handling of her asking them to kneel.

Taniks the Scarred, the Perfected, the Abomination, the Shadow Thief:  Janyx was less than thrilled to see the Eliksni again, but impressed that the creature continues to live.  He knows Cayde would have, bitterly, been happy to be right that the damned Eliksni managed to cheat death once more. 

The Darkness is fast approaching. How is your Guardian handling it:  Janyx takes solace in the fact that he has done his duty to the best of his ability, and may get to see Cayde once more. 

And finally, does your Guardian have any advice for any New Lights:  “You’re never as alone as you feel.  Cut your own path through the universe, tread that thin line, but never forget where you came from.”

[beatrice-otter]

Yuletide Recs 2019

Happy Yuletide, everyone! First, I got a delightful little fic written for me: promenade.  My Fair Lady, Eliza Doolittle and Mrs. Higgins.  Wonderful story.  Mrs. Higgins was superb, and Eliza's reactions to the English upper class abroad are perfect. Here are some other fics I have enjoyed: 4'33"--John Cage The Sound Of A Yuletide Fic Not Being Written. There sure are a lot of cars going by.  Great meta look at writing, and 4'33" The Addams Family (movies) An Addams Family Contract (Written in Secret, Signed in Blood).  “I’m an Addams,” Debbie protests indignantly. Immediately after making this statement, Debbie realized that it was true.  (Or, Wednesday wants to exorcise Debbie. Debbie wants to kill Wednesday. A negotiation begins.)  This is AMAZING and hysterically funny, and the thought of Debbie and Wednesday working together is TERRIFYING. Don't I Deserve Love (and Jewelry).  The plan to win Wednesday’s friendship did not start well. She shared her admiration for the girl’s blowtorch, then hinted about her own childhood affinity for matchsticks and fire accelerants, but Wednesday was unimpressed.  Do better,” she said before lowering her hockey mask and stalking after Pubert. Honeymoon in Transylvania.  Ahahahaha, this is wonderful.  Gomez and Morticia vs. the TSA! Alien Series A Room with a Crappy View. 17k of Ripley and Hicks awesomeness post-Aliens. This is an absolutely AMAZEBALLS fic, and I LOVE it. I love that they deal with their trauma. I love how they wrote the Colonel, doing the best she could on the evidence she had and how frustrating that was and yet, when you look at it from her POV, what better way could she have handled it? The action is great, the relationships between Ripley and Hicks and Bishop were awesome, this is an absolute treat. All About Eve Getting Back to Being a Woman.  Karen knew enough not to go to New Haven.  Never let it be said that Margo Channing doesn't know how to take care of her friends.  I love this. I could just hear Bette Davis and the others saying their lines, and the ending is perfect--I think Karen and Lloyd will be able to have a much better relationship after this, if he's willing to accept and live into the changed relationship. Till I have the possession of everything she touches.  Addison DeWitt/Eve Harrington and their daughter.  VERY well done Addison perspective. Aubrey-Maturin series. Vent de Boulet.  Jack & Aubrey, Teen.  The aftermath of Stephen's escape from the French interrogators at Port Mahon.  Wonderful portrayal of the relationship between them and natural consequences of their trauma-filled lives. Babette's Feast Body and Soul.  After the French dinner, a new normal established itself among the faithful. Ballet Shoes A Long Way from the Cromwell Road.  Petrova visits Pauline in Hollywood after the war ends. Bletchley Circle Logical Recovery.  After the showdown with Marta Magro at the warehouses, Jean, Millie, and Lucy embark for Glasgow to find Eliška. Archival research, an extended stay with Jean's cousin, undercover rescue missions, and much emotional processing of past events ensue. Cabaret Infinite Variety.  London, 1950. Clifford has coming looking for Sally. Instead he finds a girl who may or may not be her – or their – daughter, the reclusive former Master of Ceremonies, and an annoying parrot. He becomes part of their strange household, full of love and bickering; sorrow, pain and music. No-one will tell him where Sally is, or even whether she’s alive. No-one will tell him anything. Except the parrot, who tells him that life is a Cabaret.  Oh, wow, this is painful but SO GOOD and the ending is perfect. DC Teen Titans From Cold to Fire.  "Do you want to go out with me?" "What?" Young Justice Getting Stupid in your area.  Hang-time includes considerations of evil clones and taking down a newly raised lich lord.  Love the banter. Die Hard Your Answers Please.  “Come on, kid,” McClane said gruffly. “This place is fucking depressing. You’re coming to stay with me.” Enchanted Forrest Chronicles Best Served Cold.  In which Antorell causes trouble in the Enchanted Forest, and Cimorene and Alianora make an amphibious new friend.  Hilarious, I love Ribbita! Ghostbusters Better Than Roses. Janine dates. It's...something. The Goblin Emperor Imperial (non) Immunity.  Csevet doesn't get sick. Maia's not so confident. Light a Mourner's Candle.  The Archprelate finds a chaplain for Maia. Against a Sure Winter.  When the opportunity arose to become one of the four ceremonial bodyguards for the new Emperor, Cala Athmaza volunteered. He didn't fully realize what he was letting himself in for, but he knew in his heart he had made the right choice. Sugar Lumps.  Maia spends some time with his horse. Greek Mythology beauty, her artificers.  Shortly after their wedding, Aphrodite sustains a small wound.  Really great Aphrodite/Hephaestus dynamic. a thing of beauty, golden.  Olympus’ one-century wonder appears in Hephaestus’ workshop between one strike on his anvil and the next..  Another really great Aphrodite/Hephaestus fic. Hancock yeah I know the shortcut, rather take the long way. Ray daydreams a New York that looks a lot like something out of an old Daredevil comic - towers looming over the city like cragged, jaded sentries, impartial to the neon kaleidoscope of chaos churning along below them. Hancock roosts on the tallest, craggiest one of course, brooding as he watches the slow pulsing heartbeat of the city below him. Ready to dive off his perch and into action with the first cry of distress, and there’s probably lots of those in a city like New York. Lots of zooming around, saving people, saving the world. Hopefully with slightly less metaphorical middle fingers to the world. And less alcohol. Ray’s not an idiot though, and one sparkly life-changing month doesn’t just fix people. History RPF 15th Century. these late eclipses.  Anne Neville, like others of her line, is born with a gift.  I LOVE the way magic is brought into this, it melds so well with the history. 19th Century/German folklore The Bargain.  Bettina finds a secret door at her grandmother's house, one that leads to something very unexpected. The things she learns as a result change her life in small but important ways. Imperial Radch Still Left in Want of Mercy.  The Republic of Two Systems is about a month old. Seivarden is having yet another crisis - can Mercy of Kalr get her through it? Maybe, with the crew's and Fleet Captain's help.  Interesting Ship perspective. high above the trees.  An unexpected embassy. Really excellent, probably the best way I've ever seen "Awn Lives" done. The Incredibles Life of a Superhero, Junior Grade.  Fortunately, this was Tuesday night training, not a real villain-chasing experience. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell The Magicians of Starecross Hall.  Being a series of interludes in the life of John Segundus, newly practical magician, in the year following the disappearances of Messrs. Strange and Norrell. Including: a new school for young magicians, explorations of the King’s Roads, Lady Pole’s alarming needle-work, unanticipated trips to Faerie, and John Childermass.  I love this story!  How the school got started, and 'Miss Wintertowne' (although I do think she would style herself 'Mrs' Wintertowne, because she is married and up through the 18th Century 'Mistress/Mrs' vs. 'Miss' had as much to do with age and experience and such as it did with marital status) and how she uses embroidery as a kind of art therapy.  I love the slow burn, and I love the stuff about exploring the King's Roads and Faerie.  It is excellent and awesome. Lilo & Stitch The Dance.  Lilo peeked out from behind the curtains and looked over the stage. A Little Princess Discipulae.  "I just realized," Sara said. "Becky, I could have a tutor now. I could hire someone to teach me anything I wanted. All the things that are hard to learn alone from books — Greek and Latin, Sanskrit, algebra, anything I wanted. What would you learn, Becky, if you could?"  Really great look at what their lives could be like post-canon. Marvel Captain Marvel Take my hand (and we'll march to the front lines). There's a dream Vers has sometimes. this youthful heart can love you. Carol waited a week before she left with the Skrulls. Space Cases.  Monica tried many other times to win her mother over to a pet. A rabbit, a pony, a parakeet. This is not any of those stories. This is the story of Monica Rambeau and a Flerken named Goose.  Or: Why Nick Fury is never allowed to babysit ever again. The Tesseract's Wife.  A straight line is not the shortest distance between two points: non-linear snapshots of a love story. Fly Me To The Moon.  "It's a vacation. Like spring break," Carol says. Monica's eyes widen. "Really? So we can hang out? What are we going to do?" "Well," Carol says, leaning back in her chair and flashing that old, familiar smirk. "I thought we could go to the moon." Into the Spiderverse i got you.  Miles thinks he's hiding the truth about Spider-Man, but one unfortunate night, it comes to light. one last leap.  Telling his parents he's Spider-Man is a leap of faith Miles can't bring himself to take. My Life to Liv.  Liv survived her encounters with her interdimensional Spider-nemeses, of course. So what's next for her? Interdimensional Phone Pals.  Gwen Stacy is many things, but open to friendships isn’t really one of them.  Or,  Five rules Gwen makes for herself, and how Peter B. makes her question them. Into the Spiderverse/Murder, She Wrote Spider, She Wrote.  Miles and May visit her old friend Jessica in Cabot Cove. Mulan (1998) the proper order of things. Great outsider perspective. The Mummy After the Mummy.  London was becoming Rick's least favourite place, and not just because of all the rain. Loving Evy was one thing: figuring out whether she loved him back after the Egyptian heat faded away was something else. Where's a good rising of the undead when you need one? Don't worry, Jonathan found one.  Lovely fun adventure. Course Correction.  Jonathan really is serious about staying away from tombs and mummies this time (except trouble always seems to find him). Good thing Ardeth is there to help him stay on-track. Travelers by Night.  Very quickly, Jonathan weighed the odds. On one hand, potential death, whether by armed bandits, a mummy’s curse, or people who looked like bandits and who were very angry about someone unleashing a mummy’s curse. On the other hand, potential riches, home ground, and topics of conversation other than what happened at school fifteen years ago and who got it in the neck where. Murderbot How I Spent My Vacation Between Survey Missions. What happens when ART reunites with Murderbot during another break between research survey missions? Media gets viewed, of course, but there might also be some bad news for more shady corporations. Situation Normal.  Hi, I said, along with amusement sigil 159 = wave. It seemed a little inadequate, but what do you say to the ship that radically altered your appearance, helped you figure out your past, and also threatened you with terrifying weapons? Amusement sigils seemed like my best bet. My Fair Lady Here We Are Together.  Eliza and Freddy are working together. Henry isn't happy, and makes sure everyone knows it. One Day at a Time what they say about the young. Without the kids around, it feels like everything has changed, except for all the other things about Penelope's life that could change, too. a return to normal.  Penelope and Schneider's Friday night plans fall through, so they have a movie night instead.  Very sweet. Persuasion. The Pen in Their Hands. Five letters that were written, but were never sent, aboard H.M.S. Laconia. (And one that was.) Smooth Water. “If I wanted easy comfort, I should not have become a captain’s wife.” Wonderful Austen voice. A Step Not Taken.  What if that day at Lyme had gone just a little differently? Peter Wimsey The Duke's Parlormaid.  A story in correspondence, with detective interruptions.  Really captured the feel of the books and all the character voices. Poirot The Mice Will Play.  When Poirot returns unexpectedly from a case, he finds out something new about Miss Lemon. RED The One Bathtub.  “I did have dinner plans,” Han said, grudgingly, and so Victoria kicked the door in and graciously allowed Han to be the first into the bathroom. She understood the pain of missed reservations. Rivers of London Through All the Years, This Is My Home.  At night, when the rest of the staff and most, if not all, of the masters were asleep, Molly would wander the moonlit halls and remember what fresh air felt like on her skin. Of Molly, of Thomas, and of the years they've spent together - and of the Folly, strong and everlasting.  Lovely Molly perspective. Peelian Principles.  "You're very calm about this," Seawoll said on the fifth day.  Nightingale's perspective on Peter's time as a hostage, and REALLY AWESOME. UXB.  When one the deadliest weapons of the Blitz threatens London once again, Peter finds himself on the front line.  Wonderful casefic, just perfect. Saved! Conversation Starters. Cassandra and Roland have five important conversations. Sense and Sensibility Realization and Renewal.  As Marianne recovers, Elinor and Colonel Brandon find themselves drawn to one another. Sense8 Blue and Gold.  Wolfgang comes home with Kala and Rajan after Paris. Finding a place with them. Star Trek: Rihannsu Day Comes Up New.  "I have done something spectacularly stupid," Arrhae said.  This is a wonderful extension and meditation on what might happen past canon.  Ever since I first read The Romulan Way as a teen, I've wondered what happened to Arrhae in the end, and the subsequent books were great but didn't answer the ultimate question.  This doesn't either, but it suggests something further, which I appreciate. Terminator Movies A Fistful of Sarahs.  The sky cracks open, and Sarah watches herself tumble out of a rift in the space time continuum. She’s older than she is now, and she’s got a lot more scars, and she’s carrying the biggest and weirdest looking gun Sarah’s ever seen. with all the hope in my heart (and doubt in my mind). Sarah Connor has done this before. Dani has not. Post-Terminator: Dark Fate. Fate, the Future, and Other Sons of Bitches.  Sarah and Dani hit the road. Winnie the Pooh In Which Pooh Hunts for the Meaning of Christmas.  Pooh finds a mysterious envelope pinned to the door of his house. In Which Eeyore Loses His Tail Again, Or At Least Plans To.  It's a bright, sunny day, and Eeyore has a plan to make it tolerable. Now if only his friends will cooperate.

[nautiscarader]

2019 in animation - very selected summary

So, I dunno if anyone’s noticed, but this year was crazy strong when it comes to animation, both in terms of amount and quality of it. No matter what type you liked - traditional...

...3D...

...cell-shaded...

...hyper-realistic...

 - oh, wait, wait, no, my mistake, that’s clearly live-action. 

Anyway, no matter what type of animation is your favourite, this year gave you something. and I’m gonna go chronologically, listing those that I have been able to see. Keep in mind, day only has 24 hours, so I couldn’t see every new season or premiere (for example, I had no interest in OK KO, or She-Ra). Some spoilers below. And Gifs. LOTS OF gifs.

In January: we were still riding on the Spiderverse bandwagon from last year,, which culminated with an Oscar in February. And though as I’ve said, the movie would have worked better imho as a, say, Netflix series, as only two of the spider-people were properly fleshed out, I have to admit, it was a well-earned prize.

Then we were hit by the finale of Steven Universe, and while some complained about the another redemption of cosmic regime, it was an incredibly satisfying ending to a great cartoon... so much so that a whole movie and an epilogue series was made.

plus, it had a segment animated by James Baxter, so it’s automatic win..

January also blessed us with a reboot of another old-forgotten property, Carmen Sandiego, with her second season arriving in October. And it proved that reboots do make sense, but only if you actually do something with it. The story was fresh, creative, and yet, similar in its serialised form to capture the imagination of viewers. Also, grappling hooks for the win.

February was the month of dragons. Not only we got the conclusion of How to Train Your Dragon franchise, but Netlfix gave us second season of The Dragon Prince. While I still consider HTTYD 1 as the best movie of the franchise, as it cleverly told the story of a conflict without any obvious villain, HTTYD 3 was a satisfying conclusion, strengthened by the Homecoming special in November. 

TDP S2 on the other hand, did everything season 1 did, except better. For once, the studio finally broke their piggy bank and bought a new graphics card, so the choppy 15FPS animation of S1 is gone. The story got darker, more mature, yet whimsical, and it only made us hungry for more. Luckily, S3 was just around the corner.

March gave us season 2 of Craig of the Creek. I have to admit, I missed out on this cartoon in 2018, and it was a humongous mistake. CotC is quite possibly the most wholesome cartoon out there, telling amazing story about a boy, his friends, and his family, glorifying the mundane adventures in the creek to truly epic proportions. The family is especially important part, I do not remember a cartoon where bonds between family members were as well written as here. Definitely a must-watch if you have missed it as well.

On 8th of March, the International Women’s day, DC Superhero Girls 2019, aka My Little Pony But Humans And With Superpowers, started, and it was a blast. Creator. Lauren Faust, has once again proven that whatever she touches turns into gold. The shorts were funny, clever, and changed just enough of the DC universe to feel familiar, yet show us new, interesting scenarios. 

 In April, Missing Link had its premiere, showing that traditional, stop motion animation not only has place in modern times, but it can deliver spectacular scenes, though of course, we expected nothing less of studio Laika.

In May, one of Disney’s long-running series, Star vs The Forces of Evil had its finale, and that brings us to the first screech of the list. Many people complained about the direction the show has taken, some claiming it has gone off-track in S3, some saying it was S4 that dropped the quality. Some, like me, saw nothing wrong with it, but the finale let people dissatisfied. If anything, it was too short, and definitely could use an epilogue movie that would tie some of the remaining plot threads in something bigger than one single pan-shot. 

Rest in piece, laser puppies

Wait, they’re alive? Well, then... rest in piece, Hekapoo and her puppies.

This month also presented a first contender for this Summer’s line-up, Twelve Forever. The cartoon took us into wild, bizarre land of imagination, and offered quite a few very mature lessons about growing up and acknowledging one’s responsibilities. It also provided much needed representation, both in terms of colour and sexuality. 

Sadly, amidst scandals with its creator, the show was canned, though it’s also Netflix’s fault for not marketing it enough.

A-and maybe the show was just a tad too... creepy....

Also somewhere in May some Games might have been lost and some Thrones burned, but no one cares about it anymore. i think it was popular for a while, though.

However, 12 Forever was just a start. June gave us Amphibia, my personal top-bingeable cartoon of the year. Disney has hit a jackpot, giving us an incredibly creative fantasy show with rich mythology and enough emotional conflict to create fantastic storytelling. The only slight complain was the scheduling, as episodes aired daily, meaning the season was over by the end of the month. But honestly, the amount of humour and adventures with Anne in the forg world we got compensates that thousandfold. Book 2, coming in 2020, can only makes thing more interesting. 

Going for a hat-trick, in August we got the premiere of a cartoon that I was betting would be my personal favourite, Infinity Train... Until I learned of its schedule, even weirder than Amphibia’s. While Amphibia took a right turn, and gave us 20 episodes, a perfect amount for both plot and filler stories, Infinity Train... turned out to be a mini-series with just ten episodes, airing daily, two per night. And that, in my opinion, was a fatal mistake. Not only we now know that the story is not over, as Season 2 arrives in January, but the short episodes and its density gave very little time to leave an impact on us. If it was at least spaced out, then maybe I wouldn’t be so judgemental, but for me it was a blow that deflated the balloon I was clinging to since 2016 pilot. Still, there is more to come, and the story was more than interesting, so we’ll see if I get used to the pocket mini-story arcs.

September. Remember Steven Universe? That cartoon that ended? SIKE, HAVE A TV MOVIE. And by gods, old and new, what a phenomenal movie it was. A musical telling its own, contained story of betrayal, trust and finding yourself, based on Rebecca Sugar’s mis-adventure with a phone that reset itself... I have seen this movie at least ten times, and its OST is one I come back to constantly on Spotify. The songs are amazing, catchy, incredibly-well written, deep, and, as usual, send very adult messages about growing up and finding one’s identity, which SU was already famous for. Must watch.

Continuing the theme of reboots that actually make sense, Ducktales finished its second season after duck-bombs in March and May, with a heart-breaking story of Della Duck and humongous finale, extending DT’s universe to other Disney Afternoon shows. Season 3 promises even more, and DT is a golden standard of making a reboot that stays faithful to a more than half-a-century old material, while adding enough material to keep things fresh and funny for modern audience. What I’m saying is, Disney could really learn from Disney (pictured below).

But while some things start, some have to finish. October saw the end of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a show that has taken Internet by the storm in 2010 and...

...okay, cringy brony things aside, this was a clever re-imagining of the decades-old property, and its popularity, especially amongst the people outside the target demography is a proof of its quality. The ending was perfectly serviceable, nothing that stood out, in my opinion, but it definitely didn’t disappoint either. MLP FiM will live in history as the cartoon about pastel tiny horses that made adult men cry and gave them enough passion to create years of of visual crack. And porn. Lots of porn.

November:  Just In case if one season of human and elf adventures was enough, The Dragon Prince Season 3 arrived in November, and it provided a thrilling conclusion to its first smaller story arc. Though I wish the season was longer, and it dived into the history of Elves’ and Humans’ animosities, I would be lying if I said I didn’t binge-watch it all in one sitting, gripping my chair. 

Do you like Green Eggs and Ham? Yes, yes, I do, Sam-I-am. Question: how do you take a classic poem, made purposefully of limited vocabulary, and turn it into a thirteen episode series with a beginning, middle, and end? The answer: You add bunch of weird stuff and the mother of all complicated backstories... at least by the original’s standards. And here’s the thing: this is the first Dr Seuss’ adaption where it works. Somehow the writers were able to stretch each verse of the famous poem into a surprisingly emotional story about friendship, losing and restoring hope, as well as following your dreams. Plus, it gave us Fargo-esque team of Bad Guys. Come on. 

And just in time for Christmas season, we were blessed with Klaus, a clear contender for a Christmas classic in my opinion. This STUNNINGLY beautiful traditionally animated original Netflix movie is a very, very clever reinterpretation of St. Nick’s mythos, telling a deep, and very realistic story of greed and selfishness, and how can one turn their life around by changing their life, one present at a time.

We’re about to end the year, so HOW ABOUT SOME EMOTIONAL TRAUMA, KIDS? Yes, Steven Universe Future is here, and from the looks of it, Steven’s problems are just beginning, since they mature with him. The show’s too real, man. However, it also provided much needed levity, giving us a familiar taste. Nothing more to say, as the show is still airing, and it will surely give us more emotional moments.   

And that’s a wrap for 2019. As I’ve said, it is not exhaustive by any means, and from the looks of it, 2020 is gonna be as packed as its prequel. So yeah, the world might be on fire, but at least we got some nice cartoon to binge-watch.

Happy new year everyone! At least I have time until 6th of January when the first episode of Infinity Train Season two arriWHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S OUT ALREADY

[vivithefolle]

Can you rec some Ronarry fics? (Preferably long ones?) Sorry if I'm annoying you.

You’re not annoying me at all, Anon! :D Thought I’m super frustrated because I’ve read one very long fic that has Ron searching for Harry, who has amnesia and ran away to America (and is gay but nobody knew that) and Ron realizes he’s in love with Harry and the fic has about 30 chapters and it’s on FFN but I can’t find it!! x_x

Sooo… I didn’t find that many long fics but I can give you a long list of them if you want?

Beautiful FriendIt took six years for Harry to learn something in History of Magic.This one. Oh my lord this one… it’s short, but it’s amazing. It’s full of lovely lively details and Harry’s description of Ron is… aaaww.

Life DrawingDean watches, and sees something unexpected.Again, the descriptions! My lord the descriptions, and also you will relate very much to Dean if you’ve ever worked with pencils.

Something They Can Barely SeeHarry has no idea how to tell his best friend he wants more that friendship. He’s pretty sure this would be hell of a lot easier if he knew for sure how Ron felt about him.This one is plenty cute. Ron is adorable and Harry… Harry’s trying his best. :’D

Our Inner BeastsLater, Madam Pomfrey would tell them that both Bill and Ron were going to survive. But she had no idea what the effects of a werewolf bite, when the werewolf was still in human form, could do to their behavior.Okay, who’s up for writing more Creature!Ron fics? Seriously. Someone do some more of those. Here we have Ron as a werewolf, aggressive, feral, self-loathing�� doesn’t matter, Harry loves him.

Running with the Wolf, Loving the Mansnapshots of Harry Potter’s life with a werewolf boyfriendFollow-up of Our Inner Beasts. Someone heard our prayers and gave us more Werewolf!Ron, and it’s as wonderful as it sounds.

What HappenedThat’s just the thing, though. He doesn’t know what happened. He can’t pinpoint a single event where everything suddenly made sense. There was no epiphany or choir of angels or aligning of stars, or any of the other rubbish Parvarti goes on about in the Great Hall. There’s no one moment when he realized, “Oh.”Ron and Harry’s friendship, only it’s not just friendship. The last line will make you want to put on some epic music.

Follow The Butterflies“Why did it have to be spiders?” Ron moaned. “Why couldn’t we follow the butterflies?” Harry privately agreed with his best friend, but if there was anything Hogwarts had taught him, then that if he didn’t do something, no one would. “I promise the next time we have to follow anything, it will be butterflies.”Harry and Ron’s friendship again, with more butterflies thrown in the mix. It’s just as perfect as it sounds. If you don’t ship Harry/Ron, this fanfic might just change your mind.

Sonnets of Magical InterferenceHarry receives some strange notes about his love life, or lack thereof.By the end of that fic, you might just cheer for a very controversial character.

HeavenHarry’s heaven includes Ron.Features Ron being emotional over a movie, Chinese takeout, and Harry being a sap. What more could you ask for?

Harry Potter And The World That Went Bloody Insane“I know something you don’t know” is, apparently, the essence of Harry Potter’s love life. Harry’s certain that the world has been reading one too many romance novels, but then, Harry’s always been a bit oblivious.Featuring Protective!Attentive!Caring!Ron and Oblivious!Harry in their stinky flat and everyone shipping Harry/Ron. It’s awesome.

Check MateHarry questions his dreams, Ron has a scary one of his own, Hermione and Cho plot, and Seamus and Dean obsess.Harry’s subconscious has lots of funny ideas. Ron is ridiculously cute. Might be a bit difficult to read because of FFN’s shitty formating for line breaks.

On The OutsideHarry doesn’t think there’s much point to his being gay. He can’t have regular sex, he can’t have children, and he can’t tell his best friend he’s in love with him.Ron is utterly adorable, do I really have to say it? Why, yes, yes I do.

Newton’s LawFor every action, there is an equal and opposite reactionCheck out this author’s other Harry/Ron fics. I especially like Brass Ring; in the meantime, have a rather in-character reaction of Hermione and Ginny finding out about their ex-boyfriends dating. Hey, not my fault if JKR doesn’t know how to write strong female characters without making them abusive.

Sleeping BeautyThe most gen ever retelling of Sleeping Beauty.Who cares if it’s gen, it’s amazing. Harry sleeps, Ron is wonderful, and ants get colorful.

The Complexities Of Muggle MachineryHarry bought a refrigerator. Then it was a microwave. Then a blender. Thursday was the coffee brewer. Ron really liked that last one.Ron is absolutely, heart-stoppingly, adorably cute and pretty much just like I imagine him to be around Muggle things. Harry’s lucky.

After the cupcakesThey never really talked about it but they are each other’s world. And perhaps a lazy Sunday morning is as good a time as any to finally say something.Utterly sappy and fluffy and you know me, I was mostly there for Harry’s description of Ron. It didn’t disappoint.

Sing Your LoveThroughout the years they’ve lived together, Harry has always enjoyed Ron’s singing but lately he’s been picking up hidden messages in his flatmate’s song choices.Do you like Ron singing? Do you like Ron dancing? Do you like Ron crying his heart out over an emotionally oblivious Harry? Well in that case you’ve found the perfect fic!

Snakes & LaddersAfter the final battle with Voldemort, Harry intends to get on with his life. There’s just one problem; he was supposed to have died when he confronted Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest and now the Other Side is trying to collect him. But in the space between his ‘death’ and the victory celebrations, Harry’s fallen in love… and he’s not going to give up his second chance without a fight.A complicated premise, a complicated tale, a very worried Ron, a very determined Harry, an entirely unwelcome Severus Snape coming from beyond the Veil, all leading up to an epic confrontation in the Other Side. Who knew the afterlife had a court?

Now, it’s time for… TEH SMUT! D:Every story below this text will have MATURE CONTENT. Shoo, children, shoo!

Partners (last chapter gets NSFW)What if the girls hadn’t come in just then?  What course of action would Harry, in his desperate frame of mind, have latched onto instead?This fanfic made one of my most desperate wishes come true. For those who don’t know me, I’ll just tell you that Cinderella isn’t a matter of gender.

Scars (warning: mentions of self-harm)Ron is embarrassed of his scars, and Harry might be able to help.Ron is his terribly self-loathing self, but at least Harry is there to remind him of what we Ron-lovers know: that he’s loved and beautiful.

The Matchmaker (contains sexual mention)Sir Nicholas has never had a couple like these two…Nearly-Headless Nick ships Harry and Ron. So does the entire Gryffindor House. All in all, just what we need.

Exploring The Spectrum (NSFW at the end)Ron wakes up to find he can only see in a single colour.Very interesting mystery and clever use of a forgotten plot point. The resolution is basically “sex solves everything” but otherwise it’s a great story.

Hug! Hug! Kiss! (second-to-last drabble is NSFW)Ron loses Harry in a foreign land. In other words, Harry accidentally joins a Japanese boy band.This story is ridiculous, confusing, crazy, and absolutely hilarious. No existing celebrities were harmed.

Just Another Teenage Epoch - Ron Weasley, 1999 (NSFW at the end)Ron wants to be an Auror, and he wants to not grow up, and he really wants other people to stop kissing Harry.The classic mistletoe tale! Ron is not amused at all. It’s okay, we’re rooting for him (and Harry is, too).

Trapped in Winter (NSFW at the end)Harry and Ron have an argument. When Ron goes to storm out of the room, he’s frozen in time, and when Harry touches him to see what’s the matter, they’re both transported to a snowy winter wonderland.A surprising premise that leads to a confused, hurt Ron and a tight-lipped Harry, and of course, to Harry/Ron. Pretty nice!

That We Might Be Exactly Like We Were (warning: graphic self-harm, realistic depression, themes of suicide)'Everything just takes me back, to when you were there…’This author pretty much nails what depression is like. She also has several other Harry/Ron fanfics that are written just as expertly as this one, but be forewarned, they tend to deal with very upsetting topics as well. Sadly, I could see her version of Ron existing in the canon we know.

Slow Slide (get out) to a Better Place (warning: abuse and r*pe)Harry told himself that everything was fine in his relationship with Ginny, at least until he couldn’t lie to himself anymore. And by then, he thought it might be too late.  Fortunately, he has two very good friends who will always be there for him, one of whom might eventually be something more.Downside: Ginny fans should NOT read this story. Upside: contains Vivi’s most beloved ship, Romione + Ronarry.

Prelude and Fugue (NSFW in the middle)It took over an hour, from the time Harry arrived at work, for him to realise just how different today actually was.The “Groundhog Day” loop is wonderfully done, you can actually feel the weariness building as Harry wakes up and notices it’s still Monday, bloody Monday.And Ron is absolutely adorable - yes, I’ll say it every time!

Princes of Maine (NSFW at the end)Harry wakes one morning to find an abandoned baby on his doorstep. Little does he know that this is only the beginning of his most challenging adventure yet: parenthood.You want Harry as a single parent and not knowing anything about babies? You have it. You want Ron as a competent Healer who’s sick of Harry’s shit and determined to get answers as to why his best mate is a wreck? You have it. You want Harry/Ron? What are you waiting for, dive in!

Still looking for more? Take a look at this post!

[seranen-blog]

💘 Chou and Jessie of course

dating ! x ; accepting ; @jerseydeviled  

where they first met and how: pfft please — Jessie was just a poor passerby that Chou wanted to mess with and made him trip with his feet, also giving him a weird nickname right off the bat so... yeah.

how long their ‘flirting’ phase was before feelings got involved: not that long, to be honest. I’m sure they were just tricking each other for a couple of days or so before developing this weird friendship over piercings and then this odd sexual tension between them.

who fell for who first ( if applicable ): Jessie and Chou’s relationship is much more physical focused than emotional so I’d say it’s not applicable in their case. I see them much more like friends with benefits, if anything else. I mean, Chou loving someone? a miracle.

where their first date was and what it was like: a trip to a tattoo / piercing parlor, as that was one of the many ways they bonded. they didn’t get anything done but came out with all sorts of ideas on doing on one another so it wasn’t totally lost.

who asks who out and how ( with a sign? spelled out on a cake? just a simple ‘will you go out with me’? ): Chou, most of the times. appearing from behind and hugging Jessie by the neck and just... dragging him until their destination. or headbutting him to get his attention first, whatever he’s feeling like on the day, to be honest.

who proposes first: Chou makes the first move but there isn’t any cute words or gifts involved. their relationship isn’t lovey-dovey — nor healthy enough for that.

if they keep / kept their relationship secret or let everyone know right away: let’s be real — the whole fucking world knows on the very first day because they’ve zero intention of hiding anything. they give zero fucks and just kiss and tell everyone and I love them.

where the proposal happens and how ( kiss cam at a baseball game? on a hillside surrounded by ducks? at a disney park? ): a park near Tori’s, where Chou usually hangs out when he has some time to kill. there’s no romance in any of his actions. just pure lust and the need of company. 

if they adopt any pets together: Jessie would definitely push a cat to Chou and it’d just stay in his room, trying to hunt his butterflies and giving Chou a headache whenever it tries to fight Mochi (Kaguya’s cat).

who’s more dominant: Chou, definitely.

where their first kiss was and what it was like: in the middle of a very crowded street, of course. just for the funs and stares they’d get to be honest. and if you think it was just a peck on the lips, oh you’re so wrong. it was a full on french kiss, and a very long one at that.

if they have any matching couples stuff ( mugs? sweaters? pillowcases? ): mugs — found by mistake by Jessie while they were both walking around town. they stay in Tori’s and are used whenever Jessie is around there. and they constantly fight about whoever is using the better one (ridiculously good looking) every time.

how into pda they are: very. whenever they’re walking around town, you bet there’s going to be PDA all the time. they really just don’t care about other’s opinions. 

who holds the umbrella when it rains: Chou, if only because he’s taller than Jessie and doesn’t want the other to constantly hit his head with it.

where their usual ‘date spot’ is ( if applicable ): park near Tori’s, tattoos / piercing parlors.

who’s more protective: Jessie.

how long it is before they sleep together ( can be as in ‘had sex’ or as in ‘shared a bed’ ): erm, not long — the day they kissed was already that day as well. Chou isn’t someone to waste time.

if they argue about anything: you mean everything? if only for the laughs or to annoy the other but they seldom discuss about something seriously. their main fight is around the mug, not gonna lie.

who leaves more marks ( lipstick, hickeys, scratchmarks etc. ): Jessie — hickeys and straight up scars which Chou obviously doesn’t mind.

who steals whose clothes and how often: Jessie and often. since they’re always hanging around Chou’s room, it’s not unusual to see the devil walking around with the waiter’s clothes.

how they cuddle ( spooning? facing each other? ): Jessie using his arm as a pillow and Chou sleeping while sinking his face into the other’s hair because he’s weird like that.

what their favourite nonsexual activity is: pranking each other and waiting for the other’s reaction.

how long they stay mad at each other: a couple of minutes at best.

what their usual coffee / tea orders are: black coffee for Chou and hot chocolate for Jessie (but if Chou’s making he’ll definitely put something weird on it like pepper or salt and he’s not sorry).

if they ever have any children together: nooooope. they’re both manchildren (and horrible beings over all) themselves and should never, EVER be responsible for another human being.

if they have any special pet names for each other: mr. man and imp, period.

if they ever split up and / or get back together: would only last a day or two, to be fairly honest. they aren’t tied by emotion so? the absence would probably only cause a bit of boredom, if anything. and they both know they’re too much of a good match to stay away from each other, amirite.

what their shared living space is like ( messy? clean? what kind of decor? ): clean but only because Kaguya forces them to clean it or she cleans it herself. since they don’t live together and just hang around Chou’s room, it’s his decor — musical instruments, taxidermified animals, vivariums with all kinds of butterflies, everything with a blue palette overall. with Jessie coming and going, he does leave a few decorations behind, so the waiter’s room is getting a bit more color — a cactus entitled Johnny by Chou, a teddy bear won in a random festival they went on a whim and a very, very odd canvas of abstract art with Jessie’s signature on it hanging near his bed (the regrets).

what their first christmas / hanukkah / etc as a couple was like: nothing too exciting? they kissed under the mistletoe, exchanged a couple of small gits (mainly food and drinks) and just cozied together until they both fell asleep from food coma (thanks to Hane letting Jessie stay for dinner).

what their names are in each other’s phones: in Chou’s — “ a very gorgeous mr. man “ written by Jessie, of course. and in Jessie’s — “ impish brat ” because Chou doesn’t really mind and actually does enjoy his brand new nickname.

if they have any ‘couple traditions’ ( buying a new mug for their collection every year? baking every friday evening? ): headbutting one another every time they see each other jokes aside, not really? Jessie does partake in butterfly hunting with Chou from time to time, I guess.

who falls asleep first and who wakes up first: Jessie falls asleep first and Chou is the first one to wake up.

who’s the big spoon / little spoon: Chou’s the big spoon and Jessie’s the little one.

who hogs the bathroom: Jessie. with Chou screaming to use it in the background

who kills the spiders / takes them outside: Jessie if only because Chou would definitely keep each and every single one of them.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #157

hey instead of lyrics, there’s a warning for a religiously offensive answer.

How many kids do you want to have?  Only too many scaly and furry ones. <3 Who’s the last person you smoked weed with?  I've never smoked it. Who is the person you have hurt the most?  Probably Mom. Who is the person that has hurt you the most?  Jason. Who was the last person who cried around you?  Mom when she found out about my cousin Brenna. What was the last thing you cried about?  Emotional conversation with Sara. What’s your current problem?  Just friendship stuff after breaking apart from Colleen again and being ignored when I've been reaching out to old friends, something I've been putting a lot of effort into lately.  I just don't get what's wrong with me/what's that damn unlikable about me that I can't make or maintain friendships. What brand of face wash do you use?  Biore.  Or I think Neutrogena if I have a pimple. Do you know anyone who owns a boat?  Dad. Did you get carded the last time you ordered an alcoholic drink?  I surprisingly didn't.  Nor did I get carded when I bought something from the liquor store for Mom and me.  Do I look 30 or something now that my hair's cut. Did your parents give you an allowance as a kid? No. Do you know anyone who’s died in childbirth? No, thankfully. Are you (or have you ever been) a vegetarian?  I am.  Took a brief break for weight loss purposes but seeing as that did nothing, I went back to it and plan on staying that way. Do you ever use Snapchat?  No. What was the last show that you watched a full episode of? The Good Doctor. Do you get your feelings hurt easily?  Yup. When you go to McDonalds, what drink do you usually get?  Coke. What’s the nickname of your home state?  The Tar Heel State. What’s the worst type of weather in your opinion?  Hot and humid. Do you have a Kindle or iPad or neither?  Neither. Would you rather read or write? Write. Is there a dead end road near where you live?  Most likely. Have you ever had to call and complain about a product you bought?  No. Do you have a sensitive gag reflex?  YUP. Are you at risk for any medical issues?  Heart issues run in my family, and I'm finding out if I have hypoglycemia like.  Tomorrow. Is there an upcoming concert you want to go to?  Metallica in January, desperately. Do you own a robe?  No.  Don't really need one.  I get dressed right after showering. What is your favorite mark of punctuation?  Question mark. How many deep dark secrets do you have?  I don't really keep it a secret, but I don't just happily share it either.  One. Where is your father right now?  I'd assume at work. How comfy is your bed on a scale of 1-10?  I guess like... 7? What was the spiciest thing you’ve ever eaten?  Hot wings at BWW doused in like the... fourth-hottest sauce. Who last called you sexy?  The only one who is insane enough to call me that is Sara. Do you want any more piercings?  Collarbones when they're prominent again, more in my ears, and then if/when I lose enough weight probably lower back dermals and bellybutton. Do you believe in heaven and hell?  Not in the Christian concept, but in some manner, probably.  Certainly a heaven of some sort for the good.  I don't know about a hell, but maybe purgatory as earth-bound spirits?  I mean there's no way the evil are going to a lovely place. Which do you think you're most likely to go to?  Hopefully a heaven, but if it turns out the Christian god is real, happily to Hell because fuck him for a multitude of reasons. How will the world end?  A meteor strike seems logical.  Flooding from global warming (I don't know how much it actually would cover if all ice melted, but).  The sun dying, if Earth is lucky enough to possibly survive that long. Are you scared of the dark?  No. How many true friends would you say you had?  Like 2-3, lol. Do you have a motto?  Not really. When was the last time you went on a trampoline?  Couldn't guess. What’s your best memory with each of your parents?  Dad, maybe him teaching me to ride a bike.  Or playing softball.  As for Mom, maybe the time we were driving around one night, grabbed some milkshakes, and jammed out to Judas Priest way too loud lol. Do you believe that leaving a significant other for someone else is ever a good idea?  I mean, sure.  If you truly loved your s/o, you wouldn't even consider someone else.  Better than cheating. Is it possible to ‘fix’ a ‘broken’ relationship?  I'm not sure, honestly.  This will never in any universe happen, but let's just say Jason and I got back together.  It wouldn't work.  At all.  Our relationship was Heaven to me until it ended, and I know it could never be repaired. If you found someone seemingly perfect for you, but it turned out they had a child… would you still give the relationship a chance?  Nope.  I could never take on the role of a parent figure for a child.  Nevermind one that wasn't mine or Sara's. Is it possible to ‘fall out of love’?  Yeah, been there. Why do you think people choose to get married?  Some people just enjoy the idea of a legal union with each other to signify their love, some don't want sex or kids before marriage, etc. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged?  We're both girls, but if it was physically possible, definitely. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything?  Mom or Sara, depending on the subject. Who was the last person you danced with?  Sara. How many tattoos would you get?  Arms covered, hands, knuckles, neck, sternum, hips, back, ribs... lots.  The only place I'm not very interested in tattooing are my legs, but it'll probably happen if I find something I love and also to balance things out.  Might look kinda weird to have so many but then none below my hips. Abusive relationship: leave him/her or keep it a secret?  TELL.  SOMEONE.  I'm sure the idea is terrifying, but what's scarier is staying with someone abusive.  Tell someone who can do something. Besides your mouth, where is your favorite spot to get kissed?  Breasts. Who was the last member of the opposite sex you laid in a bed with?  Jason. Do you prefer broccoli or asparagus?  I like the broccoli, the latter is disgusting. Do you like gore?  Sometimes it's aesthetically pleasing to me, sometimes it gives me a quick gag if it's something real gross with humans because then I can actually imagine it on myself. Have you ever read Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov?  No.  Pretty sure I know the basis of it, though, if it's about the lolita fashion.  My friend had a phase where she was deeeep into it and told me about a book of that name.  Gross. Do serial killers fascinate you?  Not especially, but sometimes it is intriguing to learn just how fucked they can be.  I wonder how the mind can make up some shit. Besides your own, what’s your favorite country?  That I'm at least somewhat aware of, I find Japanese culture quite interesting. Would you ever get a septum piercing?  Nah, don't think it'll look good on me. Are you lactose intolerant?  No. Are you allergic to gluten?  No. Do you know anyone who is missing a toe?  No. Do any lights stay on while you sleep?  My snake's and iguana's lamps. If you have a notepad in your phone, what do you use it for the most?  Lmao tattoo ideas. Have you ever had a crush on someone of the same gender?  At least three girls.  Two before I even realized I was bi lmao.  Just looking back, my bond with them on my end wasn't straight, Alon especially. What store do you shop at the most for clothes?  HotTopic. Would you ever get your nipples pierced?  I very recently actually briefly considered it lmao.  I wouldn't tho.  Tbfh mainly just because of foreplay reasons shhhh. How many pets do you own?  Six. What’s your least favorite season? I loathe summer. Do you like tacos? Omg no. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert. Do you like to play board games?  Not really, no. Are you fond of romantic novels? When I read, I wouldn't actively seek them out, but I enjoyed quite a few. Fruit Loops or Cocopops?  Fruit Loops = Good Shit. Would you eat a live spider for one million dollars? Biiiitch yes for that much. Do you believe in aliens? I've been more open to the possibility lately.  Maybe. If you were the last person alive besides one other person you get to chose, who would it be?  My Sara Jane. Dogs or cats?  Cats. Do you like cotton candy?  I can only manage a couple bites.  Too sweet. Would you ever use a dating site? I like to pretend that never happened lmao neeeever again. Do you believe in ghosts?  Absolutely. Rap or pop? Pop, if I had to pick between the two. Do you like Lady Gaga?  Some of her songs are super catchy. What about Nick Minaj?  She's very talented in her genre, but I'm not a fan of her music. How many pairs of jeans do you own? None. Do you have an addiction to anything?  Technology. Do you like cheeseburgers?  Probably what I miss most being a vegetarian.  I love burgers. Do you have a Flickr? Yes. When did you last vacuum your room? Few days back. Who was the last person to sit on your bed?  Mom. Do you have a favorite flower?  Orchids. Do you like to cuddle with your S.O. or do you prefer your space?  Depends on how comfortable I am in the relationship.  In my current one, I am like.  Soooo cuddly. Do you like being called pet names or not?  Depends on the person.  Parents, s/o, friends, sure. Do you care if your produce is organic or not?  Not really, but I mean if I was to pick between something organic or not and I was aware, I'd certainly pick the organic. Do you get enough calcium?  I love milk, bro. Who is it that you’re in love with?  Sara 100% 100% 100% my babygirl. Is your significant other of the same ethnicity as you?  Yes. Do you have any friends in a band?  An old friend is the guitarist of a pretty nice metal band. What’s your favorite flavor of potato chip?  Classic, probs. What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?  Suicidal depression. Do you ever donate money to charity? If so, which charity and why? Once I have a source of income, I plan on donating to every charity livestream Mark does.  One, because it's just being a generous human, but also because I try to actively support everything he does. How many are too many partners for one person, in your opinion? Basically, I only support monogamy. What has been the most exciting moment of your life thus far? Meeting Sara. What’re your plans for your next birthday?  Lemme get my Mark tattoo, man.  Go out to my favorite restaurant.  Family time. Have you ever kissed anyone with a tongue ring?  No. Thinking back to the last person you kissed, have you ever kissed them on their bed?  Yeah. Have you ever slept in the same bed with the last person you kissed?  Yeah. Thinking back to the last person you really, truly passionately kissed, how many times have you cried because of them?  Waaaaaaaay too many times. How cold does it have to be before you put on a sweater?  Like low 50s. Has anyone ever pulled a gun on you?  Whoa no. Kisses on the cheek or the neck?  If you're not in the mood to make out, don't kiss me on the neck lmao. One word to describe your most recent ex? Hilarious. Fried, poached, boiled or scrambled eggs? I only like scrambled. Have you ever gotten into a club, whilst being underage?  Never been to one. When do you plan on moving out?  When Sara and I are ready to move in together. Before Facebook became popular, did you use any other social networking site like Bebo or MySpace?  I had MySpace. Do you think when someone says “I love you” that you are obliged to say it back?  Definitely not.  Those are strong words. Which Disney princess do you think is the most beautiful and why?  Hmmm, I think Pocahontas.  I just think she's very pretty. What’s the best food to have at a sleepover?  PIZZA. How did you meet the last person you shared a bed with?  YouTube. Do you have any half-siblings?  Four. When going shopping for junk food, what’s the first thing you pick up?  Usually chips. At sleepovers, do you usually stay up all night or actually go to sleep?  Go to sleep. Is there anything in the room you’re in that’s really dusty?  I neeeed to dust my fan. Do you know anybody with different colored eyes?  No. Are any of your relatives vets?  Not to my knowledge. How many minutes do you consider late?  More than 5. What kinds of food do you dunk into milk?  Just cookies. Do you have any current or past teachers on your Facebook friends?  Yes. How much sugar do you like in your tea/coffee?  I hate both. Have you ever seen your mom or dad drunk?  Yeah. After seeing a movie, do you go to a site to enter a review about it?  No. Do your parents vote?  I know Mom does.  Guessing Dad does. How would you react if your best friend was pregnant/got someone pregnant?  My best friend is my girlfriend, and I'd support whatever she decided.  She doesn't want kids at all, nor do I think her body could handle it, so I'd understand if she aborted, and if she didn't, I'd try damn hard to be an amazing parent. What restaurant has the best fries?  Bojangle's fries got all her challengers SHOOK. What does your mailbox look like?  Just a normal 'ole mailbox. Would your mom make a good president?  No. What’s your favorite thing to eat during a movie?  Popcorn. Do you consider cooking to be an art?  Sure, it can be. What browser do you prefer to use?  Chrome. What genre of films do you like the best? Paranormal horror. Have you ever had a crush on someone several years older than yourself?  No. Does your best friend have any tattoos?  No. Who was the last person you were rude to? Did you have a good reason?  Probably Mom.  There's never a good reason to be rude.

[ahouseoflies]

The Best Films of 2019, Part IV

Part III, Part II, Part I PRETTY PRETTY GOOD MOVIES

62. Shazam! (David F. Sandberg)- One of the most comic-booky movies to come around in a while in the sense that it seems to be in fast forward for the first third, using shorthands because it has too much story to tell. I am sad to report that Shazam! has no Movie Stars in it, and I didn't realize how essential those were to the superhero genre. There is a cagey standalone quality to its modest bets though. I like that it's anchored in a real place and isn't afraid to be a little too scary for kids. I would see it mostly as a product of potential though, for a funny Jack Dylan Grazer, for the filmmakers, and for the studio. As a student of weird billing, I have so many questions about Adam Brody getting awarded fifth lead for a bit part.

61. Fighting with My Family (Stephen Merchant)- Dwayne Johnson as producer feels like the auteur here, since the formulaic story has more to do with his combed-over, please-everyone persona than with Stephen Merchant's more messy, improvisatory style. I couldn't care less about the time spent on Jack Lowden's brother character, but I was impressed with the physical part of Florence Pugh's performance. This is a movie you've seen a hundred times, but it hits most of its marks skillfully. 60. Spider-Man: Far From Home (Jon Watts)- This is a movie in which a spurned tech innovator uses drone projectors to stage a battle in which he defeats an elemental water monster to save Venice. The best sequence is one in which a boy tries to trick his friends into letting him sit next to the girl he likes on a flight.  59. John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum (Chad Stahelski)- What a criticism it is to claim that the filmmakers give in too much to fanservice, especially since I don't know what that word means anymore if something like this is the monoculture. So they gave us, the audience, what we wanted, and I was upset that it was two hours and ten minutes? Seriously though, have you ever eaten too much ice cream? 58. Fyre (Chris Smith)- An interesting yarn that gets at the foolishness of Internet influencing better than anything else that I've seen. I was surprised by how distant many of the subjects seemed, as if only the Big Bad Billy was responsible for any misleading. And I was grateful that, despite the level of criminality on display, it was still as funny as the tweets were at the time. The film lacks shape though, and it would be nice to have somebody smart on hand to answer questions. Can someone explain to me why it's so important that the island used to be Pablo Escobar's? Why should I want to be like Pablo Escobar? 57. Leaving Neverland (Dan Reed)- Part 1 works because of the striking similarities in the parallel stories, as well as the subjects' perspicacious understanding of their own emotions and childhood psychology. So Part 2 gets extremely frustrating when these men, who have already proven how articulate they are, seem puzzled by the obvious psychological problems they have as adults. 56. Diane (Kent Jones)- This movie is kind of good when it's purely slice-of-life, before it declares what it is. It's very good once it declares itself as a routine of self-flagellation, a sort of Raging Bull for women with multiple recipes for tater tot hotdish. It's a little less good when it speeds up and goes back on that thesis near the end. For the record, I think Mary Kay Place is fine. I don't get the critical adoration.

55. Rocketman (Dexter Fletcher)- If the choice is Bohemian Rhapsody or this, then I'll take this every time. Unlike the former, Elton John's life doesn't present an obvious high point in the second half or easy conflict for the first half. As a result, the relationships within John's family seem broad with manufactured conflict. (His birth father's hardness isn't that far off from Walk Hard's "wrong kid died.") But there's an authenticity here that's refreshing, a respect to the unique friendship between Elton and Bernie and a respect for the transformative power of the music. That sincerity extends to Egerton's generous performance, which nails the self-effacing Elton John smile. So there are some biopic structural problems that can't be helped, but if only to admire the '80s fits that Elton gets off, attention must be paid. 54. Triple Frontier (J.C. Chandor)- A useful example for differentiating between tropes and cliches of the action drama genre. For someone who gets less amped than I do for dudes meeting in a shipping container to have a conversation about how "now is the time to get out," it's probably full of cliches. For fans of hyper-masculine parables about getting a team together (that are also sort of meta-commentaries on their lead actor's fallen star), it's full of tropes. 53. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (Mike Mitchell)- The plot is nearly incoherent, and the sequel isn't really satirizing anything like the first one was. But the jokes come at a Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker clip. A character in a car chase saying, "It's like she knows my every move" before a cut reveals he's been using turn signals? That's some Frank Drebin stuff. 52. Long Shot (Jonathan Levine)- Jonathan Levine has carved out an interesting directorial space for himself, with a career far different from what I imagined when I saw and loved The Wackness, a film to which I'm a little afraid to return. Levine is making, at the highest level possible ($40 million budget?), the types of movies that we claim don't get made anymore. A one-crazy-night Christmas comedy, an adventure comedy, and now a political romantic comedy, all with top flight Movie Stars. Long Shot seems like a rare opportunity to put Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron together and do something special, and what we come out with is...cute. For every good decision the film makes--what a supporting cast, all playing rounded characters--it makes a bad one--leaning too heavily into Rogen's patented "I don't really know what we're yelling about" delivery. The music is uninspired, but the presidential satire is pretty clever. The rhythm of the film is jagged and doesn't really cut together, but the script is very fair to the Theron character. Even in the general tone of the film's politics, it declares a few ideals, but those positions are still too neutral and obvious. I had a good time, but in a more capable director's hands, this experience wouldn't feel like math. 51. Isn’t It Romantic (Todd Strauss-Schulson)- So frothy that it almost doesn't believe in itself, especially near the end, but I found myself laughing a lot. Regarding the gay best friend, I'm very interested in the space of politically incorrect humor that is acceptable only because the work has built up self-awareness in other areas. That's a difficult negotiation, but this movie balances it. 50. Yesterday (Danny Boyle)- There's one twist that stretches the moral center of the film, and two minutes later there's a twist that's probably just a bridge too far in good taste. Other than that, this is a really cute Richard Curtis script, and it's nice to hear "Hey Jude" on movie speakers. 49. Ready or Not (Radio Silence)- Short and spicy, despite one or two too many twists. I'm in the front row of the Adam Brody Revival, but I appreciated the movie more as an exercise in the paranoid misery built into wealth. I wish I could have written the line down, but Alex says something like, "I didn't realize how much you could do just because your family said that it was okay," and that's the whole film. If you can, see it without watching the trailer first.

48. The Laundromat (Steven Soderbergh)- Mary Ann Bernard is a Steven Soderbergh pseudonym, but what if he did hire an outside editor? What if someone saved him from himself? It's hard to believe that Meryl Streep is the heart of the film--if the film's thesis is "The meek will inherit the Earth?"--if we go on a twenty-minute detour to an African family and a ten-minute detour to China. I laughed quite a bit, and I admire the audacity of the ending. But this is a movie that knows what it's about without knowing how to be about it.

47. High Flying Bird (Steven Soderbergh)- As a person who can cite most NBA players' cap figures off the top of my head, I should love High Flying Bird, a movie about a sports agent who tries to topple the system during an NBA lockout. Instead I liked it okay. It takes an hour to kick into high gear, but once it does, some self-contained scenes are powerhouses, and the writer of Moonlight was always going to provide an emotional kick that is sometimes absent from Soderbergh's work. Like Soderbergh's Unsane from last year, High Flying Bird is shot on an iPhone, an appropriate form given that the execution is a do-it-yourself parable that takes place mostly inside. Soderbergh is a man who has always tried to trade the ossified system of moviemaking for experimentation, so most reviews have pointed toward the meta quality of capturing a character doing that same thing in another medium. Like most of his post-retirement work, however, I find myself asking one question: "Would anyone care if this were made by another director?" 46. Piercing (Nicolas Pesce)- Good sick fun with a taste for the theatrical. I saw twist one and twist three coming, but twist two was ingenious. It ends the only way it can, which is okay. 45. Booksmart (Olivia Wilde)- At first the film is hard to acclimate to, stylized as it is into a very specific but absurd setting, counteracted by a very specific and realistic relationship. The music cues are all awful until the Perfume Genius one, which is so perfect that it erases the half-dozen clunkers.But it's smartly funny, funnily warm, and warmly smart. The screenplay does some clever things with swapping the protagonists' wants and needs at crucial times. Molly will have an obvious drive that overrides Amy's fear, and then a few scenes later, there will be an organic reversal. 44. Joker (Todd Phillips)- Joker presents more ideas than it cogently lands. I don't disagree with Amanda Dobbins's burn that it feels more like a vision board than a coherent story. Still, its success kind of fascinates me. This dark provocation, shot on real locations, has way more in common with Phoenix entries like You Were Never Really Here than it does with the DCEU. In fact, the comic book shoehorns feel like intrusions into a story about a guy who likes to Jame Gumb skinny-dance. Dunk on me if you want, but I think it's most eerie and affecting as a portrait of mental illness. Whereas Joker is a criminal mastermind in Batman lore, this is a guy helpless enough to scrawl into a notebook, "The worst part about having a mental illness is pretending to people that you don't." And that idea gets borne out in a scene in which he's pausing and rewinding a tape to study how a talk show guest sits and waves like a regular person. It's rare enough to see a person this mentally ill depicted on screen; it's even rarer to see someone this aware of his own isolation and otherness.

[fondjester]

A Case for The Spongebob Musical

So this show starts performances on Broadway Nov. 6, 2017 and occasionally I’ll see posts about it with questions about its quality or this and that (and send asks to people put these things in their tags, so shout out to @ratherthepoint for being interested in what I had to say about this), so here’s contribution of my thoughts on the show as someone who can maybe kind of sort of answer these questions, so here are my opinions:

This show is pretty darn good. I think it's gonna play especially well with 20-somethings who grew up with the show. Cause it’s not written like a show targeted at little kids. It’s mostly family friendly with a few things that are definitely going over kids’ heads, but it’s also kind of self-aware of how ridiculous it can be, acknowledging it, and then just playing in that space and having a great time anyway. It’s not a flawless, sophisticated, high-brow show. And it’s not trying to be that. However, the cast is amazing and the design aspects are stunning. You can tell this show was put together and is performed by people who really love and care about what they’re doing. That sincerity lets the show’s heart come through in both the cheesy and emotional points throughout, so more than anything, this show is a joy to watch, and I honestly enjoyed it every time I saw it.

(I worked at the theater where the show had its Chicago run last summer and through the job saw the show eight times. Never got sick of it, and still miss it every now and then.)

On a slightly more critical note, there are some parts I’m not crazy about. There are a couple of subplots that don’t really land for me, and a couple of songs that aren’t my favorite, but as a credit to the production, even those parts are interesting to watch at least once because of the staging/actors/choreography/etc. Plus, given the amount of time between the Chicago run and its Broadway opening, there could very well be some changes that make a difference in those bits.

Personal highlights:

Ethan Slater: That boy is crazy good. There are so many aspects of his physicality and mannerisms that go into his Spongebob, not to mention he is such a triple threat. Just. I want all good things for him. And I love how he performs Spongebob’s “I want” song very much. (I also just really like that song)

Gavin Lee: In general, Squidward is great in the show, but Gavin Lee has the timing and delivery down to a tee, and does great things in the background during the show. Plus his tap dance number (with four legs) is my favorite bit of the show.

The Ensemble: All so good! I love how the ensemble works in this show! Stephanie Hsu (Karen) and Jason Michael Snow (Patchy) are stand outs for me, both had some great improv moments throughout the run.

The friendship between Spongebob and Patrick: I just really liked how this is written. And both actors play off of each other really well.

Wrap up:

I really like this show! I think it’s quite good! On “the scale of Spider-Man Turn off the Dark to School of Rock in terms of “ridiculous musicals with powerhouse creators that could turn out really good”” (as someone who hasn’t seen School of Rock yet), I’d say it’s in a similar realm as Shrek the Musical, but I like it even better than I like Shrek. Is it worth seeing on Broadway? If you’ve got the money for it, go for it. I’d say listen to the album when it comes out (they’ve already recorded it, and are supposedly releasing it around the time they open on Broadway), and if that sounds pretty good, look in to getting tickets. I imagine they’re going to have some sort of rush/lotto situation and that’d definitely be worth it. I will say, this is a show where having really good visibility from your seat matters because a lot happens outside of the actually stage area if staging remains consistent, so keep that in mind when choosing seats.

I think that does it! Please feel free to message me if you’ve got any other questions and I can do my best to answer them!

[headcanonsandmore]

Rarry recs please I need this to get out of bed today

Sure! Hope you like these!

‘Wildflowers and soft laughter’ by Cookies and Ink. Ron decides to finally confront the stranger who'd been stealing wildflowers from their front garden every weekend. He also manages to repeatedly embarrass himself in the process. Rated T.

‘Wedding Favours’ by Cookies and Ink. Harry had agreed to be Ginny's fake boyfriend for a wedding, to keep her Mum off her back. He hadn't expected to find someone he'd fall head over heels for there. Rated T.

Basically, check out everything by Cookies and Ink. They write so much Rarry/Harron fanfiction (often AU stuff, as well as halfway-canon stuff).

‘Engaged’ by I’mdeadsothere. All around Harry everyone is getting engaged, leaving Harry to wonder if he'll ever have the same honor. Especially when the one person he truly loves, well, it's complicated. Rated T. Contains strong language.

‘Beds’ by I’mdeadsothere. Now that the war is over Harry treats himself by buying a nice big fluffy bed. Only it's too nice, too fluffy, and WAY too big. Ron has the perfect solution, but it'll change a lot more than just how Harry feels about his bed. Rated T. Contains strong language. (This one also has Hermione ‘biggest Rarry shipper on the planet’ Granger involved, so that’s a plus).

(WARNING- FLAGRANT SELF-PROMOTION) There’s also my own ‘Having trouble sleeping?’, which is about Ron being the crush of both Hermione and Harry. It doesn’t have Ron choosing one person over the other, but focuses more on why Ron is so loveable. Rated T.

Beautiful FriendIt took six years for Harry to learn something in History of Magic.This one. Oh my lord this one… it’s short, but it’s amazing. It’s full of lovely lively details and Harry’s description of Ron is… aaaww.

Life DrawingDean watches, and sees something unexpected.Again, the descriptions! My lord the descriptions, and also you will relate very much to Dean if you’ve ever worked with pencils.

Something They Can Barely SeeHarry has no idea how to tell his best friend he wants more that friendship. He’s pretty sure this would be hell of a lot easier if he knew for sure how Ron felt about him.This one is plenty cute. Ron is adorable and Harry… Harry’s trying his best. :’D

Our Inner BeastsLater, Madam Pomfrey would tell them that both Bill and Ron were going to survive. But she had no idea what the effects of a werewolf bite, when the werewolf was still in human form, could do to their behaviour.Okay, who’s up for writing more Creature!Ron fics? Seriously. Someone do some more of those. Here we have Ron as a werewolf, aggressive, feral, self-loathing… doesn’t matter, Harry loves him.

Running with the Wolf, Loving the Mansnapshots of Harry Potter’s life with a werewolf boyfriendFollow-up of Our Inner Beasts. Someone heard our prayers and gave us more Werewolf!Ron, and it’s as wonderful as it sounds. 

What HappenedThat’s just the thing, though. He doesn’t know what happened. He can’t pinpoint a single event where everything suddenly made sense. There was no epiphany or choir of angels or aligning of stars, or any of the other rubbish Parvati goes on about in the Great Hall. There’s no one moment when he realized, “Oh.”Ron and Harry’s friendship, only it’s not just friendship. The last line will make you want to put on some epic music.

Follow The Butterflies“Why did it have to be spiders?” Ron moaned. “Why couldn’t we follow the butterflies?” Harry privately agreed with his best friend, but if there was anything Hogwarts had taught him, then that if he didn’t do something, no one would. “I promise the next time we have to follow anything, it will be butterflies.”Harry and Ron’s friendship again, with more butterflies thrown in the mix. It’s just as perfect as it sounds. If you don’t ship Harry/Ron, this fanfic might just change your mind.

Sonnets of Magical InterferenceHarry receives some strange notes about his love life, or lack thereof.By the end of that fic, you might just cheer for a very controversial character.

HeavenHarry’s heaven includes Ron.Features Ron being emotional over a movie, Chinese takeout, and Harry being a sap. What more could you ask for?

Harry Potter And The World That Went Bloody Insane“I know something you don’t know” is, apparently, the essence of Harry Potter’s love life. Harry’s certain that the world has been reading one too many romance novels, but then, Harry’s always been a bit oblivious. Featuring Protective!Attentive!Caring!Ron and Oblivious!Harry in their stinky flat and everyone shipping Harry/Ron. It’s awesome.

Check MateHarry questions his dreams, Ron has a scary one of his own, Hermione and Cho plot, and Seamus and Dean obsess. Harry’s subconscious has lots of funny ideas. Ron is ridiculously cute. Might be a bit difficult to read because of FFN’s shitty formating for line breaks.

On The OutsideHarry doesn’t think there’s much point to his being gay. He can’t have regular sex, he can’t have children, and he can’t tell his best friend he’s in love with him.Ron is utterly adorable, do I really have to say it? Why, yes, yes I do. 

Newton’s LawFor every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction Check out this author’s other Harry/Ron fics. I especially like Brass Ring; in the meantime, have a rather in-character reaction of Hermione and Ginny finding out about their ex-boyfriends dating. Hey, not my fault if JKR doesn’t know how to write strong female characters without making them abusive.

Sleeping BeautyThe most gen ever retelling of Sleeping Beauty.Who cares if it’s gen, it’s amazing. Harry sleeps, Ron is wonderful, and ants get colorful.

The Complexities Of Muggle MachineryHarry bought a refrigerator. Then it was a microwave. Then a blender. Thursday was the coffee brewer. Ron really liked that last one.Ron is absolutely, heart-stoppingly, adorably cute and pretty much just like I imagine him to be around Muggle things. Harry’s lucky.

After the cupcakesThey never really talked about it but they are each other’s world. And perhaps a lazy Sunday morning is as good a time as any to finally say something.Utterly sappy and fluffy and you know me, I was mostly there for Harry’s description of Ron. It didn’t disappoint.

Sing Your LoveThroughout the years they’ve lived together, Harry has always enjoyed Ron’s singing but lately he’s been picking up hidden messages in his flatmate’s song choices.Do you like Ron singing? Do you like Ron dancing? Do you like Ron crying his heart out over an emotionally oblivious Harry? Well in that case you’ve found the perfect fic!

Snakes & LaddersAfter the final battle with Voldemort, Harry intends to get on with his life. There’s just one problem; he was supposed to have died when he confronted Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest and now the Other Side is trying to collect him. But in the space between his ‘death’ and the victory celebrations, Harry’s fallen in love… and he’s not going to give up his second chance without a fight.A complicated premise, a complicated tale, a very worried Ron, a very determined Harry, an entirely unwelcome Severus Snape coming from beyond the Veil, all leading up to an epic confrontation in the Other Side. Who knew the afterlife had a court?

~~~~~Hope you like these! Thanks for the ask!

[obscuraxrp]

The smoke settles to reveal KOMATSU NANA, a 21 year old witch of Sunseong. She is a drug dealer who appears to be adept in snake persuasion and cannabis manipulation --- but like most things in Sunseong, there must be more to her than meets the eye.

FACECLAIM: komatsu nana, actress

APPEARANCE:

She has 8 tattoos and one piercing. Her first is the one on her stomach, a huge snake that wraps from her lower chest to the top of her pelvic bone. Her second is a tattoo of the middle finger that says “dear patriarchy” this is on the back of her right arm. Next she has a skinny snake that travels from her elbow down to her wrist. Her fourth tattoo is a spider on her left thumb. On her neck she has a group of flowers that go from her shoulder blade to the back of her ear. Her biggest tattoo is that of a hissing snake on her leg; it goes from the top of her thigh to the lower part of her calf. Her last two tattoos are a heart that says “brat” in the middle on the back of her left arm, and a snake biting a hand on the front of her left arm. Under her tongue she has a frenulum piercing.

BIOGRAPHY:

Not much can be said of the life that Nana Komatsu has lived to this point. She was what she would consider the average cool kid; she drank, smoked, talked to snakes and in her youth, did a little too many drugs.

Her childhood was uneventful. Her parents loved her, she was always encouraged to shoot for the stars, cause like her parents always said, “even if you fail, you’ll land on the moon.” But it wasn’t the stars that the awkward, gangly girl adored. It was the earth. Nature, plants, flowers and even weeds were all of fascination to the girl, and for a short while, even the people on earth was something she adored. Such a caring, loving, rose of a girl was turned and twisted into a callous thorn when the realizations of the world settled in. People were not a thing to admire. Not even children had kindness in their hearts as she was ridiculed and shunned for who she was.

Nana grew up in a house of acceptance and exploration. And as she aged, she learned that she liked girls as well as boys. Her parents caring nature accepted her and encouraged her to never hide who she was. These good intentions were sadly not the best advice for Nana. As school years came and went, Nana, became more and more secluded. Liking girls and guys seemed to put her in the perfect position to be a target of ridicule. From as young as fifth grade she was made to seem like a freak. Something as basic as love made Nana receive an ungodly amount of hate.

As middle school came and went, she made the decision that people were useless, and she quickly discovered the next best thing to friendship, drugs. Painkillers, hallucinogens, Xanax, and sometimes even paint thinner became her best friends. Getting high was her way of getting through the shitty life that schoolyard ridicule put her through.

In her freshman year of high school, Nana discovered much more than drugs; she discovered the magic she held within her. During one particularly heavy session of shrooms in the woods behind her family’s house, she made a life-changing discovery. She was sitting next to a tree, enjoying the scene of colors and music dance through the air when she hears a small voice travel to her ear. It sounded like a tiny whisper that came from the ground and with eyes widened, Nana proceeded to search on hands and knees for the source of the voice. With her ear almost place to the dirt she said in a voice that shook with a sing-song voice as it came from her lips, “what did you say Ms. Earth?” And it was then that she was the source of the voice; a four-foot snake slithered in front of her, as she sat up the snake coiled and rested up as if to be eye level with her. “I asked, what was your name?” the snake said in a slight hiss.

Nana spent the rest of her high talking to this snake, who, she eagerly decided to name, sunbeam. As her high began to wear off, she said her goodbyes to sunbeam baby and went home to sleep off the remaining high. For a while, she tried to blow off talking to snakes to just being a result of a high, until she went to a reptile house and could hear the hundreds of conversations between the snakes.

Over time, she actually developed friends through this passion of finding the next high, and the ability to speak to snakes. The reptiles kept her company during the summers and weekends, while a shady group of upper-class men kept her company under the bleachers during school.

High after high, drug after drug Nana and her friends tried more new things. It was after a friend brought a tiny baggy of white powder that the girl was forced to discover another life-changing event. As the mixture was prepared upon a spoon, the white powder turned to a brown liquid and was sucked into a syringe. Nana was the last to inject the liquid into the crease of her arm. Nana was the only one who never felt high. As if almost immediately she began to tremble, all the color drained from her body as she collapsed from the chair in which she sat. Seizing, she frothed at the mouth and her lips turned blue. Although it looked like a terrible sight, Nana couldn’t feel a thing; better yet she couldn’t even move. As she vomited she remembered seeing the look of horror on her friends’ faces and she slowly had tunnel vision taking over her sight. As she laid there in her own filth she expected to hear the sirens of emergency care, but they never came. Before she blacked out completely she witnessed all of those who were with her leave her to die under the filthy bleachers.

Although, this didn’t kill Nana. A teacher found her under the bleachers and called an ambulance. Her life was saved but ruined at the same time. She was expelled from school and forced to go to rehab. While her parents still loved and cared for her, she refused to talk to them after that experience… out of anger but particularly out of shame.

While she lived a hard drug-free life, as she took to her life after rehab she did fall upon the dependency of marijuana and cigarettes. As she settled into to life in her new city she started growing and selling marijuana as a means to pay rent and afford food. As the years passed, she created a lucrative business for herself, with the help of her magic of course. She lives a life that is what she a disappointment to her parents, but she can’t say she hates it. After all she didn’t reach the stars, and she never even landed on the moon.

CHARACTERIZATION:

More concerned with the sky above her than the people on earth, Nana tends to put most of her thoughts and efforts into space, stars, or the non-talking creatures of earth; never truly caring about the people around her. The only time she finds people to be of use is when she is intrigued by their astrological sign, or when she wants someone to get high with. Although this does not mean Nana likes to spend her time alone, in reality it is the exact opposite. While she won’t go and openly admit it, she hates being alone and prefers to spend her time in places that has a lot of people. The young adult likes to people watch and listen into other’s conversations; mainly for the purpose of guessing their star sign, also because she cannot help but be nosey.

She is often quite around people she is unfamiliar with, but once when she feels comfortable her loud mouth, ridiculous humor, and faux deep tendencies are quite apparent. She tends to have a quite chaotic side. A side of her that likes to steal, destroy, and lie just for the fun of it.

It is difficult for Nana to go a day without getting high, and usually smokes cigarettes when she can get the time or money to smoke weed. Although the young woman does not see a problem with this; cigarettes are bad of course, but compared to the drugs she did in the past, they are not anything that she worries would kill her.

She hates the world she lives in; not understanding why the people are so quick to judge, criticize, and kill. Which is why Nana dwells herself into the simpler things in life; the stars, plants, and animals of the earth. She believes that the only reason why earth is of value, is because of the animals that live here. If only humans inhabited earth, she would rather have it destroyed.

SPECIALTIES:

RANK II. (Requires 40 points):

·       Snake Persuasion

She can verbally and mentally communicate with all types of snakes. This allows her to manipulate or influence the actions of snakes to do her will. She is only able to control snakes who she has properly introduced herself to.

o    Snake Empathy – She can sense and understand the emotions of snakes, and due to this link the snakes can sense her emotions and pain. This is a form of mind link and she is only able to use it on specific snakes such as her two pet snakes, Banana and Sriracha.

RANK II. (Requires 40 points):

·       Cannabis Manipulation

This is the ability to manipulate and to enhance the growth and lifespan of Marijuana, hemp and other cannabis family plants. You could say she has a ‘green thumb’… *finger guns*. She can heal unhealthy weed plants with her touch and she can speed up growth as well. Overall her plants seem to thrive and always give off a great high.

[mountphoenixrp]

We have a new citizen in Mount Phoenix:

                                Komatsu Nana, who is known by no other name;                                                  a 20 year old daughter of Wadjet.                                  She is a employee and party hostess at Roller Disco.

FC NAME/GROUP: Nana Komatsu CHARACTER NAME:   AGE/DATE OF BIRTH: 20 years – feb 7 1996 PLACE OF BIRTH: tokyo, japan OCCUPATION: general employee at Roller Disco & party hostess HEIGHT: 5’6” WEIGHT: 118 lbs DEFINING FEATURES: She has 8 tattoos and one piercing. Her first is the one on her stomach, a huge snake that wraps from her lower chest to the top of her pelvic bone. Her second is a tattoo of the middle finger that says “dear patriarchy” this is on the back of her right arm. Next she has a skinny snake that travels from her elbow down to her wrist. Her fourth tattoo is a spider on her left thumb. On her neck she has a group of flowers that go from her shoulder blade to the back of her ear. Her biggest tattoo is that of a hissing snake on her leg; it goes from the top of her thigh to the lower part of her calf. Her last two tattoos are a heart that says “brat” in the middle on the back of her left arm, and a snake biting a hand on the front of her left arm. Under her tongue she has a frenulum piercing.

PERSONALITY: More concerned with the sky above her than the people on earth, Nana tends to put most of her thoughts and efforts into space, stars, or the non-talking creatures of earth; never truly caring about the people around her. The only time she finds people to be of use is when she is intrigued by their astrological sign, or when he wants someone to get high with. Although this does not mean Nana likes to spend her time alone, in reality it is the exact opposite. While she won’t go and openly admit it, she hates being alone and prefers to spend her time in places that has a lot of people. The young adult likes to people watch and listen into other’s conversations; mainly for the purpose of guessing their star sign, also because she cannot help but be nosey.

She is often quite around people she is unfamiliar with, but once when she feels comfortable her loud mouth, ridiculous humor, and faux deep tendencies are quite apparent. Although she is not stupid, Nana tends not dwell into the more serious side of things; It’s not her business or duty to find out all the answers of the world.

It is difficult for Nana to go a day without getting high, and usually smokes cigarettes when she can get the time or money to smoke weed. Although the young woman does not see a problem with this; cigarettes are bad of course, but compared to the drugs she did in the past, they are not anything that she worries would kill her.

She hates the world she lives in; not understanding why the people are so quick to judge, criticize, and kill. Which is why Nana dwells herself into the simpler things in life; the stars, plants, and animals of the earth. She believes that the only reason why earth is of value, is because of the animals that live here. If only humans inhabited earth, she would rather have it destroyed.

HISTORY: // Trigger warning! This backstory contains Drug usage, overdose, homophobia, and the description of a high and drug use. //

Not much can be said of the life that Nana Komatsu has lived to this point. She was what she would consider the average cool kid; she drank, smoked, talked to snakes and in her youth, did a little too many drugs.

Her childhood was uneventful. Her parents loved her, she was always encouraged to shoot for the stars, cause like her parents always said, “even if you fail, you’ll land on the moon.” But it wasn’t the stars that the awkward, gangly girl adored. It was the earth. Nature, plants, flowers and even weeds were all of fascination to the girl, and for a short while, even the people on earth was something she adored. Such a caring, loving, rose of a girl was turned and twisted into a callous thorn when the realizations of the world settled in. People were not a thing to admire. Not even children had kindness in their hearts as she was ridiculed and shunned for who she was.

Nana grew up in a house of acceptance and exploration. And as she aged, she learned that she liked girls as well as boys. Her parents caring nature accepted her and encouraged her to never hide who she was. These good intentions were sadly not the best advice for Nana. As school years came and went, Nana, became more and more secluded. Liking girls and guys seemed to put her in the perfect position to be a target of ridicule. From as young as fifth grade she was made to seem like a freak. Something as basic as love made Nana receive an ungodly amount of hate.

As middle school came and went, she made the decision that people were useless, and she quickly discovered the next best thing to friendship, drugs. Painkillers, hallucinogens, Xanax, and sometimes even paint thinner became her best friends. Getting high was her way of getting through the shitty life that schoolyard ridicule put her through.

In her freshman year of high school, Nana discovered much more than drugs; she discovered the magic she held within her. During one particularly heavy session of shrooms in the woods behind her family’s house, she made a life-changing discovery. She was sitting next to a tree, enjoying the scene of colors and music dance through the air when she hears a small voice travel to her ear. It sounded like a tiny whisper that came from the ground and with eyes widened, Nana proceeded to search on hands and knees for the source of the voice. With her ear almost place to the dirt she said in a voice that shook with a sing-song voice as it came from her lips, “what did you say Ms. Earth?” And it was then that she was the source of the voice; a four-foot snake slithered in front of her, as she sat up the snake coiled and rested up as if to be eye level with her. “I asked, what was your name?” the snake said in a slight hiss.

Nana spent the rest of her high talking to this snake, who, she eagerly decided to name, sunbeam. As her high began to wear off, she said her goodbyes to sunbeam baby and went home to sleep off the remaining high. For a while, she tried to blow off talking to snakes to just being a result of a high, until she went to a reptile house and could hear the hundreds of conversations between the snakes.

Over time, she actually developed friends through this passion of finding the next high, and the ability to speak to snakes. The reptiles kept her company during the summers and weekends, while a shady group of upper-class men kept her company under the bleachers during school.

High after high, drug after drug Nana and her friends tried more new things. It was after a friend brought a tiny baggy of white powder that the girl was forced to discover another life-changing event. As the mixture was prepared upon a spoon, the white powder turned to a brown liquid and was sucked into a syringe. Nana was the last to inject the liquid into the crease of her arm. Nana was the only one who never felt high. As if almost immediately she began to tremble, all the color drained from her body as she collapsed from the chair in which she sat. Seizing, she frothed at the mouth and her lips turned blue. Although it looked like a terrible sight, Nana couldn’t feel a thing; better yet she couldn’t even move. As she vomited she remembered seeing the look of horror on her friends’ faces and she slowly had tunnel vision taking over her sight. As she laid there in her own filth she expected to hear the sirens of emergency care, but they never came. Before she blacked out completely she witnessed all of those who were with her leave her to die under the filthy bleachers.

Although, this didn’t kill Nana. A teacher found her under the bleachers and called an ambulance. Her life was saved but ruined at the same time. She was expelled from school and forced to go to rehab. While her parents still loved and cared for her, she refused to talk to them after that experience… out of anger but particularly out of shame.

While she lived a hard drug-free life, as she took to her life after rehab she did fall upon the dependency of marijuana and cigarettes. As she settled into to life in her new city she started growing and selling marijuana and working at a roller rink as a means to pay rent and afford food. She lives a life that is what she a disappointment to her parents, but she can’t say she hates it. After all she is beginning a new, and the only person who matters is herself.

PANTHEON: Egyptian CHILD OF: Wadjet POWERS:

Snake Persuasion - She can verbally and mentally communicate with all types of snakes. This allows her to manipulate or influence the actions of snakes to do her will. She is only able to control snakes who she has properly introduced herself to. Snakes that she has not introduced herself to will not listen to her or heed her commands.

Snake Empathy – She can sense and understand the emotions of snakes, and due to this link the snakes can sense her emotions and pain. This is a form of mind link and she is only able to use it on specific snakes such as her two pet snakes, Banana and Sriracha. It takes a deep connection to be formed to be able to link minds.

STRENGTHS:

Incredibly smart -  specifically with any type of science. Her favorite being physics.

Fearless – if there is a dare brought up to her you can consider it done!

Independent – she has lived on her own since she was 16 years old, and she will never accept a handout.

WEAKNESSES:

Lazy – cleaning the house? Brushing her hair daily? Wearing something other than tee shirts and sweatpants?  Nana has surely never heard of any of these things.

Unmotivated – she legit tries for nothing, school comes so easy for herself that over the years she just doesn’t try but still finds a way to succeed.

Addictive – although her past clearly describes this, nana is a person that is easily addicted to anything that she can become addicted to.

[blogwritetheworld]

June Spotlight: Reading Like a Children’s Book Writer

by Lisa Hiton

From Peter Pan, to Alice, to Narnia, to platform 9 ¾, to the BFG, to Frog and Toad, to Amelia Bedelia, to where the sidewalk ends, the images, characters, and tales in the pages of children’s books are markers of our earliest visions in the world—our first foray into our imaginations and worlds other than our own. While these stories may seem the simplest to write–the seeming simplicity of children’s literature is only a facade. For in children’s literature, the whole experience of the world has to be distilled into clear images and words for readers.

Authenticity in Children’s Literature

We are often told to “write what you know”. On the one hand, this means that writing about things you’ve personally experienced can offer a sense of detail and truth to the written version of the story. On the other, larger, hand, this phrase relates to authenticity. And there is no better reader of authenticity than that of a child.

Children feel the world deeply and earnestly. When they are upset, they may cry or bite or scream. When they are joyful, they may laugh and smile and run around. And so, when a child encounters a story, the authenticity in the characters and their adventures will bring about these emotions in a child reader. I’d like to hope this is true of all great literature–no matter who it’s written by or for; and yet, it is in children’s books that emotion and imagination seem to have the grandest opportunities to be read authentically.

“Becoming a Picture Book Scholar”

To feel the world so fully, many children’s books use images or illustrations to bring the reader into the world of the book. According to Ann Whitford Paul’s craft book, Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide From Story Creation to Publication, the opening chapter advises the same message that we do here at “Reading Like a Writer”: before you begin writing your story, you must “become a picture book scholar”. Read, read, read!

Going back to your favorite children’s books, search for new truths about the making of the book itself. For example, a quick look at my ragged and beloved copy of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar made me realize how few words are needed to convey the hunger of the main character. The images are beautiful and bold. They already provide a feeling of drama and bravery. The opening pages host single sentences of 5-20 words. This kind of research and study will take you from a reader and lover of children’s books to becoming a scholar of them. What kinds of things do you notice about your own favorite children’s books? What are you most drawn to? Why? How do the images and words match? When do the images and words oppose each other? Why? These kinds of questions can help you, especially, in the revision process, too.

An Art-Form Unto Itself 

Adults tend to think highly of themselves. In the world of children’s book publishing, this often leads to adults writing books for young people based on what they think young people want. They think to themselves: children like puppies, and fairies, and unicorns, and lions, and dragons. And: children dislike school, monsters, broccoli, and adults. They take these objects and toss them into a book. This doesn’t lend to much more than a story soon forgotten. (Lewis, 1966, p.22)

C.S. Lewis, author of the beloved Chronicles of Narnia, wrote essays about writing books for children. One of his essays, “On Three Ways of Writing for Children”, was first a speech at the Library Association, then an essay in his book on children’s writing called Of Other Worlds. Like many of our most famed children’s book authors, Lewis felt that calling great stories “children’s” literature in and of itself only serves as a descriptor. A great story that is for children can and should be beloved by all. Lewis describes this way of writing as:

“[One] way, which is the only one I could ever use myself, consists in writing a children’s story because a children’s story is the best art-form for something you have to say: just as a composer might write a Dead March not because there was a public funeral in view but because certain musical ideas that had occurred to him went best into that form.

[…]

Where the children’s story is simply the right form for what the author has to say, then of course readers who want to hear that, will read the story or re-read it, at any age… I am almost inclined to set it up as a canon that a children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story. The good ones last. A waltz which you can like only when you are waltzing is a bad waltz.”

It is with this truth–that children’s writing is a form, not a differentiation between the strength of writing or the contents therein–that we can go forward with our imaginations and be true vehicles for stories that want to be told, no matter what shape may suit them best.

Children’s Book Picks

As we say each month, reading is one of the most important muscles to exercise as you work on your writing. So as you read through some of our favorite children’s books and your own, think about your own page turns, the bare essentials of your words, and how your own images may bring the reader clear visions of your characters and their surroundings!

Charlotte’s Web written by E.B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams: A classic in children’s literature, Charlotte’s Web is about a rare friendship between a spider named Charlotte and a pig named Wilbur. At the onset, the reader and Wilbur learn that he is meant to be slaughtered by the farmer who owns him. As the friendship between the two creatures builds, Charlotte hatches a plan to save Wilbur by intricately weaving messages into her webs for the humans to read.

The novel’s characters and plots are believable at each level–the adults believe some sort of divine intervention is happening, while Wilbur and Charlotte hope that the plan works. And of course, the farmer’s daughter, Fern, serves as a medium between the world of the barn animals and the adults who think they know better. As you read Charlotte’s Web, here are some questions you might ask about writing children’s literature:

What are the “firsts” in the novel? The first chapter title? The first line? The first image? What impression do these firsts give the reader about the characters?

How does E.B. White make the reader invest in the fate of Wilbur? In what moments does the reader believe that Wilbur will survive? In what moments might the reader think Wilbur is doomed? What techniques does White use to make the reader wonder?

What motivates each character to act? How do these motives conflict? How do these conflicts test each character?

What is the world of the farm like? How does the farm serve three different perspectives–adults, children, and animals?

Matilda written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake: In Roald Dahl’s Matilda, the title character is a young girl with a gigantic intellect–an intellect so large it gives her powers, like telekinesis. Matilda is treated poorly by her family and by most others around her. Since she is ignored and neglected, she finds herself reading many books and pulling pranks to avenge herself against her enemies. Matilda’s life changes when she meets her new teacher, Jennifer Honey, who recognizes Matilda’s individuality.

As Miss Honey and Matilda become closer, other adults at school and in Matilda’s home become angrier and angrier. With a bit of bravery and honesty, Miss Honey and Matilda try to break free of these dangerous adults. In reading this literary masterpiece, here are some questions you might consider when thinking about building your own children’s novel:

Why is the opening chapter called “The Reader of Books”? How does this work with the early images in the book? What does it mean to Matilda’s character? What does it mean to you, the reader? 

How would you characterize the adults in this book? How would you characterize the children? How do Matilda and Miss Honey represent different ideas than the groups they would otherwise belong to?

How are books used within this novel? What do they represent? To Matilda? To Miss Honey? To you, the reader? What is the larger message about books and reading?

The Sound of Silence by Katrina Goldsaito and illustrated by Julia Kuo: Goldsaito’s debut children’s book follows a young Yoshio through Tokyo as he hears many sounds from nature and from urban life–from rain, to boots squishing, to a musician playing a koto. Yoshio asks the musician what her favorite sound is. She says “Ma”, or, the silence between sounds. Yoshio uses the rest of his day on a quest to hear ma.

This meditative journey of a young boy and his connection to his inner-life takes us throughout one of the world’s great cities pondering what mysteries might be left in the world, even in the smallest moments of time and space.

How is noise represented in the images and words of the book? How is silence represented?

As we follow Yoshio, what do we learn about the relationship between the sounds around us and the soul inside of each of us?

What is the narrative of this book? How might you think of using ideas and an inner journey in your own writing?

After reading the book, what do you make of the cover? Why is Yoshio in color while the rest of the landscape is in black and white?

So dear writers, as you build your own children’s stories this month, ask yourselves these questions. How do these frames of images, titles, chapters, first lines, and the rest bring the reader–young or old–into the world of your story? Have you used page turns to keep the reader’s attention? Have you thought of images that can give a strong impression of your characters? All of these techniques can help you make the reader feel all of the emotions that your characters experience and more. By doing so, your readers might have the chance to see the world with new eyes and new passions. Write on!

About Lisa

Lisa Hiton is an editorial associate at Write the World. She writes two series on our blog: The Write Place where she comments on life as a writer, and Reading like a Writer where she recommends books about writing in different genres. She’s also the interviews editor of Cosmonauts Avenue and the poetry editor of the Adroit Journal.